Missouri · Cole County · Local exemptions · Updated Oct 2026

Cole County, MO property tax exemptions (2026)

The property tax breaks that are set or run locally in Cole County, on top of Missouri’s statewide rules: what each is worth here, who qualifies, where to apply and the deadline.

What is different in Cole County

Cole County (Jefferson City) started its Senior Real Estate Property Tax Freeze in 2026: the first base year is 2026, so the first credits appear on later bills. Seniors 62+ apply to the County Collector by June 30 and must renew every year. The State Blind Pension and voter-approved bond levies are not frozen.

Apply at: Cole County Collector
Phone: Not confirmed
Local breaks: Senior Real Estate Property Tax Freeze (Senior Real Estate Tax Relief Program)
Tax year: 2026

Where to apply in Cole County

Cole County Collector

Official exemptions page

Other offices

Cole County Assessor – sets the assessed value (appeals)
Missouri Department of Revenue, Property Tax Credit – state program: MO-PTC circuit-breaker refund for seniors 65+ and disabled homeowners

Local exemptions in Cole County

Senior freeze or deferral

Senior Real Estate Property Tax Freeze (Senior Real Estate Tax Relief Program)

A credit equal to any increase in your homestead real property tax above your initial base year (no earlier than 2026). Not an assessment freeze; Blind Pension, voter-approved bond levies, improvements and annexation can still raise the bill.

Set by: county
Tax year: 2026
Who qualifies: Cole County resident 62 or older before January 1 of the initial credit year; owner of record or with a legal/equitable interest; liable for the taxes. One primary residence statewide; no rentals; mobile homes taxed as personal property do not qualify.
How to apply: Printable Senior Real Estate Tax Relief Application or in person at the Collector's Office; sign it; attach proof of residency (driver's license, voter card or state ID), proof of age and your tax bill/receipt. Email: [email protected].
Deadline: June 30 each year (June 30, 2026 set 2026 as the first base year).
Renewal: Every year by June 30 (the Collector mails renewal notices); missing it ends participation.

Source: official page

State exemptions that also apply here

These breaks come from Missouri law. Their full rules, forms and deadlines are on the Missouri page.

Missouri Property Tax Credit (circuit breaker), Form MO-PTCA credit
Homestead Exemption for Former Prisoners of War with a Total Service-Connected DisabilityFull exemption
Senior Citizen Property Tax Freeze Credit (county option, age 62+)Where adopted, it freezes the county's (only where the local government offers it)

All Missouri property tax exemptions

By group in Missouri: Seniors · Veterans · Disability

Savings estimate for Cole County

Roughly what an exemption could save you a year: the value it takes off, times your tax rate.

Exemption

Value taken off ($)

Filled in when the exemption is a fixed dollar amount. You can change it.

Tax rate (%)

Cole County median effective rate: 0.73% (taxes paid as a share of home value). Use your own rate if you know it.

Enter a value and a tax rateChoose an exemption or type the value it takes off.

Median effective rate in Cole County: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2020–2024 5-year estimates, county figures as published by Tax Foundation. It is a county-wide middle value; rates differ by town and school district.

An estimate, not a bill. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.

Eligibility finder for Cole County

Answer a few questions to see which property tax breaks may fit you. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.

Do you own the home and live in it as your main home?

Your age, or the year you were born

Leave empty if you'd rather not say.

Are you a veteran?

Do you have a permanent disability?

Are you the surviving spouse of a veteran, service member or first responder?

Yearly household income ($)

Everyone in the home, before taxes. Optional: used only to compare with income limits.

Do you own and live in the home?Answer the first question to see results.

A first check, not a decision: only your county, city or town assessor decides. We read ages, ratings and income limits only where the official rule states them plainly; otherwise we show the rule for you to check.

Document checklist for Cole County

Pick the breaks you plan to apply for. You get a checklist of forms, documents, steps and deadlines to print or keep on your phone.

Questions about property tax exemptions in Cole County

What property tax exemptions are there in Cole County?

Where do I apply for a property tax exemption in Cole County?

Cole County Collector. Also: Cole County Assessor, which sets the assessed value (appeals). Also: Missouri Department of Revenue, Property Tax Credit, which state program: MO-PTC circuit-breaker refund for seniors 65+ and disabled homeowners.

When is the deadline to apply in Cole County?

Senior Real Estate Property Tax Freeze (Senior Real Estate Tax Relief Program): June 30 each year (June 30, 2026 set 2026 as the first base year).

Do I have to reapply every year in Cole County?

Senior Real Estate Property Tax Freeze (Senior Real Estate Tax Relief Program): Every year by June 30 (the Collector mails renewal notices); missing it ends participation.

Do Missouri’s statewide exemptions apply in Cole County too?

Yes. The statewide breaks on our Missouri page apply here as well, for example Missouri Property Tax Credit (circuit breaker), Form MO-PTC, Homestead Exemption for Former Prisoners of War with a Total Service-Connected Disability and Senior Citizen Property Tax Freeze Credit (county option, age 62+). This page adds what Cole County sets or runs itself.

Good to know in Cole County

Countywide reassessment happens every odd-numbered year (Cole County FAQ).

Think your assessed value is too high? See how to appeal in Cole County.

Sources

Cole County - Senior Real Estate Property Tax Freeze
Cole County - Senior Tax Freeze FAQs
RSMo 137.1050
Median effective tax rate for Cole County: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2020–2024 5-year estimates, county figures as published by Tax Foundation. The rate is property taxes paid divided by home value.

Last checked: Oct 2026.