Pennsylvania · Cumberland County · Local exemptions · Updated Oct 2026
Cumberland County, PA property tax exemptions (2026)
The property tax breaks that are set or run locally in Cumberland County, on top of Pennsylvania’s statewide rules: what each is worth here, who qualifies, where to apply and the deadline.
What is different in Cumberland County
The state-funded homestead/farmstead school tax relief in Cumberland County depends on your school district: PDE estimates it at $98 to $261 a year per approved home for 2025-26 across 8 districts. You apply once with the Cumberland County Assessment Office by March 1; other exemptions follow the statewide rules.
Apply at
Cumberland County Assessment Office
Phone
717-240-6350
Local breaks
Homestead/Farmstead Exclusion (state gaming-funded school tax relief, Act 1 of 2006)
Homestead/Farmstead Exclusion (state gaming-funded school tax relief, Act 1 of 2006)
Varies by school district. PDE estimates 2025-26 school tax relief per approved homestead from $98 (Cumberland Valley SD) to $261 (Shippensburg Area SD) across the 8 districts PDE lists under Cumberland County (median $228). The actual amount is calculated by each district and shown on your school tax bill; see the table of districts.
Set by
school district (state program, local amount)
Tax year
2025-26
Who qualifies
You own the home and it is your permanent primary residence. Farmstead: farm buildings used for agriculture on a farm of 10 or more contiguous acres. No age or income test.
How to apply
Mail or drop off the Act 1 Homestead/Farmstead application at the Cumberland County Assessment Office, Historic Courthouse, One Courthouse Square, Carlisle, PA 17013, between December 15 and March 1 (Mon-Fri 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.). Emailed or faxed applications are not accepted. Questions: 717-240-6350.
Apply December 15 to March 1 for the school tax year that starts July 1
Renewal
One-time: once approved you do not reapply unless ownership changes or you move. Tell the assessment office within 45 days if the home stops being your primary residence.
Roughly what an exemption could save you a year: the value it takes off, times your tax rate.
Eligibility finder for Cumberland County
Answer a few questions to see which property tax breaks may fit you. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.
Document checklist for Cumberland 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 Cumberland County
What property tax exemptions are there in Cumberland County?
The state-funded homestead/farmstead school tax relief in Cumberland County depends on your school district: PDE estimates it at $98 to $261 a year per approved home for 2025-26 across 8 districts. You apply once with the Cumberland County Assessment Office by March 1; other exemptions follow the statewide rules. Local breaks here: Homestead/Farmstead Exclusion (state gaming-funded school tax relief, Act 1 of 2006).
Where do I apply for a property tax exemption in Cumberland County?
Cumberland County Assessment Office Phone: 717-240-6350 Address: Historic Courthouse, One Courthouse Square, Carlisle, PA 17013. Also: Pennsylvania Department of Education, Property Tax Relief, which state program: sets each school district's yearly property tax reduction allocation.
When is the deadline to apply in Cumberland County?
Homestead/Farmstead Exclusion (state gaming-funded school tax relief, Act 1 of 2006): Apply December 15 to March 1 for the school tax year that starts July 1.
Do I have to reapply every year in Cumberland County?
Homestead/Farmstead Exclusion (state gaming-funded school tax relief, Act 1 of 2006): One-time: once approved you do not reapply unless ownership changes or you move. Tell the assessment office within 45 days if the home stops being your primary residence.
Do Pennsylvania’s statewide exemptions apply in Cumberland County too?
Yes. The statewide breaks on our Pennsylvania page apply here as well, for example Homestead and Farmstead Exclusion (Taxpayer Relief Act), Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program and Disabled Veterans' Real Estate Tax Exemption. This page adds what Cumberland County sets or runs itself.
Good to know in Cumberland County
If your school district is not in the table, PDE lists it under a neighboring county (a district that crosses county lines appears under one county only); the application still goes to the assessment office of the county where your home is.
PDE's per-homestead figures are estimates; each district calculates the actual reduction and must show it on the school tax bill as a "Notice of Property Tax Relief".
Median effective tax rate for Cumberland 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.