How the St. Louis Senior Tax Freeze Credit Works, and What It Won't Freeze
The City of St. Louis has a credit for homeowners 62 and older that stops the City's share of their property tax from going up. It doesn't freeze the whole bill, and the savings can be small, but they can grow over the years. Applications for 2026 closed on June 30 and reopen on March 1, 2027. If you applied this year, your November tax bill will show your first credit. Here's how the program works, how to read the credit on your bill, and how to apply next spring.
AT A GLANCE
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What the freeze does
The Senior Citizen Property Tax Freeze Credit program was created by a Missouri law and a 2023 Board of Aldermen ordinance. The Assessor's office explains what it means: the freeze doesn't stop your property taxes from rising. It limits how much they can rise because of increases in the City's share. Your taxes can still go up, but by less than they would without the freeze.
The credit applies only to residential real estate. It doesn't cover vehicles or other personal property.
Which taxes are frozen
Your bill is a mix of taxes from different agencies. Here's how the Assessor sorts them:
Frozen (won't increase) | Not frozen (can increase) |
|---|---|
County Rate | Debt Service |
Parks & Recreation | Developmental Disability Resources (Sheltered Workshop) |
Public Health | Mental Health |
Hospital | Senior Services |
General Revenue 1 | Community Children's Services |
General Revenue 2 | State Blind Pension |
Public Schools | |
St. Louis Community College | |
Metropolitan Sewer District | |
Zoo & Museum Districts | |
Public Library |
Most of your bill, including schools, isn't frozen. The credit is worth having, but your bill can still go up.
The freeze covers the City's share of your tax. Your school, library and sewer district taxes can still go up.
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What the credit looks like on a bill
In February 2026, the Assessor published an example using 2025 tax rates for a home with a $100,000 market value:
Step | Amount |
|---|---|
Market value before reassessment | $100,000 |
Assessed value | $19,000 |
Total tax before reassessment | $1,555 |
City portion of that tax | $276 |
Market value after a 12% increase | $112,000 |
Assessed value after reassessment | $21,280 |
New total tax without the freeze | $1,742 |
New City portion without the freeze | $309 |
Freeze credit ($309 minus $276) | $33 |
New total bill with the freeze | $1,709 |
In this example, the tax went up $187 without the freeze and $154 with it, saving $33. The Assessor's takeaway is that the bill rose by less than it would have without the program.
The credit is the gap between what the City portion would have been and the frozen amount. So the more the City portion grows, the more the credit is worth. The Collector's office says the Assessor reassesses property every other year, in odd-numbered years.
2026 credits
The Assessor says 2026 tax rates and credit amounts won't be known until November 2026, after rates are set. The Collector mails tax notices each November, so your 2026 bill is where you'll see your credit. Taxes are due by December 31, and unpaid taxes are charged interest and penalties after January 1.
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Who qualifies
Owner requirements
Be 62 or older as of December 31 of the year you apply.
Be the owner of record, or have a legal or equitable interest in the primary residence.
Be liable for paying the taxes on the property.
Live in the home for most of the year and use it as your legal address.
The age rule has changed over time. A 2024 change dropped the requirement to be eligible for Social Security and set the minimum age at 62. A 2025 change let you qualify if you turn 62 by December 31 of the current year.
Property requirements
The property's total market value must be $528,392 or less.
All of last year's property taxes must be paid.
Properties with a tax abatement aren't eligible while the abatement lasts.
Special cases
Situation | What the Assessor says |
|---|---|
You own a multi-unit building | The credit applies only to the unit you live in |
Your home is part residential, part commercial | The credit applies only to the residential part |
You've added new construction | The new value isn't frozen in its first year. Pay the full taxes on it first; it becomes eligible the year after. |
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How to apply in 2027
The Assessor's office says new and returning applicants apply every year between March 1 and June 30. Even if you were approved in 2026, plan to apply again in spring 2027.
Pay your 2026 taxes by December 31. Prior-year taxes must be paid for you to qualify.
Check your market value in the Assessor's property search. It has to be $528,392 or less.
Ask about an abatement if you think your home has one. Abated homes are ineligible while the abatement lasts.
Apply between March 1 and June 30, 2027. Use the Assessor's tax freeze page, or call (314) 622-4185 for help.
Look for the credit on your November bill.
The Assessor's office is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Live in St. Louis County instead of the City? The County runs its own freeze program. The City's page sends County residents to the County website.
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Other help with property taxes
Missouri Property Tax Credit (Circuit Breaker)
This is a separate state program that refunds part of the real estate tax or rent you paid. The St. Louis Area Agency on Aging (SLAAA) says it's for people 65 and older, people 18 to 64 who receive SSI, SSD or Veterans Disability, and people 60 and older receiving Surviving Spouse benefits from Social Security. Owners can get up to $1,100 and renters up to $750. For homeowners, the income limits are $30,000 for one person and $34,000 for a household, and you must have owned and lived in the home all year.
SLAAA will help you fill out the claim for free. Call (314) 612-5918 for an appointment. See our Missouri Property Tax Credit guide for details.
Behind on taxes?
The Real Estate Tax Assistance Fund (RETAF) says it provides up to $3,500 to owner-occupants facing tax foreclosure. It's a seasonal program that starts when the Collector begins the land tax sale process, which runs from May through August. RETAF begins processing applications 30 days before a home's scheduled tax sale.
Don't wait for a tax sale if you can't pay. The Collector's Real Estate Tax Department is at City Hall, Room 109, and can be reached at (314) 622-4101 or propertytaxdept@stlouis-mo.gov.
No longer offered
The City's relief programs page says the Missouri Homestead Preservation Credit for seniors is no longer available.
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Before you apply
☐ Confirm you'll be 62 by December 31, 2027
☐ Make sure your name is on the deed and the home is your legal address
☐ Check that your market value is $528,392 or less
☐ Pay your 2026 taxes in full by December 31
☐ Set a reminder to apply between March 1 and June 30, 2027
YOUR NEXT STEPS
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More help in St. Louis
Official sources
Last checked: October 30, 2026. Freeze rules, the frozen-tax list and the $100,000 example come from the City Assessor's pages. Billing dates come from the Collector of Revenue. Circuit Breaker details come from SLAAA, and RETAF details come from retaf.org.
This is general information, not tax or legal advice. The Assessor decides who qualifies for the freeze credit, and amounts change each year with tax rates. Call (314) 622-4185 to confirm before you apply.
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