PIERRE, S.D. -- NEW homeowners have until March 15 to apply for owner-occupied classification on their property, which provides property tax relief through a reduced school general fund levy.

Any South Dakotan who owned and occupied a home before November 1, 2023, is eligible at this time. An individual may only have one owner-occupied classification in the state.

Homeowners who have previously received this classification and still own and occupy the same home will continue to receive the property tax reduction without re-applying.

Taxpayers can check their county notices to verify whether they are already classified as owner-occupied. By looking at their most recent tax bill or assessment notice, a homeowner should see a denotation of an ‘OO’ or some variation of an abbreviation of the words ‘owner-occupied’. The local county director of equalization’s office can also look up the property and let the individual know whether they already have the classification.

Homeowners must apply for this classification through their local county director of equalization. The form can be found online at https://sddor.seamlessdocs.com/f/3001 and can even be submitted electronically through the Department of Revenue website.

If applicants have questions about the owner-occupied program, they are encouraged to contact their local county director of equalization.