Treasury: Principal Residence Exemption Doesn’t Expire

The Michigan Department of Treasury is reminding Michiganders that a Principal Residence Exemption – known as a PRE – does not expire.

Inaccurate posts being shared on social media are claiming that Michigan taxpayers will experience a surge in property taxes due to their PRE expiring after 25 years. In return, the state Treasury Department and local assessors are experiencing a surge in inquiries from residents who are trying to verify this misinformation or submit unneeded paperwork.

“Simply put, there isn’t an expiration date on a Principal Residence Exemption,” said acting Deputy State Treasurer Anne Wohlfert, who oversees Treasury’s State and Local Finance programs. “Homeowners who have claimed a Principal Residence Exemption do not have to refile the required form unless they move.”

A PRE exempts a residence from the tax levied by a local school district for school operating purposes up to 18 mills. To qualify for a PRE, a person must be a Michigan resident who owns and occupies the property as a principal residence.

For more information about property taxes, go to www.michigan.gov/propertytax or follow the state Treasury Department on Twitter at @MITreasury.

The July and December Boards of Review have the authority over clerical errors, mutual mistakes of fact and situations involving hardship exemptions, principal residence (homestead) exemptions and qualified agricultural exemptions.

To learn more about the Board of Review, please click here or contact the Assessor’s Office for more information.

Property information is available for viewing at the Assessing Department during normal business hours.

Property and tax billing information is also available online by clicking on the Online Assessing Information Look-up link below. Online information is currently updated daily. Most property records now have a sketch of buildings, improvements and land, as well as a digital photograph.

Online Assessing Information Look-up

The Supervisor is the chief assessing officer of the township, responsible for assessing property values within the township at 50 percent of its true cash value (MCL 41.61 ). In assessing property, the supervisor and assessing officials may use only those manuals approved by the State Tax Commission. MCL 41.61 permits the township board to provide for the appointment of assessors for the township who have all the powers and duties of the supervisor in the assessment of property.

The Assessor is responsible for the inventory of all property within the Township, and the valuation of the taxable parcels therein. Both real property (Land and Building), and personal property (tangible) held by businesses are taxable.

The office operates under the requirements of what is commonly referred to as the General Property Tax l aw which was originally P.A. 206 of 1893. Most statutes are located between MCL 211.1 and MCL211.157.

Assessor's Office

Beth Botke, Assessor
Email: bbotke@bathtownship.us

Melanie Couzzins, Assessing Assistant
Email: mcouzzins@bathtownship.us

Bath Charter Township
14480 Webster Road
P.O. Box 247
Bath, Michigan 48808

Phone: (517) 641-6728

Fax: (517) 641-4170

Hours: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday – Thursday

There is a secure, 24-hour drop box located next the Township Office entrance that may be used for any township business.