Mobile County Said Yes to the Senior Freeze. What Happens Next

If you're 65 or older and own your home in Mobile County, or you help a parent who does, you probably have one question right now. Does the freeze apply to me, and when?

Earlier this month we wrote about the senior tax freeze on the November 3 ballot. Voters approved it. Unofficial results reported by Ballotpedia show 90,998 yes votes to 21,554 no, about 81% in favor. The results become final once they're certified.

What passed

Local Amendment One does two things.

It lets a homeowner who is 65 or older freeze the assessed value of their home for property tax purposes. Under the amendment text (HB308, Act 2026-258), the home has to be a single-family, owner-occupied home in Mobile County, and it has to have been your principal residence for at least five years immediately before the first tax year you claim.

It also raises the income limit for Mobile County's homestead exemption based on age and income to $50,000 in adjusted gross income.

What it doesn't do

The freeze holds your assessed value in place. Your tax bill can still move. The amendment keeps the property subject to millage rate changes, and FOX10 reported before the vote that any new millage approved by local leaders would still apply. If you add on to the house later, the value of the addition gets added to your assessment.

When and where to claim it

The first chance comes with the October 1, 2027 tax year. The amendment says the claim is made in writing to the Mobile County Revenue Commissioner between October 1 and December 31. That puts the first filing window in the fall of 2027.

The amendment text doesn't spell out what paperwork you'll need, or whether you file once or every year. Those details will come from the Revenue Commissioner's office. I'd call them before assuming anything.

Property tax rules and figures can change. Confirm your own situation with the Mobile County Revenue Commissioner or a tax professional. This isn't tax or legal advice.

If you've been thinking about a move

This is the part I'd slow down on. As written, the five years are tied to the home being your principal residence before you claim. If you're 65 or older and weighing a move within Mobile County, ask the Revenue Commissioner how a new home would be treated before you make plans. It may not change anything for you. It's still a question to ask first.

Across the Bay, Baldwin County has had its own senior freeze since 2007, with a 10-year residency requirement, according to FOX10. If you're comparing the two counties, check each one's rules directly with that county's revenue office.

A few things to do now

• Put October 2027 on next year's calendar as the first filing window.
• Keep this year's tax notice and anything that shows how long you've lived in the home.
• If your household income is $50,000 or less, ask the Revenue Commissioner whether the higher limit opens up an exemption you didn't qualify for before.
• If a parent owns the home, help them gather these papers now so next fall is easy.

Home is where life unfolds, and for a lot of our neighbors that means staying in the house they've lived in for years. If you'd like help thinking through whether to stay, sell or wait, a Home Strategy Consultation with our team at Perch & Oak Property Group, with Keller Williams Mobile, is a calm place to start.

Be Home.
Leslie Davis, AL License #72650
Perch & Oak Property Group
Keller Williams Mobile, 251-662-5660