Pennsylvania to pay out $258 million rebates on property tax, rent

Homeowners and renters in Pennsylvania may be eligible to receive up to $1,000 through the state’s Property Tax/Rent rebate program.

What Is the Property Tax/Rent Rebate?

The Property Tax/Rent Rebate program helps low-income Pennsylvania homeowners and renters who meet specific age or status requirements. Those eligible include:

Residents aged 65 or older
Widows and widowers aged 50 or older
People with disabilities who are at least 18 years old

To qualify, households must have an annual income of $46,520 or less.

Governor Josh Shapiro expanded the program in 2023, increasing support for seniors and widening eligibility. The maximum rebate for seniors rose from $650 to $1,000, while the income cap for renters jumped from $15,000 to $45,000 per year. For homeowners, the cap increased from $35,000 to $45,000 per year. The state’s Department of Revenue reported that these changes made an additional 175,000 Pennsylvanians eligible.

Shapiro’s office also noted that in 2024, the state issued 522,434 rebates, totaling more than $319 million, to applicants who filed for the program.

How Much Is the Rebate?

The rebate amount depends on household income:

Households earning up to $8,270 qualify for the full $1,000 rebate
Incomes between $8,271 and $15,510 qualify for $770
Incomes from $15,511 to $18,610 qualify for $460
Incomes between $18,611 and $46,520 qualify for up to $380

Some applicants may qualify for supplemental rebates, which add $190 to $500 in extra relief for those with the greatest financial need. These payments are automatically calculated for:

Property owners earning $31,010 or less whose property taxes exceed 15% of their total income
Residents of Philadelphia, Scranton, and Pittsburgh

When combined with the standard rebate, eligible households can receive up to $1,500.

How to Apply

You can apply for the rebate in several ways:

Online
By mail
In person at designated locations

Applicants must provide proof of ID, address, and income. Full instructions are available on the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s website.

What People Are Saying

Governor Josh Shapiro: “The Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is a lifeline for Pennsylvanians, and thanks to the historic expansion we passed in my first year in office, more people than ever are getting the help they need. This was the first time in nearly 20 years the program was expanded—and now rebates are going out to hundreds of thousands of seniors and people with disabilities all across the Commonwealth. We worked together to cut costs and put money back in people’s pockets, and that’s exactly what we’re delivering.”