Homestead Exemptions by State

A homestead exemption protects equity in a primary residence from judgment creditors. The strength of that protection varies enormously across jurisdictions—a handful of states protect unlimited dollar value, most impose a cap, and a few provide no creditor-focused homestead protection at all.

The state where a homeowner lives determines whether home equity is untouchable or fully exposed. A homeowner in Florida or Texas can hold millions in equity beyond the reach of unsecured creditors. A homeowner in Kentucky protects $5,000. A homeowner in New Jersey protects nothing.

Which States Have Unlimited Homestead Protection?

Seven states and the District of Columbia offer homestead exemptions with no dollar cap on protected equity. In these jurisdictions, a creditor cannot force the sale of a homestead regardless of how much equity the homeowner holds. The unlimited-value states are Florida, Texas, Kansas, Iowa, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Arkansas. The District of Columbia also provides unlimited protection.

Florida and Texas have the deepest bodies of case law interpreting their homestead provisions, and both embed the protection in their state constitutions rather than ordinary statutes. A constitutional homestead provision requires a supermajority vote and voter approval to amend, making it far more durable than a statute that any legislature can change.

Florida has one additional feature no other unlimited state matches: judicial immunity from fraudulent conveyance challenges when a debtor converts non-exempt assets into homestead equity. Under Havoco of America, Ltd. v. Hill, 790 So.2d 1018 (Fla. 2001), the Florida Supreme Court held that converting liquid assets into homestead equity is not a transfer that creditors can reverse, even if the conversion is made with the specific intent of putting assets beyond their reach. No other state, unlimited or otherwise, offers this level of conversion protection.

Each unlimited-value state restricts the physical size of the protected property. Florida protects up to one-half acre within a municipality and 160 acres outside one. Texas protects 10 urban acres or 100 rural acres (200 for a family). Kansas protects 1 urban acre or 160 rural acres. Iowa protects one-half acre in a city or 40 acres in a rural area. These limits rarely affect suburban homeowners but can matter for large rural properties.

States with Strong but Limited Exemptions

Nevada protects up to $605,000 in homestead equity. California ties its exemption to the county median home price, creating a range from roughly $300,000 to $744,000, adjusted annually. Massachusetts protects $500,000 for homeowners who file a declaration (automatic protection is $125,000 without a filing). Rhode Island provides $500,000. Minnesota allows $450,000 for residential property and $1,125,000 for agricultural property. Arizona protects $400,000. Washington protects the greater of $125,000 or the county median sale price.

These exemptions cover most homeowners but fall short when equity is high. A homeowner with $400,000 in equity in Nevada is fully protected. A homeowner with $2 million in equity is not. The exemption provides a floor, and anyone with substantial home equity needs additional asset protection planning beyond the homestead.

Ohio ($145,425), Montana ($378,560, adjusted annually), and Colorado ($250,000, or $350,000 if the owner is over 60 or disabled) fall into a middle tier. These amounts cover most homeowners but leave high-value properties exposed.

States with Weak or No Homestead Protection

New Jersey and Pennsylvania have no general homestead exemption for creditor protection purposes. Georgia offers only $21,500 ($43,000 for married couples). Kentucky caps its exemption at $5,000. Illinois protects only $15,000 ($30,000 for married couples). Virginia provides $25,000 with modest additional amounts for elderly and disabled homeowners.

Homeowners in these states cannot rely on the homestead exemption as a meaningful planning tool. Anyone facing serious litigation risk in a weak-exemption state needs to look beyond the homestead to other strategies: LLCs and charging order protection, domestic and offshore trusts, retirement account exemptions, and tenancy by the entirety protections where available.

Which Debts Bypass Homestead Protection?

Homestead exemptions do not protect against every type of creditor. Mortgage lenders retain the right to foreclose because the homestead secures the loan. Property tax liens take priority over homestead protection in every state. A homeowner who fails to pay property taxes can lose the home regardless of the exemption amount.

Mechanic’s liens survive the homestead exemption in most states because the debt directly relates to construction or repair work that improved the property itself. Child support and spousal support obligations override homestead protection under both state and federal law.

The exemption’s real force is against unsecured creditors: credit card companies, medical debt collectors, personal injury judgment holders, and business creditors with money judgments. Against these creditors, the homestead exemption is the first line of defense for home equity.

What Is the Federal Bankruptcy Homestead Cap?

The federal bankruptcy homestead cap is $214,000 for cases filed between April 1, 2025, and March 31, 2028. Under 11 U.S.C. § 522(p), a debtor who bought homestead property within 1,215 days (roughly forty months) before filing cannot exempt more than $214,000 in converted equity—even in unlimited-exemption states.

Section 522(q) imposes the same $214,000 cap if the debtor has been convicted of certain felonies, committed securities fraud, or engaged in other specified misconduct. Section 522(o) reduces the exemption by whatever non-exempt property the debtor moved into homestead equity intending to hinder creditors, looking back ten years before the filing date.

These federal caps mean the full benefit of unlimited state homestead exemptions is available only outside of bankruptcy. A debtor who converts liquid assets into homestead equity and later files for bankruptcy may find the exemption dramatically reduced. Florida’s Havoco immunity is particularly valuable because it applies in state court regardless of whether the debtor ever enters bankruptcy—state-court creditors cannot unwind the conversion.

Can You Choose Between Federal and State Bankruptcy Exemptions?

Federal bankruptcy law provides its own homestead exemption of $31,575 per person for cases filed between April 1, 2025, and March 31, 2028, under 11 U.S.C. § 522(d)(1). Roughly twenty states allow bankruptcy filers to choose between the federal exemption list and the state exemption list. The remaining states have opted out, requiring filers to use state exemptions only.

The choice between federal and state exemptions is all-or-nothing—a filer cannot select the homestead exemption from one list and the personal property exemptions from the other. In most cases, a filer with substantial home equity will benefit from state exemptions, because state homestead amounts are almost always higher than the federal $31,575. A filer with little or no home equity may benefit from the federal list, because unused federal homestead exemption can be redirected to a wildcard that protects other property.

States that allow the federal exemption choice include Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, Washington, Washington D.C., and Wisconsin. In opt-out states like Florida, California, and Georgia, filers must use the state exemption list.

Do You Need to File a Declaration to Get Homestead Protection?

Homestead protection is automatic in most states once a homeowner occupies the property as a primary residence. Some states, however, require recording a homestead declaration before the creditor protection takes effect.

Filing requirements can vary within the same state depending on context. Massachusetts provides automatic protection of $125,000 but requires a recorded declaration for the full $500,000 exemption. California requires a recorded declaration to block a voluntary sale but automatically protects against forced creditor sales. Rhode Island and Montana require declarations.

In Florida, the homestead exemption for creditor protection purposes is automatic and does not require any filing. Florida Statute § 222.01 permits a homeowner to record a declaration to put creditors on notice, but the protection exists whether or not the declaration is filed.

States that provide automatic protection (Florida, Texas, Iowa, Kansas, and others) give homeowners protection from the moment they establish residency and occupancy. States that require a declaration create a risk: a homeowner who neglects the filing has no protection until it is recorded.

State-by-State Homestead Exemption Chart

Homestead exemption amounts for creditor protection vary from unlimited to zero. The following figures reflect the most recent available data and are subject to change through legislative action or inflation adjustments.

State	Exemption Amount	Acreage / Property Limits
Alabama	$18,800	Property up to 160 acres
Alaska	$72,900	Primary residence
Arizona	$400,000	Primary residence
Arkansas	Unlimited	¼ acre urban / 80 acres rural
California	~$300,000–$744,000	Primary residence; varies by county median home price; adjusted annually for CPI
Colorado	$250,000	Primary residence ($350,000 if owner is 60+ or disabled)
Connecticut	$75,000	$150,000 for joint owners
Delaware	$125,000	Bankruptcy exemption only
District of Columbia	Unlimited	Primary residence
Florida	Unlimited	½ acre in municipality / 160 acres outside municipality
Georgia	$21,500	$43,000 for married couples
Hawaii	$30,000	Head of household
Idaho	$175,000	Dwelling and surrounding land
Illinois	$15,000	$30,000 for married couples
Indiana	$22,750	$45,500 for joint owners
Iowa	Unlimited	½ acre in city / 40 acres rural
Kansas	Unlimited	1 acre urban / 160 acres rural
Kentucky	$5,000	Per person
Louisiana	$35,000	5 acres in city / 200 acres elsewhere
Maine	$80,000	Higher for elderly or disabled
Maryland	$25,150	Bankruptcy exemption only
Massachusetts	$125,000–$500,000	Must file declaration for $500,000 protection
Michigan	$40,475	$60,725 for elderly or disabled
Minnesota	$450,000	$1,125,000 for agricultural property
Mississippi	$75,000	160 acres
Missouri	$15,000	Single-family residence
Montana	$378,560	Adjusted annually for CPI
Nebraska	$60,000	2 lots in city / 160 acres rural
Nevada	$605,000	Primary residence
New Hampshire	$120,000	Primary residence
New Jersey	None	No general homestead exemption
New Mexico	$150,000	$300,000 for married couples
New York	$82,775–$179,950	Varies by county; doubled for joint owners
North Carolina	$35,000	$70,000 for spouses
North Dakota	$100,000	Primary residence
Ohio	$145,425	Primary residence
Oklahoma	Unlimited	1 acre urban / 160 acres rural
Oregon	$40,000	$50,000 for joint owners; 1 block urban / 160 acres rural
Pennsylvania	None	No general homestead exemption
Rhode Island	$500,000	Must file homestead declaration
South Carolina	$63,250	$126,500 for joint owners
South Dakota	Unlimited	1 acre in city / 160 acres rural
Tennessee	$5,000–$25,000	Higher for elderly, disabled, or with minor children
Texas	Unlimited	10 acres urban / 100 acres rural (200 for family)
Utah	$42,000	$84,000 for joint owners
Vermont	$125,000	Primary residence
Virginia	$25,000	Additional amounts for elderly and disabled
Washington	≥$125,000	County median sale price or $125,000, whichever is greater
West Virginia	$25,000	Primary residence
Wisconsin	$75,000	$150,000 for married couples
Wyoming	$20,000	Primary residence

Exemption amounts change through legislation and inflation adjustments. Consult an attorney in the applicable state for the most current figures.

Constitutional vs. Statutory Homestead Protections

A homestead exemption embedded in a state constitution is far more durable than one created by statute. A constitutional amendment typically requires a supermajority vote of the legislature and approval by voters, while a statutory change needs only a simple legislative majority.

Florida, Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma protect homestead equity through their state constitutions. These protections have survived repeated legislative and judicial challenges over more than a century. States that rely on statutory homestead exemptions (most of the remaining states) can change their exemption amounts with a single legislative session. New Mexico tripled its exemption ($60,000 to $150,000) in 2023, while many other states have let their statutory exemptions stagnate for decades without inflation adjustments.

A constitutional exemption gives more certainty that the protection will still exist when a homeowner eventually needs it. A statutory exemption that adjusts regularly for inflation (Montana, California) is more reliable than one that has not changed in years, because inflation silently erodes the real value of a fixed dollar cap.