Deaf Exemption

The City of Dover offers an exemption for deaf persons and those with severe hearing impairment who meet all requirements and fall within the set income and asset levels. Basic requirements are outlined below. Please refer to the application and RSA 72:38-b for full details.

Applications will only be accepted between Jan. 1 and April 15th each year because the application requires financial information from the prior year. Applications will not be reviewed if they are missing the required supporting financial documentation. A response from the Assessing Office is due back to the applicant on or before July 1. If approved, the exemption will go into effect with the first bill of the new tax year in December.

Appointments are available with the Assessing Clerk during the application window if you would like an initial review of your application before you submit it. All applications are subject to a final review and determination by the City Assessor. Please call or email the Assessing Office during the application window if you are interested in setting up an appointment. 

EXEMPTION AMOUNT

The exemption amount offered is $206,000. This amount is taken off of the assessed value of the property before the final tax bill is determined.

INCOME & ASSET REQUIREMENTS

Single applicants - income must be $52,600 or less

Married applicants - income must be $71,600 or less

Assets must be less than $206,200 (excluding the value of the applicant's residence)

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• RSA 72:38-b defines “deaf person or person with severe hearing impairment" as “a person who has a 71 Db hearing average hearing loss or greater in the better ear as determined by a licensed audiologist or qualified otolaryngologist, who may rely on a visual means of communication, such as American Sign Language or speech recognition, and whose hearing is so impaired as to substantially limit the person from processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, so as to require the use of an interpreter or auxiliary aid.”
• Documentation attesting to the applicant’s eligibility from a licensed/qualified professional must be included with the completed application.
• The property must be the applicant’s principle place of abode.
• The applicant must have resided in NH for at least five (5) years preceding April 1st in the year in which the exemption is claimed.
• The property must be owned by the applicant or jointly or in common with their spouse, either of whom meets the age requirement for the exemption claimed; or owned by the applicant, or the applicant's spouse, either of whom meets the age requirement for the exemption claimed, and when they have been married to each other for at least 5 consecutive years.
• They property can be owned by the applicant jointly or in common with a person not the applicant's spouse, if the applicant meets the requirements for the exemption claimed.
• If the property is held in trust or if the applicant has a life estate interest in the property, they may still qualify. A PA-33 form will need to be submitted with the application along with a copy of the trust. 

Please call the Assessor's office with any questions. 

2025 Deaf Exemption Application