§ 68-2888 — Homestead, rural homestead and urban homestead defined.

A. 1. The term "homestead", as used in the provisions of the Ad Valorem Tax Code governing homestead exemptions, shall mean and include the actual residence of a natural person who is a citizen of this state, provided the record actual ownership of such residence be vested in such natural person residing and domiciled thereon. Any single person of legal age, married couple and their minor child or children or the minor child or children of a deceased person, whether residing together or separated, or surviving spouse shall be allowed under Section 2801 et seq. of this title only one homestead exemption in this state. No person or the family of such person shall be required to be domiciled thereon if such person is in the armed service of the United States in time of war or during a state of national emergency as declared by the Congress or the President of the United States, and such person shall not be required to be domiciled thereon in order to assert or claim the exemption provided in Section 2889 of this title, and such exemption may be claimed by any agent of, or member of the family of, such person. The surviving spouse and/or minor children of a deceased person shall be considered record owners of the homestead where the title of record in the office of the county clerk on January 1 is in the name of the deceased, but in all other cases the deed or other evidence of ownership must be of record in the office of the county clerk on January 1 in order for any person to be qualified as the record owner. However, a natural person actually owning, residing and domiciled in the residence on January 1 shall be deemed to be the record owner of the residence on January 1, within the meaning of this section, if the deed or other evidence of ownership of such person, executed on or before January 1, be of record in the office of the county clerk on or before February 1 immediately following. Despite any provision to the contrary in this section, if a parent or parents residing and domiciled in the residence own the residence jointly with one or more of their children, whether residing together or separated, and where the record joint ownership of the property is recorded in the office of the county clerk in accordance with the provisions of this section, the parent or parents residing and domiciled in the residence shall be entitled to the entire homestead exemption. A rural homestead shall not include more than one hundred sixty (160) acres of land and the improvements thereon. An urban homestead shall not include any land except the lot or lots, or the unplatted tract, upon which are located the dwelling, garage, barn and/or other outbuildings necessary or convenient for family use. 2. Despite any provision to the contrary in this section, the person actually owning, residing and domiciled in the residence as of the date of a tornado shall be deemed to be the record owner of the residence on such date, within the meaning of this section, if the deed or other evidence of ownership of such person, executed on or before such date, be of record in the office of the county clerk on or before such date. However, the provisions of this paragraph shall only apply to any person who is eligible to claim the income tax credit pursuant to Section 2357.29A of this title with respect to a tornado or to any person whose primary residence was damaged or destroyed in a tornado and who purchased or built a new primary residence at a location within this state other than the location of the damaged or destroyed residence. For the purposes of this section, "tornado" means a tornado which occurred in calendar year 2013 or any subsequent tornado for which a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration was issued. B. The term "rural homestead" as used herein shall mean and include any homestead located outside a city or town or outside any platted subdivision or addition. C. The term "urban homestead" as used herein shall mean and include any homestead located within any city or town whether incorporated or unincorporated, or located within a platted subdivision or addition, whether such subdivision or addition be a part of a city or town. In no case shall an urban homestead exceed in area one (1) acre. D. For purposes of the provisions of Section 8E and Section 8F of Article X of the Oklahoma Constitution, if a disabled veteran, the surviving spouse of a disabled veteran or the surviving spouse of a person who died while in the line of duty occupies improvements which are affixed to the real property and record title to such real property is held by a city or town or an entity formed pursuant to the charter provisions or ordinances of a city or town or formed under other provisions of law for the benefit of such city or town, the improvements shall be considered to be the homestead of such disabled veteran or the surviving spouse of such disabled veteran for all purposes related to the homestead exemption authorized by the provisions of the Ad Valorem Tax Code and the homestead exemption shall not be denied on the basis that title to such affixed improvements is held by a disabled veteran or surviving spouse or an entity formed by them than the city or town which holds title to the real property consisting of the land to which such improvements are affixed.

Legislative History

Added by Laws 1988, c. 162, § 88, eff. Jan. 1, 1992. Amended by Laws 1997, c. 138, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1997; Laws 2000, c. 314, § 27, emerg. eff. June 5, 2000; Laws 2002, c. 190, § 3, emerg. eff. May 6, 2002; Laws 2003, c. 374, § 6, emerg. eff. June 4, 2003; Laws 2013, c. 370, § 6, emerg. eff. May 29, 2013; Laws 2014, c. 215, § 6, emerg. eff. May 2, 2014; Laws 2014, c. 329, § 6, emerg. eff. May 23, 2014; Laws 2021, c. 405, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2022. NOTE: Laws 2000, c. 157, § 3 repealed by Laws 2000, c. 314, § 30, emerg. eff. June 5, 2000.