Florida voters approved Amendment 3 on Nov. 3, and its larger homestead exemption starts with the 2027 tax year.
What changes
For a homestead, the exemption that applies to county, city and other non-school levies rises to $150,000 of assessed value on Jan. 1, 2027, and to $250,000 on Jan. 1, 2028, according to the joint resolution text posted by the Florida Division of Elections. The Seminole County Property Appraiser's Office says that top amount will then be indexed to inflation each year beginning in 2029.
School taxes work differently. Only the first $25,000 of a homestead's assessed value stays exempt from school levies, the appraiser's office says, so most owners will still see school taxes on their bills.
Property without a homestead exemption, such as rentals, commercial buildings, second homes and vacant land, gets a smaller yearly cap on assessment growth for non-school levies: 5% starting in 2027, down from 10%.
The amendment also lists what counties and cities may spend property tax money on, including public safety, schools, infrastructure, natural resources, bond payments, employee retirement costs and government operations. Local boards may approve other spending unless state law forbids it.
When it shows up
The amendment takes effect Jan. 1, 2027. The appraiser's office says the change will first appear on the November 2027 tax bills.
Who qualifies
Homestead owners who have made Florida their permanent home by the end of 2026 can get the larger amounts starting in 2027, the appraiser's office says. Someone who becomes a resident in 2027 or later starts with a $50,000 non-school exemption, adjusted for inflation from 2028, and moves to the larger exemption in the fifth year.
Beginning in 2030, a county or city may shorten that wait for a "critical local need" by a two-thirds vote of its governing board, the resolution says.
According to the appraiser's office, Save Our Homes, portability and existing senior, veteran, widow and disability exemptions do not change. Homeowners without a homestead exemption still have to apply for one through the property appraiser, the USA Today Network reported.
What comes next in Tallahassee
State lawmakers still must pass laws putting the changes into effect, including a process for counties and cities to raise the exemption further, up to a home's full assessed value. Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Wednesday, Nov. 4, that he expects to call a special session before leaving office in early January, WESH reported.
He said the result would be "a reduction," not a tax shift, and that he would seek a pool of grant money for local governments "for core needs." No date has been set.
