Money you may be leaving on the table.

Florida property tax exemptions, explained

Exemptions lower your home’s taxable value, which lowers your tax bill. In Florida you apply once with your county property appraiser, usually by March 1, and most renew automatically each year. You must own the home and make it your permanent residence by January 1 of the tax year.

Homestead exemption

Up to about $50,000 off your home’s taxable value. The first $25,000 applies to all property taxes, including school taxes. A second $25,000, adjusted yearly for inflation, applies to non-school taxes on value between $50,000 and $75,000. (s. 196.031, F.S.)

The 2026 change: Amendment 3

Florida voters approved Amendment 3 on November 3, 2026. Starting in 2027, the homestead exemption for non-school taxes rises to $150,000, then to $250,000 in 2028, with inflation adjustments after that. School taxes keep the $25,000 exemption. People who were not Florida residents by December 31, 2026 get the current exemption at first, and the larger one begins in their fifth year of homestead exemption.

Save Our Homes and portability

Once you have homestead, your assessed value can rise no more than 3% a year, or the inflation rate if that’s lower. The cap resets when a home sells, which is why a seller’s tax bill is often lower than yours will be. If you’re moving from another Florida homestead, you may be able to transfer up to $500,000 of that built-up difference to your new home if you set up the new homestead within three years. (s. 193.155, F.S.)

Seniors

Counties and cities may offer an extra exemption of up to $50,000 for homeowners 65 or older with household income under a yearly limit, and a full exemption for low-income seniors who have lived in a home worth under $250,000 for at least 25 years. Ask your property appraiser whether yours offers them. (s. 196.075, F.S.)

Veterans and military

• $5,000 for honorably discharged Florida-resident veterans with a disability of 10% or more. (s. 196.24, F.S.)
• A full homestead exemption for veterans with a service-connected total and permanent disability, and for disabled veterans who use a wheelchair. (ss. 196.081, 196.091, F.S.)
• A discount equal to the VA disability percentage for disabled veterans 65 or older. (s. 196.082, F.S.)
• A partial exemption for service members deployed overseas in a designated operation. (s. 196.173, F.S.)

Disability, blindness and surviving spouses

• $5,000 for widows, widowers, blind people and people who are totally and permanently disabled. (s. 196.202, F.S.)
• A full homestead exemption for quadriplegic homeowners, and for totally and permanently disabled homeowners who use a wheelchair or are legally blind, under an income limit. (s. 196.101, F.S.)
• A full homestead exemption for the surviving spouse of a first responder who died in the line of duty. (s. 196.081(6), F.S.)

Manufactured homes on leased lots

A manufactured or mobile home on land you don’t own usually isn’t taxed as real estate in Florida. You pay a yearly mobile home license decal instead, so the homestead exemption usually doesn’t apply. If you buy the land too, the home can be declared real property and homestead can apply. Resident-owned parks and some very long-term leases can also qualify, so ask your property appraiser.

Sources

Florida Department of Revenue taxpayer guides PT-109, PT-110, PT-111, PT-112 and PT-113, the Department of Revenue’s exemptions page, Florida Statutes chapters 193 and 196, and the 2026 Amendment 3 ballot summary. Last checked November 11, 2026. This page is general education, not tax or legal advice. Only your county property appraiser can decide whether you qualify.