Florida Amendment 3: Homestead Exemption Changes for 2027

Last updated November 7, 2026 · Written by Garrett Decker, Florida Broker Associate BK 3466920 and Mortgage Loan Originator NMLS 2567934

Your 2026 property tax bill just showed up.

The same week, the news said Florida voted to cut property taxes.

So which one is right?

Both. They just aren’t talking about the same year.

I’ve had this question from clients all week. Homeowners in Palm Coast. Buyers who are mid-search. Military families on orders who haven’t even landed yet. So here’s what Amendment 3 actually does, what it doesn’t do, and the dates that matter if you own a home here or plan to.

What did Amendment 3 change?

Amendment 3 passed with about 62% of the statewide vote. It needed 60%. (NBC6 results at 99% of expected vote, November 4, 2026. Results are unofficial until the state certifies them.)

Here’s what it does, per the official ballot summary and Florida Realtors®:

• Bigger homestead exemption on non-school taxes. $150,000 in 2027. $250,000 in 2028. Adjusted for inflation starting in 2029.
• School taxes stay the same. The school portion of your exemption doesn’t change.
• Save Our Homes and portability stay the same. The cap on how fast your homestead’s assessed value can rise is untouched.
• A lower cap for non-homestead property. Rentals, second homes and commercial property go from a 10% annual cap on assessment increases to 5%, for non-school taxes.
• It takes effect January 1, 2027.

For context, the most a homestead could take off in 2026 was $51,411, and not all of that applies to school taxes (Florida Department of Revenue, as reported by NBC6, November 2026).

So is this a real change? Yes. It’s the biggest homestead change most of us have seen.

Does this lower my 2026 tax bill?

No.

The Flagler County Tax Collector said it plainly on November 5, 2026: the amendment “does not change or eliminate your 2026 property tax bill.” Any exemption changes “will be reflected in the 2027 property tax bills.”

So pay this year’s bill the way you normally would.

If you pay it yourself, Flagler County gives you a discount for paying early:

• November: 4%
• December: 3%
• January: 2%
• February: 1%
• March 31: due in full, no discount

(Flagler County Tax Collector, Important Dates and Deadlines.)

If you have a mortgage with an escrow account, your lender usually pays the bill for you. Check your escrow statement. If your bill shows it’s already being paid by your mortgage company, you’re set.

One more thing. Amendment 3 doesn’t touch non-ad valorem assessments. The Tax Collector specifically named solid waste and stormwater charges. Those stay on your bill.

Who gets the bigger exemption, and when?

This is the part people miss.

Per Florida Realtors and the ballot summary, the larger exemption goes to qualifying homeowners who are Florida residents by December 31, 2026.

If you become a Florida resident after that, you get the existing exemption first. The larger benefit starts in your fifth year of homestead exemption. Florida Realtors notes that’s “subject to federal constitutional requirements,” and the Legislature still has to write the details.

So what does that mean for you?

• You already live here and have homestead: you’re in line for the bigger exemption on the 2027 bill, as long as you still qualify.
• You live here but never filed for homestead: file. More on the deadline below.
• You’re moving to Florida in 2027 or later: you still get today’s homestead exemption. The bigger one comes later.

I’m not going to tell you exactly where you land. That’s the property appraiser’s call, and the rules aren’t final. What I can do is make sure you know the question to ask.

The dates that matter for buyers and new owners

Florida homestead runs on a calendar. Miss a date and you wait a year.

• January 1: Homestead is based on who owns the home and lives in it as a permanent residence on January 1 (Florida Statutes s. 196.031).
• March 1: The deadline to file a new homestead exemption with the Property Appraiser’s Office (Flagler County Tax Collector).
• December 31, 2026: The residency date in Amendment 3 for the full, immediate benefit.

Here’s how that plays out. Say you close on a home in Palm Coast in February 2027 and move in. You didn’t own it on January 1, 2027. So your first homestead year is 2028, and you’d file by March 1, 2028.

That’s not a reason to rush a purchase. It’s a reason to know the calendar before you pick a closing date.

In Flagler County, homestead applications go to the Flagler County Property Appraiser, not the Tax Collector.

What about my taxable value? A simple example

I won’t put a dollar figure on your savings. That depends on your assessed value and the millage rates each taxing authority sets. Nobody knows the 2027 rates yet.

But I can show you how the exemption math works. This is an example, not a quote.

Example only: a homestead with an assessed value of $300,000.

• 2026, non-school taxes: $300,000 minus up to $51,411 = about $248,589 taxable.
• 2027, non-school taxes, under the ballot summary: $300,000 minus $150,000 = about $150,000 taxable.
• School taxes: no change from Amendment 3.

The exact math will come from the implementing law. Governor DeSantis said he’ll call a special legislative session within the next two months to put the amendment into law (News Service of Florida via Florida Realtors, November 5, 2026). Details could shift.

The other side of the ledger

I tell my clients everything, good and bad. So here’s the other side.

Less property tax revenue means local governments have to adjust.

FlaglerLive’s analysis, published November 4, 2026, reports that Palm Coast “will lose $21.7 million by 2028, which is 47 percent of its property tax revenue.” It reports Flagler County government “is set to lose $59 million in revenue by 2028.”

Does that mean your services get cut? I don’t know. Nobody does yet. Local officials have said they’ll adjust. Cities can also look at fees and assessments, which aren’t covered by the exemption.

Can a lower tax bill and higher fees happen at the same time? Yes. Watch your city and county budget workshops next year. That’s where it gets decided.

What this means if you’re buying or selling

If you’re buying: when a home sells, its assessed value resets to market value for the new owner. Your tax bill won’t match the seller’s. Amendment 3 doesn’t change that. When we look at a home, I’ll walk you through an estimate based on the price you’re paying, not the seller’s current bill.

If you’re selling and buying again in Florida: portability stays in place. You may be able to carry some of your Save Our Homes benefit to your next homestead. Ask the property appraiser what applies to you.

If you own a rental or second home: the new 5% cap on assessment increases (non-school taxes) is the part that applies to you. It doesn’t lower your bill. It limits how fast the assessment can rise.

If you’re military on PCS orders: the December 31, 2026 residency date and the January 1 ownership date both matter. Your residency situation can be different from a civilian’s. Talk to the property appraiser and a tax professional before you assume anything. I can help you line up the timeline. See my military services page, and my guide to VA loans in Palm Coast and Flagler County, which covers Florida’s veteran property tax exemptions.

New to buying here? Start with what buyers should know before starting a home search.

Common questions

When does Amendment 3 take effect?

January 1, 2027, per the ballot summary. The first bills affected are the 2027 property tax bills.

Does Amendment 3 lower school taxes?

No. The larger exemption applies to non-school taxes only. School taxes are unchanged.

I moved to Florida in 2026. Do I qualify for the bigger exemption?

Per the ballot summary, the full benefit goes to people who are Florida residents by December 31, 2026 and meet the eligibility rules. Whether you qualify for homestead is decided by your county property appraiser.

Do I need to reapply for homestead because of Amendment 3?

Nothing published so far says existing homestead owners must reapply. The Legislature and local governments are still working out implementation. Watch for notices from your property appraiser.

Should I wait until 2027 to buy?

That’s a math problem, not a rule. The price, the rate and the home matter more than the exemption timing for most buyers. Let’s run your numbers.

Next step

Got your 2026 bill in hand and a question about it? Thinking about buying and want to know what your taxes would look like?

Call or text me at 386.449.9248. I’ll give you a straight answer, no pressure, no pitch. Or book a time at calendly.com/deckergroup.

I’m a REALTOR® and a mortgage loan originator, not a tax adviser. For how any of this affects your own taxes, talk to a tax professional and your county property appraiser.

Sources

• Florida Realtors®, “Florida voters approve Amendment 3,” November 4, 2026. floridarealtors.org
• Florida Realtors® / News Service of Florida, “DeSantis plans special session on property tax amendment,” November 5, 2026. floridarealtors.org
• Florida Division of Elections, Amendment 3 ballot title and summary, November 3, 2026 General Election. floridados.gov
• Flagler County Tax Collector, “Property Tax Reform – Amendment 3,” November 5, 2026. flaglertax.gov
• Flagler County Tax Collector, “Important Dates and Deadlines.” flaglertax.gov
• Florida Statutes s. 196.031, Exemption of homesteads (2026). leg.state.fl.us
• NBC6 South Florida, “Florida Amendment 3 passes. What the result means for homeowners,” updated November 4, 2026 (results and Florida Department of Revenue 2026 exemption figure). nbcmiami.com
• FlaglerLive, “Stoicism Aside, Flagler and City Governments Brace for Historic Revenue Losses From Amendment 3,” November 4, 2026. flaglerlive.com

All sources checked November 7, 2026.

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About the author: Garrett Decker, Marine Corps Veteran, REALTOR®, and Mortgage Loan Originator. He served 8½ years in the Marine Corps, and he served in fire and law enforcement. He works with buyers and sellers across Northeast Florida with The Decker Group Brokered by Navy To Navy Homes in Palm Coast.

Garrett Decker, Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker Associate BK 3466920 · Mortgage Loan Originator NMLS 2567934, FLO Mortgage. The Decker Group Brokered by Navy To Navy Homes, License CQ1038170. Use of FLO Mortgage is optional and is not a condition of real estate representation. Equal Housing Opportunity. Equal Housing Lender.