Florida voters approved Amendment 3 on November 3, 2026. It got about 62% of the vote, 4,917,482 yes to 3,015,840 no, and it needed 60% to pass (Florida Division of Elections results; unofficial until certified). The amendment is the biggest change to Florida homestead property taxes in years. It takes effect January 1, 2027.
Here’s what changed, how it plays out at a closing, and how to estimate what it could save you.
What Amendment 3 Changes
A bigger homestead exemption for non-school taxes
- 2027: the first $150,000 of a homestead’s assessed value is exempt from all non-school property taxes (county, city, and most special districts).
- 2028: that rises to $250,000.
- 2029 and after: the amount is adjusted for inflation.
The new amount replaces the current non-school exemption; it doesn’t stack on top of it. For 2026 the current maximum homestead exemption is $51,411, per the Florida Department of Revenue as reported by NBC 6.
School taxes stay the same
The exemption against school district taxes stays at $25,000. School taxes are a large share of most Florida tax bills, so your real savings will be smaller than the headline numbers suggest.
Non-homestead cap drops from 10% to 5%
For non-homestead property, including rentals, second homes, and commercial property, the yearly cap on assessed value increases drops from 10% to 5%. It doesn’t apply to school district taxes.
Limits on how local governments spend property tax money
The amendment also limits what counties and cities can spend property tax revenue on. That matters for local budgets, but it doesn’t change anything at the closing table, so we won’t cover it here.
The New-Resident Rule: The Date That Matters Is December 31, 2026
This is the part buyers relocating to Florida need to understand. According to the amendment’s ballot summary and the Miami-Dade County Amendment 3 page:
- If you are a Florida resident by December 31, 2026, you’re eligible for the larger exemption once you qualify for homestead.
- If you aren’t a Florida resident on December 31, 2026, you start with the existing exemption, up to $50,000, and the larger exemption begins with your fifth year of homestead exemption.
The ballot language says the rule applies “to the extent permitted by the U.S. Constitution,” so it could be challenged or clarified later. If you’re moving to Florida and your timing is close to the end of the year, ask your county property appraiser how the rule applies to you.
What It Means at Closing: Tax Prorations
At a typical Florida closing, property taxes for the year are prorated between buyer and seller. Florida taxes are paid in arrears: the 2026 bill comes out in November 2026 and covers the whole calendar year. Here’s how that works out:
- Closings in 2026 are prorated on 2026 taxes, either the actual bill or an estimate based on the prior year if the bill isn’t out yet. Amendment 3 doesn’t change 2026 bills.
- Closings in 2027 will often be prorated on the 2026 bill because the 2027 bill won’t be issued until late 2027. Since the new exemption should lower 2027 non-school taxes for qualifying homesteads, estimating from the 2026 bill could overstate what’s owed. Your closing agent and the parties may agree on how to handle the estimate. Ask early.
- The seller’s exemption doesn’t transfer to the buyer. When a home sells, the property appraiser generally reassesses it at market value the next January 1, and the seller’s Save Our Homes cap goes away. A buyer’s first full tax bill can be much higher than the seller’s, even with the bigger exemption.
We see that last point surprise buyers more than anything else. Don’t budget off the seller’s current tax bill. Our Broward County closing costs guide explains how prorations and other line items show up on your closing statement.
After You Buy: File for Homestead and Portability
Amendment 3 doesn’t apply automatically to a new purchase. You still have to qualify and apply:
- Own the home and make it your permanent residence by January 1 of the tax year.
- File with your county property appraiser by March 1. Most counties take online applications.
- Ask about portability. If you’re moving from one Florida homestead to another, you may be able to transfer up to $500,000 of your Save Our Homes benefit to the new home. The deadline for that filing is also March 1.
Once granted, a homestead exemption generally renews automatically each year. We haven’t seen anything saying current homesteaders need to reapply for the larger amount, but watch for notices from your property appraiser.
Investors and Second-Home Owners: The 5% Cap
If you own rental property, a vacation home, or commercial property, you don’t get the homestead exemption. Starting in 2027, though, the yearly increase in your assessed value for non-school taxes is capped at 5% instead of 10%.
The same reset applies when non-homestead property sells: it’s reassessed at market value, and the cap starts over from there. If you’re buying investment property, budget for taxes on market value, not the seller’s capped value.
How to Estimate Your Savings
The quick shortcut (Florida TaxWatch)
Florida TaxWatch’s property tax resource center gives a simple formula. Find your non-school millage on your tax bill (everything except the school board lines), then:
- 2027 savings is about your non-school millage x $98.59
- 2028 savings is about your non-school millage x $198.59
Those figures are the difference between the new exemption and today’s maximum of $51,411, divided by 1,000. Example: at 10.5 non-school mills, that’s roughly $1,035 in 2027 and $2,085 in 2028.
Online calculators
- Palm Beach County Property Appraiser Amendment 3 calculator, official, for homestead properties
- Miami-Dade Property Appraiser tax estimator, official, with 2027 and 2028 projections
- My Exemption Check Amendment 3 calculator, a private tool that works for any county
- Florida TaxWatch resource center
Every calculator is an estimate. None of them is tax advice, and your actual bill depends on next year’s assessed values and the millage rates local governments set in 2027 and 2028.
Fort Lauderdale and Broward County
When we checked, we didn’t find an Amendment 3 calculator on the Broward County Property Appraiser site. Broward owners can still use BCPA to look up their assessed value and the millage on their tax bill, then use the shortcut above or the My Exemption Check tool.
Worked example (example rate, not your actual rate): Say a Broward homestead has a $400,000 assessed value and a non-school millage of 13.0 mills. Your actual non-school millage depends on your city and taxing districts, so check your own bill.
- 2026 non-school taxable value: $400,000 – $51,411 = $348,589, or about $4,532 in non-school taxes
- 2027: $400,000 – $150,000 = $250,000, or about $3,250 (about $1,282 less)
- 2028: $400,000 – $250,000 = $150,000, or about $1,950 (about $2,582 less)
School taxes would be about the same in every year. This example holds the assessed value flat; in practice it can still rise by up to the Save Our Homes cap each year.
If you’re buying or selling in Fort Lauderdale or anywhere in Broward, our Fort Lauderdale title company and Broward County title company teams can walk you through the tax prorations on your deal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Amendment 3 lower my November 2026 tax bill?
No. The amendment takes effect January 1, 2027. The first bills with the larger exemption will be the 2027 bills, mailed around November 2027.
I’m moving to Florida in 2027. Do I get the $150,000 exemption?
Under the amendment, people who aren’t Florida residents on December 31, 2026 start with the existing exemption, up to $50,000, and get the larger exemption starting in their fifth year of homestead exemption. Confirm your situation with your county property appraiser.
Does the bigger exemption reduce school taxes?
No. The school tax exemption stays at $25,000. The bigger exemption applies only to non-school taxes.
Will my taxes stay the same as the seller’s after I buy?
Usually not. The home is generally reassessed at market value the January 1 after the sale, and the seller’s Save Our Homes cap doesn’t transfer. File for your own homestead exemption by March 1, and ask about portability if you’re moving from another Florida homestead.
How are taxes prorated if I close in 2027?
Florida taxes are paid in arrears, so a 2027 closing is often prorated on an estimate, usually based on the 2026 bill. Because the new exemption may lower 2027 taxes, ask your closing agent how the estimate will be handled.
Plan Your Closing With Us
Florida’s Best Title Company (Independent Title of Fort Lauderdale) handles residential and investor real estate closings across Florida, in person or by remote online closing. Open title with plenty of time before closing so there’s room to sort out tax prorations, estoppels, and payoffs. Our Florida closing timeline shows what to expect.
Call (954) 493-8288 or visit us at 2881 E Oakland Park Blvd, Suite 302, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not legal or tax advice. Amendment 3 may be implemented through future legislation and property appraiser guidance, and the details may change. Tax estimates are illustrations only. Consult a qualified attorney, tax professional, or your county property appraiser about your situation.