Florida Amendment 3 and the homestead exemption: what changes in 2027 and 2028

The ballot title was "Increased Homestead Exemption; Lower Cap On Increases In Non-Homestead Property Assessments." In unofficial election-night results, it received 61.98% yes, or 4,917,796 votes, above the 60% needed to amend the Florida Constitution (Florida Election Watch). The Legislature placed it on the ballot as CS/HJR 1-F during a June 2026 special session (Florida Senate). It takes effect January 1, 2027, pending certification of the results.

According to the ballot summary, the amendment does four things:

Raises the homestead exemption for non-school taxes. Requires the Legislature to set a procedure for counties and cities to raise the exemption further, up to full assessed value, and lets special districts do the same if their voters approve. Sets a five-year wait for people who weren't Florida residents on December 31, 2026. Lowers the annual assessment cap on most non-homestead property from 10% to 5%.

It also limits how counties and cities may use property tax revenue to listed purposes, such as public safety, infrastructure and debt service (enrolled text, Art. VII, s. 9).

Today, a homestead gets $25,000 off for all taxes, plus an inflation-adjusted second exemption on value above $50,000 for non-school taxes. For 2026, that is up to $51,411 in total (Florida Department of Revenue).

Under the amendment's text, the exemption is figured separately for school and non-school taxes (enrolled text, Art. VII, s. 6(a)):

School district taxes: up to $25,000, unchanged. All other taxes (county, city, special districts): up to $150,000 beginning January 1, 2027, and up to $250,000 beginning January 1, 2028. The amount is adjusted each year for positive inflation beginning January 1, 2029 (Florida Senate staff summary).

An exemption can't exceed the assessed value. A homestead assessed at $200,000 in 2028 would generally owe no non-school property tax, but it would still owe school taxes and non-ad valorem assessments (PBC Property Appraiser).

The key date is December 31, 2026. These rows summarize the amendment text and the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser's guidance (enrolled text; PBC Property Appraiser).

Save Our Homes still caps yearly increases in a homestead's assessed value at 3% or the change in inflation, whichever is lower (Fla. Stat. 193.155). Portability still lets you carry up to $500,000 of that difference to a new Florida homestead, if you had a homestead exemption on January 1 of any of the three prior years. The amendment text keeps both (enrolled text, Art. VII, s. 4(d)).

The order matters. Save Our Homes and portability lower the assessed value. The new exemption is then subtracted from that lower value. A longtime owner whose assessed value is far below market value may therefore see a large share of the home exempt from non-school taxes. Moving still requires a new homestead application for the new home (PBC Property Appraiser).

School taxes. They are still figured with the $25,000 exemption and will still appear on most bills (PBC Property Appraiser). Non-ad valorem assessments. Fees such as solid waste and drainage still apply. Qualifying for homestead. The basic test is unchanged: own the home and make it your permanent residence on January 1, and apply by March 1 (Fla. Stat. 196.011). Senior, widow, disability and veterans exemptions. These aren't eliminated. But because the larger exemption lowers taxable value, they may save less, or nothing, on some levies (PBC Property Appraiser). The local-option senior exemptions remain in the constitution (enrolled text, Art. VII, s. 6(d)). Our senior exemptions guide covers them. Tax rates. The amendment doesn't set millage rates. Local budgets and rates are adopted each year.

For a parent moving to Palm Beach County to be near family, establishing Florida residency by December 31, 2026 may affect how soon the larger exemption applies. Residency is shown by actions: a Florida driver license, voter registration, a declaration of domicile and a Florida address on tax returns. Our moving to Florida guide explains those steps, and its dated note summarizes the amendment for newcomers.

For homes held in a revocable trust or conveyed by a lady bird deed, the homestead exemption generally continues if the owner keeps the required beneficial interest and lives there (Fla. Stat. 196.041). Because the 2027 exemption is applied automatically to existing homesteads, a family changing a deed now may want to confirm with the Property Appraiser that the change doesn't interrupt the exemption.