Florida's $250,000 homestead exemption amendment passed the Legislature on June 2, 2026 and goes to voters in November. Buried inside it is a hard date: establish primary residency by December 31, 2026 and you qualify when it takes effect. Move later and you wait four years for the full exemption. Here is what that wait costs.
| Tax year | Beat the deadline | Miss it | Difference |
|---|
The amendment (CS/HJR 1F) raises the homestead exemption on non-school property taxes from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. Existing Florida residents get it immediately if voters approve it in November. New arrivals are treated differently: establish primary residency on or before December 31, 2026 and you are in with everyone else. Establish residency in 2027 or later and you wait four years before claiming the full $250,000.
During the wait you still get today's standard homestead exemption and Save Our Homes cap. What you give up is the expanded exemption, which is worth your county's non-school millage applied to up to $200,000 of additional exempt value, every year, for four years. In most counties that is one to three thousand dollars a year.
Four-year cost of missing the deadline on a $500,000 homesteaded home, at FY2025-26 millage. Click any county for its full property tax page, or run your own number above.
| County | Bill today ($500K) | 2028 bill if eligible | 4-year cost of waiting |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Johns | $6,216 | $4,762 | $5,088 |
| Duval | $8,198 | $5,893 | $8,065 |
| Nassau | $6,133 | $4,748 | $4,848 |
| Clay | $6,931 | $5,174 | $6,147 |
| Miami-Dade | $8,079 | $5,861 | $7,765 |
| Broward | $9,092 | $6,423 | $9,340 |
| Palm Beach | $8,586 | $6,142 | $8,553 |
| Hillsborough | $7,240 | $5,394 | $6,460 |
| Orange | $7,666 | $5,631 | $7,122 |
| Sarasota | $6,207 | $4,643 | $5,473 |
| Collier | $5,090 | $3,807 | $4,489 |
| Lee | $7,349 | $5,455 | $6,629 |
Three steps, and the order matters. First, close on a Florida home you will occupy as your permanent residence on or before December 31, 2026. Second, make Florida your legal domicile: move in, get a Florida driver license, register your vehicle, register to vote, and consider filing a Declaration of Domicile with your county clerk. Third, file for the homestead exemption with your county property appraiser by March 1, 2027. The exemption is never automatic, and missing the filing is the most common Florida buyer mistake there is.
One honest caveat. The amendment is not law until 60% of voters approve it in November 2026. Do not stretch your budget for a tax break that needs a supermajority. The way to think about it: if Florida was already your plan, the deadline is a strong reason to execute the plan this year instead of next. It is not a reason to buy a house you would not otherwise buy. Run your full bill both ways in the amendment savings calculator, and your year-1 bill today in the Save Our Homes estimator.
Northeast Florida takes a large share of inbound moves, and the county choice changes the math. St. Johns County pairs the state's top-rated schools with millage near 13.5 mills. Duval County runs higher millage but lower prices. Nassau and Clay sit between. Start with the Florida relocation guide or the moving to Jacksonville guide, then compare counties in the property tax hub.
Estimates and assumptions. The cost-of-waiting model assumes the amendment passes in November 2026, the wait covers tax years 2027 through 2030, millage stays at FY2025-26 levels, and Save Our Homes assessment changes are excluded for clarity. The amendment requires 60% voter approval and is not law. Residency and domicile rules have legal nuance this page does not cover. Nothing here is tax or legal advice; confirm your situation with your county property appraiser or a tax professional.
Closing by December 31 takes a normal timeline if you start now. We help relocating buyers pick the county, the community, and the timing. No pressure, just the math.
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