On November 3, 2026, Florida voters decide Amendment 3 — formally, “Increased Homestead Exemption; Lower Cap on Increases in Non-Homestead Property Assessments” (HJR 1‑F). If 60% approve, the homestead exemption on non-school property taxes climbs from $50,000 today to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, indexed to inflation after that.
The Legislature’s Revenue Estimating Conference projects it would reduce local property taxes by roughly $45.8 billion over five years. That is the number in the headlines. The number that matters to you is smaller and more specific — and it depends almost entirely on one thing most coverage skips.
Short version: the exemption applies to non-school taxes only. School levies are roughly 40% of a Florida tax bill and they do not change. Any estimate that multiplies $200,000 by your county’s total millage overstates your savings by about 40%.
- The non-school homestead exemption would rise to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028.
- School taxes do not change. The $25,000 school exemption stays as it is.
- Savings range from about $978/yr in Walton to $3,052/yr in St. Lucie, depending on county non-school millage.
- You must be a Florida permanent resident on December 31, 2026 — otherwise the full exemption starts in your fifth year of homestead.
- Save Our Homes, portability, and veteran/senior/widow exemptions are unaffected.
- Requires 60% voter approval to pass.
Amendment 3 Savings Calculator
Use the Amendment 3 calculator below to estimate your own savings. Enter your county and home value — the estimator runs on each county’s actual 2025 millage from the Florida Department of Revenue, split into its school and non-school components, and applies the new exemption only to the non-school portion. It covers all 67 Florida counties.
Estimated Annual Property Tax
Planning estimate only. Uses your county’s 2025 average millage; your exact bill depends on your city and special districts. Amendment 3 must pass with 60% approval on November 3, 2026 to take effect.
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What Amendment 3 Actually Does
If it passes, it takes effect January 1, 2027. Four things change:
- The non-school homestead exemption rises from $50,000 to $150,000 (2027), then $250,000 (2028), indexed for inflation from 2029.
- School taxes are untouched. The $25,000 school exemption stays exactly as it is.
- The non-homestead assessment cap drops from 10% to 5% per year — affecting second homes, rentals, and commercial property.
- Cities and counties could raise the exemption further under a process the Legislature would have to create; special districts could do it by referendum.
What does not change: Save Our Homes and its 3% assessment cap, portability, and the existing veteran, senior, and widow/widower exemptions all remain in place. Second homes, rentals, and commercial property are not eligible for the increased homestead exemption at all.
The December 31, 2026 Deadline
This is the provision most coverage skips, and for anyone moving to Florida it is the whole ballgame.
Amendment 3 carries a residency requirement. If you are a Florida permanent resident on December 31, 2026, you qualify for the larger exemption as it phases in. If you become a Florida resident after that date, you start with the existing $50,000 exemption and reach the full amount in your fifth year of homestead. Counties and cities may shorten that five-year wait for a critical need, but not before January 1, 2030.
For a $500,000 home in Palm Beach County, that is roughly $2,234 a year — available in 2027 if you establish residency before year end, or around 2032 if you do not. Over five years the gap is more than $11,000.
If you are already under contract on a Florida home, this is worth a conversation with your CPA about the timing of your closing and your residency filing. Establishing Florida residency involves more than closing on a house — it generally includes filing a declaration of domicile, changing your driver’s license and voter registration, and filing for homestead by March 1.
Why the School Millage Split Matters
Here is where most quick estimates go wrong. They take the extra $200,000 of exemption and multiply it by the county’s total millage rate. But the exemption does not apply to school levies at all, and school taxes are roughly 40% of a typical Florida bill.
Palm Beach County is a clean example. Total millage is 17.4918. But 6.3210 of that is school board millage, which Amendment 3 does not touch. Only 11.1708 mills are non-school — and that is the number that drives your savings:
- Wrong: $200,000 × 17.4918 ÷ 1,000 = $3,498/yr
- Right: $200,000 × 11.1708 ÷ 1,000 = $2,234/yr
That is a 36% overstatement on one county. The calculator above splits every county correctly.
Savings by County
Full annual savings at the 2028 exemption level, for a homestead property assessed at or above $250,000. The counties that save the most are the ones carrying the most non-school millage — not necessarily the ones with the highest total tax bills.
| County | Total millage | School | Non-school | 2027 savings | 2028 savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alachua | 20.8894 | 6.2510 | 14.6384 | $1,464 | $2,928 |
| Baker | 14.6131 | 5.3250 | 9.2881 | $929 | $1,858 |
| Bay | 12.6966 | 5.3370 | 7.3596 | $736 | $1,472 |
| Bradford | 16.5732 | 5.3660 | 11.2072 | $1,121 | $2,241 |
| Brevard | 13.7669 | 5.3100 | 8.4569 | $846 | $1,691 |
| Broward | 19.8638 | 6.4845 | 13.3793 | $1,338 | $2,676 |
| Calhoun | 15.3340 | 5.2230 | 10.1110 | $1,011 | $2,022 |
| Charlotte | 15.6763 | 6.4960 | 9.1803 | $918 | $1,836 |
| Citrus | 15.4758 | 5.3510 | 10.1248 | $1,012 | $2,025 |
| Clay | 15.3466 | 6.2720 | 9.0746 | $907 | $1,815 |
| Collier | 9.8185 | 4.2490 | 5.5695 | $557 | $1,114 |
| Columbia | 14.6841 | 5.3490 | 9.3351 | $934 | $1,867 |
| DeSoto | 15.9319 | 5.2810 | 10.6509 | $1,065 | $2,130 |
| Dixie | 19.8732 | 5.4100 | 14.4632 | $1,446 | $2,893 |
| Duval | 17.8910 | 6.3400 | 11.5510 | $1,155 | $2,310 |
| Escambia | 14.1316 | 5.3590 | 8.7726 | $877 | $1,755 |
| Flagler | 17.1551 | 5.3490 | 11.8061 | $1,181 | $2,361 |
| Franklin | 10.6003 | 4.1920 | 6.4083 | $641 | $1,282 |
| Gadsden | 16.1423 | 5.2480 | 10.8943 | $1,089 | $2,179 |
| Gilchrist | 15.5297 | 5.3980 | 10.1317 | $1,013 | $2,026 |
| Glades | 18.3732 | 5.3290 | 13.0442 | $1,304 | $2,609 |
| Gulf | 12.2198 | 5.3220 | 6.8978 | $690 | $1,380 |
| Hamilton | 15.2115 | 5.5330 | 9.6785 | $968 | $1,936 |
| Hardee | 14.1244 | 5.2520 | 8.8724 | $887 | $1,774 |
| Hendry | 17.1732 | 5.3460 | 11.8272 | $1,183 | $2,365 |
| Hernando | 14.5695 | 6.2650 | 8.3045 | $830 | $1,661 |
| Highlands | 14.5216 | 5.3520 | 9.1696 | $917 | $1,834 |
| Hillsborough | 18.8553 | 6.3400 | 12.5153 | $1,252 | $2,503 |
| Holmes | 15.4115 | 5.1340 | 10.2775 | $1,028 | $2,056 |
| Indian River | 14.1659 | 5.7530 | 8.4129 | $841 | $1,683 |
| Jackson | 14.2637 | 5.3680 | 8.8957 | $890 | $1,779 |
| Jefferson | 13.8674 | 5.2960 | 8.5714 | $857 | $1,714 |
| Lafayette | 16.2231 | 5.3860 | 10.8371 | $1,084 | $2,167 |
| Lake | 15.6324 | 6.0850 | 9.5474 | $955 | $1,909 |
| Lee | 13.9967 | 5.3190 | 8.6777 | $868 | $1,736 |
| Leon | 17.8003 | 5.3660 | 12.4343 | $1,243 | $2,487 |
| Levy | 16.0399 | 5.3320 | 10.7079 | $1,071 | $2,142 |
| Liberty | 15.1744 | 5.3800 | 9.7944 | $979 | $1,959 |
| Madison | 15.1668 | 5.3340 | 9.8328 | $983 | $1,967 |
| Manatee | 14.5524 | 6.3040 | 8.2484 | $825 | $1,650 |
| Marion | 15.8838 | 6.3200 | 9.5638 | $956 | $1,913 |
| Martin | 16.0598 | 5.1770 | 10.8828 | $1,088 | $2,177 |
| Miami-Dade | 18.4893 | 6.6330 | 11.8563 | $1,186 | $2,371 |
| Monroe | 8.2361 | 2.9470 | 5.2891 | $529 | $1,058 |
| Nassau | 16.0559 | 6.1910 | 9.8649 | $986 | $1,973 |
| Okaloosa | 12.2773 | 5.3770 | 6.9003 | $690 | $1,380 |
| Okeechobee | 14.4357 | 5.3840 | 9.0517 | $905 | $1,810 |
| Orange | 17.4100 | 6.4490 | 10.9610 | $1,096 | $2,192 |
| Osceola | 14.9738 | 5.3060 | 9.6678 | $967 | $1,934 |
| Palm Beach | 17.4918 | 6.3210 | 11.1708 | $1,117 | $2,234 |
| Pasco | 17.2168 | 6.2740 | 10.9428 | $1,094 | $2,189 |
| Pinellas | 18.4941 | 6.2930 | 12.2011 | $1,220 | $2,440 |
| Polk | 15.4378 | 5.2900 | 10.1478 | $1,015 | $2,030 |
| Putnam | 17.7142 | 6.8650 | 10.8492 | $1,085 | $2,170 |
| Santa Rosa | 11.7171 | 5.4140 | 6.3031 | $630 | $1,261 |
| Sarasota | 12.7527 | 6.0950 | 6.6577 | $666 | $1,332 |
| Seminole | 15.3480 | 5.2490 | 10.0990 | $1,010 | $2,020 |
| St. Johns | 13.9738 | 6.2720 | 7.7018 | $770 | $1,540 |
| St. Lucie | 21.5570 | 6.2960 | 15.2610 | $1,526 | $3,052 |
| Sumter | 11.2052 | 4.9120 | 6.2932 | $629 | $1,259 |
| Suwannee | 15.6611 | 5.4150 | 10.2461 | $1,025 | $2,049 |
| Taylor | 15.4326 | 5.6370 | 9.7956 | $980 | $1,959 |
| Union | 16.7165 | 5.4540 | 11.2625 | $1,126 | $2,252 |
| Volusia | 17.4169 | 5.2790 | 12.1379 | $1,214 | $2,428 |
| Wakulla | 13.4421 | 5.4270 | 8.0151 | $802 | $1,603 |
| Walton | 9.1512 | 4.2610 | 4.8902 | $489 | $978 |
| Washington | 14.9640 | 5.3300 | 9.6340 | $963 | $1,927 |
Millage source: Florida Department of Revenue, 2025 data extract (November 2025). Non-school millage = total millage less school board operating and school board debt service. Five-year local revenue impact figures are from Florida TaxWatch, using Office of Economic and Demographic Research, Revenue Estimating Conference, July 2026.
What It Means If You’re Buying or Selling
If you’re buying a Florida home as your primary residence: your first-year tax bill is based on a reassessment to market value on the January 1 after you close, so the calculator above is a reasonable proxy for what you would pay. If the amendment passes and you are a resident by December 31, 2026, your 2027 bill reflects the $150,000 exemption.
If you’re relocating from out of state: the residency date is the single biggest variable in your carrying cost. Closing in November versus February is potentially a five-year difference in when the full exemption starts.
If you’re buying an investment property or second home: the homestead increase does not apply to you. But the reduction in the non-homestead assessment cap from 10% to 5% would slow how fast your assessed value can climb.
If you’re selling: a lower projected tax bill is a real affordability argument for buyers, particularly at price points where the full $250,000 exemption wipes out most non-school tax. Worth knowing what your listing would look like under the new math.
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Atlantic Title Firm does not support or oppose Amendment 3. This article is published for informational purposes. Florida Realtors has announced support for the measure; the Florida Association of Counties, League of Cities, Sheriffs Association, Fire Chiefs’ Association, and several other organizations have opposed it or raised concerns about its effect on local budgets. Read the ballot summary and both sides before you vote.
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Submit a Contract →Related Reading
The Florida Homestead Exemption Explained
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Homestead Portability in Florida
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Florida Property Tax Estimator
Estimate your annual property tax in any of the 67 counties.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Florida Amendment 3?
A proposed constitutional amendment on the November 3, 2026 ballot (HJR 1-F) that would raise the homestead exemption on non-school property taxes from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, indexed for inflation thereafter. It would also lower the annual assessment cap on non-homestead property from 10% to 5%. It requires 60% voter approval to pass.
How much would I save under Amendment 3?
It depends on your county’s non-school millage rate. At the full 2028 exemption, annual savings range from about $978 in Walton County to about $3,052 in St. Lucie County for a homestead assessed at or above $250,000. In Palm Beach County it is roughly $2,234 per year. Use the calculator on this page for your county.
Is there a Florida Amendment 3 calculator?
Yes — the Amendment 3 property tax calculator on this page covers all 67 Florida counties. Enter your county and home value and it estimates your annual property tax today, in 2027 at the $150,000 exemption, and in 2028 at the $250,000 exemption, along with your projected annual and five-year savings.
How do I estimate my Amendment 3 savings?
Take your county's non-school millage rate, multiply by the additional exemption amount, and divide by 1,000. For the full 2028 exemption that is an extra $200,000 of exempt value. In Palm Beach County, with 11.1708 non-school mills, that is $200,000 × 11.1708 ÷ 1,000 = $2,234 per year. The estimator above does this for every county automatically, and correctly excludes school millage.
Does Amendment 3 lower my school taxes?
No. The increased exemption applies only to non-school levies. The $25,000 school exemption is unchanged. School taxes are roughly 40% of a typical Florida property tax bill, which is why the savings are smaller than the headline exemption amount suggests.
What is the December 31, 2026 deadline?
If you are a Florida permanent resident on December 31, 2026, you qualify for the larger exemption as it phases in. If you establish residency after that date, you receive the existing $50,000 exemption first and become eligible for the full amount in your fifth year of homestead. Counties and cities may reduce that five-year requirement for a critical need, but not before January 1, 2030.
Does it apply to second homes or rental property?
No. The increased homestead exemption applies only to a primary residence. Second homes, rental property, and commercial property are not eligible. Those properties would, however, benefit from the reduction in the annual assessment cap from 10% to 5%.
Would Save Our Homes or portability change?
No. Amendment 3 does not affect existing Save Our Homes savings, the 3% assessment cap, portability, or the veteran, senior, and widow/widower exemptions. Those all remain in place.
Could my local government raise the millage rate to offset the lost revenue?
Nothing in Amendment 3 prohibits local governments from raising millage rates or creating or increasing fees to make up lost property tax revenue. There is also no state reimbursement to fiscally constrained counties, as has been provided with some prior property tax amendments.