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Florida Amendment 3 · passed Nov 3, 2026

Make Florida home by December 31 and lock in the bigger homestead exemption.

Moving to Florida in 2027? Here's your homestead plan.

Permanent Florida residents as of Dec 31, 2026 get a non-school homestead exemption of $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. Arrive later and it's $50,000 until your fifth year.

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What changed

Same house, two different tax bills

Amendment 3 raises the homestead exemption on non-school property taxes. Who gets the larger exemption depends on one date: whether you were a permanent Florida resident on December 31, 2026.

$150,000Non-school exemption in 2027 for residents as of Dec 31, 2026
$250,000Non-school exemption from 2028, then adjusted for inflation
$50,000For people who become residents on or after Jan 1, 2027, until the fifth year of exemption

School taxes keep the existing $25,000 exemption. Source: Florida Senate bill summary, CS/HJR 1-F (2026).

Your 55-day residency checklist

The test is residency, not the closing date

You don't have to own a Florida home by December 31. What counts is having your permanent residence in Florida as of that date. Move here, rent if you need to, make Florida your permanent home before the deadline, and buy when the right home comes along. You stay in the group that gets the larger exemption once you qualify for homestead.

And the reverse: closing on a house in December but moving in January doesn't count.

  1. Move in and make it permanent. Live here with the intent to stay. A lease works while you shop.
  2. Get your Florida driver's license within 30 days of moving, and register your vehicle.
  3. Register to vote in your Florida county.
  4. File a Declaration of Domicile with your county clerk (Fla. Stat. 222.17). It's a simple sworn statement that Florida is your permanent home.
  5. Move your mail, banking and tax address to Florida.
  6. Buy your home and file for homestead with your county property appraiser by March 1 of the year after you buy.

Need a place to live first?

We help with rentals too. Lease now, establish residency before the deadline, then buy with us.

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Investors and second-home buyers

Homestead is for your primary residence only. But the yearly assessment cap on non-homestead property drops from 10% to 5%, which makes the holding costs on rentals and second homes more predictable.

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What the deadline could be worth to you

Buying from out of state?

Shop Florida homes without leaving home

Virtual showingsTour homes live by video call with a bilingual agent: FaceTime, WhatsApp or Zoom. Ask questions, open closets, check the view.

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Pre-approved from anywhereOur affiliated lender, MW Loans, pre-approves out-of-state buyers by phone and online, so you can make offers before you move.

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Talk to us todayEnglish or Spanish, same day. Call or message and we'll set up your move, your rental and your home search.

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Tell us when you're moving

A bilingual MW Realty agent will help you line up a home or a rental, and our affiliated lender, MW Loans, can get you pre-approved.

Not tax or legal advice. Amendment 3 takes effect January 1, 2027. Whether you have "permanent residence" is decided by your county property appraiser; confirm your situation with them or a tax professional. MW Realty Group and MW Loans are affiliated companies. You are free to choose any agent or lender. Affiliated business disclosure.