Florida Porch

Homestead exemption

If this is your Florida home, do not let March 1 sneak by.

Homestead can lower taxable value, start Save Our Homes protection, and make later tax bills less jumpy. The county still has to approve it.

First answer

You are mainly proving one thing: this is home.

Florida homestead is for a property you own and make your permanent residence, or the permanent residence of your dependent. If you are filing for the first time, start with your county property appraiser's homestead page and follow their application instructions.

Who decides?

Your county property appraiser

The state explains the rule, but the county property appraiser reviews the application and decides whether the property gets the exemption.

Find your county official

What date matters?

January 1

For that tax year, the home generally needs to be your permanent residence, or your dependent's permanent residence, by January 1.

Florida Revenue homestead guide

When do you file?

By March 1

First-time homestead applications use Form DR-501 and go to the county property appraiser by March 1 of the tax year.

DR-501 application

The exemption

It can lower taxable value.

Florida says homestead may reduce taxable value by up to $50,000. The first part applies broadly; the second part applies to non-school taxes and can adjust with inflation.

Save Our Homes

The cap starts after homestead.

Once a property has homestead, the annual assessment increase is capped at the lower of 3 percent or the CPI change. For 2026, Florida Revenue lists the cap as 2.7 percent.

Portability

Moving inside Florida can matter.

If you had a previous Florida homestead, you may be able to move part of the Save Our Homes benefit to a new Florida homestead. Ask the new county before you assume it worked.

Watch-outs

A few things can knock the answer sideways.

Renting the home, moving your permanent residence somewhere else, or claiming residency in another county or state can affect eligibility. If your facts are messy, call the property appraiser before you file.

Homestead does not freeze the whole tax bill. Millage rates, special districts, exemptions, and assessed value all still matter, so use the exemption as one piece of the property-tax picture.

Find your place Read property-tax basics

Official checks

Sources used for this page

Last checked June 29, 2026. Use the county property appraiser before you file; they decide the application.

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