🏠 Buyers & sellers
The FloridaHomestead Exemption
Florida's homestead exemption cuts up to $50,000 from your home's assessed value and — more importantly — caps future assessment increases at 3% per year through Save Our Homes. To get it, the home must be your permanent residence on January 1 and you must file with your county property appraiser by March 1; it then renews automatically, and when you move within Florida you can port up to $500,000 of accumulated benefit to the next home.
Educational guide, not legal, tax, or lending advice. Figures are typical for our Florida markets — programs, rates, and rules change, so verify current numbers with your lender, title company, or county.
What you actually get
Up to $50,000 off your assessed value
The first $25,000 applies to all property taxes. A second $25,000 applies to the value between $50,000 and $75,000 — and to everything except school taxes. Together they typically save several hundred to over a thousand dollars a year.
The Save Our Homes cap — the real prize
Once homesteaded, your assessed value can rise at most 3% per year (or inflation, whichever is lower) no matter what the market does. In fast markets this quietly becomes worth far more than the exemption itself — long-time owners often pay taxes on a fraction of market value.
Portability when you move within Florida
Moving? You can transfer ("port") up to $500,000 of the gap between your old market value and capped assessed value to the new homestead — you have up to three tax years to establish it. Sellers: this is why timing your next purchase matters.
Creditor protection & surviving-spouse rules
The Florida Constitution also shields homestead property from most creditors and constrains how it passes at death. That side of homestead is estate-planning territory — worth a conversation with an attorney when you buy.
How to file, county by county
File with the property appraiser of the county your home sits in — every county we serve offers online filing. Search the office name below (their official sites end in .gov, .us, or .org) or ask us and we'll send you the exact link for your purchase.
| County | Our towns | Where to file |
|---|---|---|
| Brevard County | Space Coast towns | Brevard County Property Appraiser (BCPAO) |
| Seminole County | Sanford | Seminole County Property Appraiser (SCPA) |
| Orange County | Orlando | Orange County Property Appraiser (OCPA) |
| Lake County | Clermont & Mount Dora | Lake County Property Appraiser |
| Osceola County | Kissimmee & St. Cloud | Osceola County Property Appraiser |
📅 The rhythm: close by December 31 → live there January 1 → file by March 1 → savings show on that November's tax bill.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Florida homestead exemption deadline?
March 1 of the tax year. Close on your home by December 31, make it your permanent residence by January 1, and file with your county property appraiser by March 1. Most counties accept simple online filings, and once granted it renews automatically.
What do I need to file?
Proof the home is your permanent residence as of January 1: typically a Florida driver license or ID at the property address, vehicle registration, voter registration or a declaration of domicile, and your Social Security number. Non-citizens need permanent residency documentation.
How much does the homestead exemption actually save?
The exemptions themselves commonly save roughly $700–$1,000+ a year depending on local millage. The compounding win is the 3% Save Our Homes cap — after a few years of appreciation, capped owners often pay dramatically less than a new buyer of the identical house next door.
Can I rent out a homesteaded property?
Not as a rule — the exemption requires the home to be your permanent residence. Limited short-term rental of a homesteaded property can be permissible within strict limits, but renting it out substantially or claiming residency elsewhere risks back taxes, penalties, and a 50% penalty plus 15% interest on improperly claimed years.
What is portability and how do I use it?
When you sell a homesteaded home and buy another in Florida, you can transfer up to $500,000 of your Save Our Homes benefit (the difference between market and assessed value). File form DR-501T with your new county's homestead application. You have up to three tax years after abandoning the old homestead.
Does homestead transfer to me when I buy a house?
No — the seller's exemption and cap fall away at the end of the year you buy, and the property reassesses at market value. Budget from the full assessed amount, not the seller's old (capped) tax bill — then file your own exemption to start your own cap.
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