Florida property tax relief is no longer just a proposal moving through committee. Amendment 3 is on the November 3, 2026 statewide ballot. It would make major changes to the way Florida taxes homesteaded homes, rental property, second homes, commercial property, and other non-homestead real estate.
The headline is a much larger homestead exemption. For long-term Florida residents, the proposal would raise the non-school exemption to as much as $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. But school taxes would continue, Save Our Homes would remain, millage rates could still change, and local governments would lose a large amount of taxable value. That is why the real question is bigger than “Would my bill go down?”
Florida Amendment 3: The Plain Answer
Amendment 3 would change Florida’s Constitution in several ways if at least 60% of voters approve it.
- For qualifying residents already established in Florida by the end of 2026, the non-school homestead exemption would rise to as much as $150,000 in 2027.
- It would rise again to as much as $250,000 in 2028.
- The maximum exemption would begin receiving positive inflation adjustments in 2029.
- School taxes would not receive the larger exemption.
- Save Our Homes would remain in place.
- Portability would remain in place.
- The annual assessment-growth cap on non-homestead property would fall from 10% to 5% for non-school taxes.
- People establishing Florida residency on or after January 1, 2027 would have a different path to the larger exemption.
The neutral Seminole County Property Appraiser Amendment 3 guide lays out the current proposal, including the exemption amounts, residency rules, non-homestead cap, school-tax treatment, and the fact that tax rates can still change.
This Is Amendment 3 on the 2026 Ballot
The Florida Legislature approved HJR 1-F during a June special session.
It was filed with the Secretary of State on June 16 and assigned ballot number 3.
Florida constitutional amendments need at least 60% approval to pass.
If Amendment 3 passes, its main constitutional changes take effect January 1, 2027.
For homeowners, that means the first tax bills reflecting the new exemption would generally be the bills issued in late 2027.
The Original Ballot Language Was Ordered Rewritten
There is another important 2026 development.
In August, a Leon County circuit judge ruled that the original Amendment 3 title and summary were misleading and too political.
The court did not remove the amendment from the ballot.
Instead, it ordered the Attorney General to rewrite the ballot description.
The Attorney General released a more neutral version in mid-August.
That legal fight matters because a constitutional amendment should tell voters what it does without selling the policy.
What Florida Homeowners Get Today
Florida already has a strong homestead system.
The first $25,000 of qualifying homestead assessed value is exempt from most property taxes, including school taxes.
A second exemption applies to non-school levies.
That second amount is now adjusted for inflation.
For the 2026 tax roll, the second exemption is $26,411.
So the familiar phrase “Florida has a $50,000 homestead exemption” is now a little too simple.
The exact amount and which taxing authorities it applies to matter.
Amendment 3 Would Change the Non-School Exemption Much More
The proposal would keep a $25,000 exemption for school millages.
The big change would be the exemption from county, city, and other non-school property taxes.
For qualifying established residents, the maximum non-school homestead exemption would become:
- up to $150,000 in 2027;
- up to $250,000 in 2028;
- then adjusted upward for positive inflation beginning in 2029.
That is a substantial reduction in taxable value for many homesteaded properties.
The Exemption Does Not Mean a $250,000 Tax Refund
This is the easiest place to misunderstand the proposal.
An exemption reduces taxable value.
It is not a check for the exemption amount.
Suppose a qualifying home has an assessed value of $300,000.
Under a $250,000 non-school exemption, only a much smaller part of that assessed value could remain subject to non-school ad valorem tax, depending on the exact constitutional and statutory calculations.
Your savings would depend on the millage rates charged by the county, city, and other taxing authorities.
A homeowner in one county could save a different amount from a homeowner with the same assessed value somewhere else.
School Property Taxes Would Continue
This is one of the most important limits.
Amendment 3 does not eliminate Florida school property taxes.
The larger $150,000 and $250,000 exemptions apply to non-school levies.
The proposal keeps the first $25,000 homestead exemption for school millage.
So even if the amendment passes, most homeowners would still receive a property tax bill that includes school taxes.
Any article claiming Amendment 3 simply “eliminates Florida property taxes” is overstating what is on the ballot.
Save Our Homes Would Stay
Florida’s Save Our Homes assessment limitation is separate from the homestead exemption.
For a qualifying homestead, annual growth in assessed value is generally limited to the lower of 3% or the change in the Consumer Price Index.
Amendment 3 does not repeal that system.
This matters because long-time homeowners can already have assessed values far below market value.
The new exemption would sit on top of that existing assessment protection.
Portability Would Stay Too
Florida homeowners can sometimes transfer, or “port,” part of their Save Our Homes assessment difference when moving from one Florida homestead to another.
Amendment 3 does not eliminate portability.
That is useful for people worried that moving would mean giving up every benefit built up on the old home.
But portability rules are separate from the proposed larger exemption.
Do not treat them as the same tax benefit.
New Florida Residents Would Be Treated Differently
This part of Amendment 3 deserves more attention than it gets.
People who establish Florida residency on or after January 1, 2027 would not immediately receive the same larger exemption available to residents already established by the end of 2026.
Under the proposal, a new resident would begin with a $50,000 non-school exemption amount, subject to future inflation adjustment.
After maintaining a Florida homestead for four years, the homeowner would become eligible for the larger exemption beginning in the fifth year.
That creates a clear difference between existing residents and people arriving after the cutoff.
The Measure Also Changes Taxes on Rental and Commercial Property
Amendment 3 is not only about owner-occupied homes.
Florida currently limits annual assessment increases on many non-homestead properties to 10%.
Those properties include:
- rental homes;
- second homes;
- vacation properties;
- commercial buildings;
- some vacant land.
The amendment would lower that assessment-growth cap from 10% to 5% for non-school property taxes.
School taxes on non-homestead property would still be based on the applicable school-tax rules and would not receive that 5% cap in the same way.
A Lower Assessment Cap Is Not the Same as a Lower Tax Rate
Assessment limits control how fast the taxable assessment can grow.
They do not freeze millage rates.
A local government can still change its millage rate within Florida law.
That is why a lower assessment does not guarantee that every future tax bill falls by the same percentage.
Taxable value and tax rate work together.
Millage Rates Could Still Change
This matters for both supporters and critics of the amendment.
If local governments lose taxable value, they may respond in several ways.
They could reduce spending.
They could change millage rates where allowed.
They could rely more on fees or other revenue.
They could delay projects.
The proposal itself does not freeze all local property tax rates.
So a homeowner should not calculate savings by assuming every other part of the tax bill stays unchanged forever.
The Revenue Impact Is Large
Florida’s Revenue Estimating Conference examined the proposal during the special session.
The legislative analysis estimated a cash reduction in local non-school property tax revenue of about $4.95 billion in fiscal year 2027-28 with the $150,000 exemption.
With the $250,000 exemption, the estimated cash impact rises to about $8.78 billion in fiscal year 2028-29.
The estimated recurring impact reaches roughly $11.86 billion in later years.
Those are statewide estimates, not the exact loss for every county or city.
But they explain why local-government groups and public-safety organizations are paying close attention.
Supporters Focus on Homeowner Relief
Supporters argue that Florida property tax collections have risen too quickly as home values and local budgets expanded.
They say owner-occupied homes deserve stronger protection from taxes tied to rising property values.
They also argue that a larger exemption can help retirees, families, and other homeowners stay in homes that have become much more valuable on paper.
The non-homestead assessment cap can also slow taxable-value growth for rental and business properties.
That is the case for the amendment in its strongest form: give taxpayers a larger shield from fast growth in local property values.
Critics Focus on Services and Tax Shifts
Critics do not have to oppose tax relief to worry about the structure.
Counties and cities use property taxes for services such as law enforcement, fire protection, EMS, roads, parks, libraries, drainage, and other local functions.
If the tax base shrinks sharply, local officials still have to balance those budgets.
Critics argue that the result could be some combination of service cuts, higher fees, higher millage rates, or more pressure on taxpayers who do not receive the larger homestead exemption.
Those concerns are especially important for renters and businesses because they do not receive the same owner-occupied homestead benefit.
The Amendment Does Not Guarantee a Public-Safety Funding Level
This was a point of confusion in the original ballot description.
The neutral county explanation is clear: Amendment 3 itself does not guarantee a specific funding level for police, fire, EMS, or other local services.
Local budget decisions would still be made through the normal budget process, subject to whatever laws are in place.
That does not mean public safety must be cut.
It means the amendment itself does not promise that a particular local service receives the same dollars after the tax base changes.
Renters Have a Reason to Watch the Measure
Renters do not receive a homestead exemption on the home they rent.
The property owner pays the property tax.
But taxes are one part of the owner’s operating cost.
Amendment 3 would lower the annual non-school assessment cap on non-homestead property from 10% to 5%, which can benefit some rental owners over time.
At the same time, local revenue changes could lead to other taxes or fees.
There is no simple rule that says rent will automatically rise or fall because of the amendment.
Home Insurance Still Matters More Than the Property Tax Debate for Some Families
Florida homeowners are often juggling insurance, taxes, maintenance, HOA costs, and mortgage payments at the same time. Families trying to lower total household costs may also find practical ideas in this guide to simple sustainable living for modern families.
That is why property tax savings can feel important even when they are only one part of the total housing bill.
A tax cut does not fix an insurance premium increase.
And a property tax increase does not explain every rise in the monthly escrow payment.
Read each cost separately.
Other States Are Fighting the Same Basic Battle
Florida is not alone in trying to limit property tax growth.
Our guide to Ohio property tax reform in 2026 looks at another state where rising assessments have pushed homeowners and lawmakers toward major changes.
The mechanisms differ.
The political pressure is similar.
Fast-rising home values can create tax bills that feel disconnected from household income.
Georgia Took a Different Route
Our article on Georgia property tax relief in 2026 follows a different model built around homestead assessment limits and state-backed relief.
That comparison is useful because “property tax reform” can mean many things.
One state may enlarge exemptions.
Another may cap assessment growth.
Another may send state money to offset local taxes.
The household result depends on the exact design.
Indiana Is Considering an Even Bigger Structural Question
Our guide to Indiana property tax elimination proposals looks at the harder question that follows every large property tax cut: what revenue replaces the money?
That is also relevant in Florida.
Removing taxable value does not remove the cost of roads, police, fire protection, courts, parks, and local administration.
The debate is partly about who pays and how.
Check Your Current Homestead Status Now
Whatever happens in November, homeowners should make sure their current property record is correct.
Check your county property appraiser’s website.
Confirm that the property is listed as homestead if you qualify.
Confirm the mailing address.
Review any additional exemptions for which you may qualify.
A proposed future tax benefit does not help if the underlying homestead record is wrong.
Read Your TRIM Notice Before the Final Bill
Florida’s Truth in Millage notice gives homeowners a useful preview of proposed taxes. A simple home document organizer on Amazon can help keep TRIM notices, tax bills, insurance papers, and homestead records together for comparison.
Look at:
- market value;
- assessed value;
- exemptions;
- taxable value;
- proposed millage rates;
- meeting dates for taxing authorities.
That is where you can see whether a higher bill came from value, millage, or both.
Do Not Confuse Non-Ad Valorem Assessments With Property Tax Millage
Florida tax bills can also include non-ad valorem assessments.
These can cover items such as solid waste, fire assessments, stormwater, or other services depending on the community.
Amendment 3’s homestead exemption does not simply erase every charge that appears on a property tax bill.
That is another reason to calculate savings from your actual bill rather than a headline.
The November Choice Is Bigger Than the Exemption Number
The $250,000 figure is easy to remember.
The full amendment is more complicated.
It changes homestead taxable value.
It creates different treatment for newer residents.
It reduces the non-homestead assessment cap.
It leaves school taxes in place.
It leaves Save Our Homes and portability in place.
And it reduces the local non-school property tax base by billions of dollars statewide.
Those are the facts households should weigh.
A Better Way to Read Amendment 3
I would not reduce this amendment to “tax cuts are good” or “local revenue losses are bad.”
Both statements skip the design.
The practical way to look at it is to ask four questions.
- How much would my taxable value change?
- Which parts of my current bill would still remain?
- How might my local government respond to the lost tax base?
- Would I be treated as an existing resident, a future resident, or a non-homestead property owner?
Those questions turn a political slogan into household math.
The Bill May Shrink, but the Trade-Off Does Not Disappear
Amendment 3 could deliver substantial non-school property tax relief to many Florida homestead owners.
It could also force a major reset in local budgets.
Both can be true.
That is why the court-ordered ballot rewrite was important. Voters should not have to decode campaign language before they can understand the policy.
For homeowners, the best preparation is simple. Know your assessed value. Know your current exemptions. Separate school taxes from non-school taxes. Look at the millage rates. Then compare those numbers with what Amendment 3 would actually change.
The exemption is large.
So is the revenue shift.
Understanding both sides is the only useful way to understand Florida’s 2026 property tax fight.