Florida Amendment 3 and What It Means for Your Property Taxes

If you've been thinking about buying your first home, moving to Florida, or downsizing from the home you've lived in for years, you may be wondering what Florida's Amendment 3 means for your budget.

The amendment cleared the required 60% threshold in the unofficial November 3 election results, and the changes are set to begin January 1, 2027. When I'm helping someone look at a home in Sarasota, Manatee, or Charlotte County, there are two questions I'd start with. When did Florida become your permanent home? And will the property you're buying be your primary residence? Florida election results (https://floridaelectionwatch.gov/ContestResultsByCounty/900003) · Florida Senate amendment summary (https://www.flsenate.gov/Committees/BillSummaries/2026F/html/1)

If you already live in Florida

If you maintain a permanent residence in Florida as of December 31, 2026, and qualify for homestead, up to $150,000 of your home's assessed value will be exempt from non-school property taxes in 2027. That rises to $250,000 in 2028. For the school district portion of your property taxes, the homestead exemption stays at $25,000. Separate charges, such as a CDD assessment, can still appear on your bill. Full amendment text (https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026F/1F/BillText/er/PDF)

Here's something I especially want local first-time buyers to know. If you're already a permanent Florida resident and you're renting, you can still qualify for the larger exemption when you buy and establish homestead. December 31 is the residency cutoff for the larger exemption. To determine which tax year you can claim it, the county property appraiser will look at when you own and occupy the home and whether you file on time. Full amendment text (https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026F/1F/BillText/er/PDF) · Manatee County Property Appraiser (https://www.manateepao.gov/)

If you're moving to Florida in 2027 or later

Once you qualify for homestead, your exemption for non-school property taxes starts at $50,000 of assessed value, with inflation adjustments beginning in 2028. Under the statewide rule, the larger exemption generally begins in your fifth year of receiving the exemption. If you're house hunting from out of state, I'd build your monthly budget around the exemption you'll be eligible for when you buy. Florida Senate amendment summary (https://www.flsenate.gov/Committees/BillSummaries/2026F/html/1)

If you're buying a vacation home or rental property

For non-homestead properties, the annual cap on assessment increases for non-school taxes drops from 10% to 5%. That percentage applies to the property's assessed value. Since a sale can trigger a reassessment, I'd use an estimate based on what you could pay after buying the property when you compare a beach condo, a seasonal home, or an investment property. Full amendment text (https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026F/1F/BillText/er/PDF) · Manatee County property tax estimates (https://www.manateepao.gov/estimating-taxes/)

If you're thinking about downsizing

When I sit down with someone who's thinking about leaving a longtime home, we talk about what they want their days to look like and what they can comfortably afford. Maybe you want less to maintain or you'd like to live closer to family. Whatever's prompting the move, it helps to see what staying and moving would each cost before you make a decision.

If you've owned your Florida home for years, your current tax bill may reflect years of savings under Save Our Homes. You may be able to transfer some of that benefit to your next Florida homestead through portability. The calculation can work differently when your next home has a lower market value, so it's worth checking what you could transfer and how that affects the taxes on the home you're considering. Sarasota County portability FAQ (https://www.sarasotapropertyappraiser.gov/exemptions/homestead/portability-faq/)

Whether you're buying your first place or looking for a home that's easier to maintain, send me the address of the property you're considering. We can look at the county's estimate, talk through which exemptions may apply to you, and see how the numbers fit your monthly budget.