Updated November 4, 2026. Election-night reporting indicates Florida voters approved Amendment 3. Results remain preliminary pending official certification. This guide explains the 2026 property-tax amendment, not the unrelated 2024 amendment with the same number. Election coverage: WUSF.
For homeowners in Ormond Beach, Ormond-by-the-Sea, Daytona Beach, Port Orange, Palm Coast and Flagler Beach, Amendment 3 raises an immediate question: how much will my property taxes change?
The answer depends on your homestead eligibility, residency history, assessed value, taxing districts and future tax rates. The amendment changes important parts of the calculation, but it does not produce one identical savings amount for every household.
This is a practical, nonpartisan guide to the provisions and the decisions they affect. Whether you supported or opposed the amendment, understanding the details will help you evaluate your home, your budget and a possible move.
What Amendment 3 changes
The constitutional language expands the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes, reduces the annual assessment-growth limit for specified non-homestead real estate, establishes separate treatment for new Florida residents, and restricts how counties and municipalities use property-tax revenue. It also provides mechanisms for additional local exemptions.
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| January 1, 2027 | The amendment takes effect. The standard qualifying homestead exemption for non-school levies becomes up to $150,000. The applicable non-homestead assessment cap falls from 10% to 5%. |
| January 1, 2028 | The standard qualifying non-school homestead exemption rises to up to $250,000. |
| January 1, 2029 onward | The $250,000 amount receives annual adjustments when the specified inflation measure is positive. |
| January 1, 2030 onward | Counties and municipalities may, by a two-thirds governing-body vote, determine that a reduction of the new-resident waiting requirement is warranted for a critical local need. |
The expanded amounts are total exemptions from assessed value, not additional checks, tax credits, or amounts to add on top of the existing standard exemption. They do not apply to school-district levies. The constitutional school-tax homestead exemption remains up to $25,000. Source: filed constitutional text, Article VII, Sections 4 and 6, and Article XII schedule.
What does not disappear from your housing budget
School taxes continue. The text expressly excludes assessments for special benefits from the homestead exemption. A non-ad valorem charge on your bill therefore needs separate review; do not assume every line item shrinks with taxable value.
Homeowners insurance, flood insurance, mortgage principal and interest, HOA dues, condominium assessments and maintenance are separate expenses. A larger property-tax exemption does not itself reduce those bills.
The first affected tax year is 2027, not 2026. Do not reduce or skip your current tax payment based on the election result. The St. Johns County Property Appraiser’s pre-election explanation identifies November 2027 as the first tax bills reflecting the changes and confirms that Save Our Homes, portability and existing personal exemptions remain in place. That page explains the measure; it is not a source for the election outcome.
Who receives the larger exemption?
Homestead is tied to a qualifying permanent residence. Owning Florida real estate alone does not make every property eligible. A primary residence and a vacation home can be treated differently, even when owned by the same person.
The constitutional text distinguishes people who maintained a permanent Florida residence as of December 31, 2026 from people who did not. For the latter group, it provides an initial non-school exemption of up to $50,000, with the larger amount beginning with the fifth year of exemption, subject to the provisions governing that requirement. It also provides positive-inflation adjustments to that initial $50,000 amount beginning in 2028.
That wording matters. “Five years after moving here,” “five years after closing” and “the fifth year of exemption” are not interchangeable descriptions. Ask the property appraiser to identify the first eligible tax year for your circumstances instead of relying on a shorthand explanation.
For example, someone whose first qualifying exemption year is 2027 would count 2027 as year one and 2031 as year five under the text’s year-of-exemption formulation. That is an illustration, not an eligibility determination; residency evidence, uninterrupted qualification and administrative guidance must be checked.
The Department of State’s official initiative record describes the new-resident provision as applying to the extent permitted by the U.S. Constitution. This guide does not predict a court outcome or promise that every administrative question is settled.
For people considering relocation: do not rush a purchase simply because of a headline. Signing a contract, owning a vacation property and establishing a permanent residence are different facts. Confirm your documentation and eligibility with the county property appraiser before making a financial commitment based on an assumed exemption. Source: Article VII, Section 6(a).
How an exemption changes your tax calculation
Start with three different numbers. Market or just value is the appraiser’s valuation of the property. Assessed value reflects applicable assessment limitations. Taxable value reflects exemptions applied to that assessed value. These numbers may differ substantially, and taxable value may differ between taxing authorities. The Florida Department of Revenue’s homebuyer guide explains these distinctions.
A mill is $1 of tax per $1,000 of taxable value. For a particular levy, the basic calculation is taxable value multiplied by the millage rate, divided by 1,000. Separate assessments must then be considered separately.
Illustration only: assume an assessed value of $400,000, eligibility for the standard expanded exemption, no other exemptions, and a combined applicable non-school rate of 10 mills. Hold the assessed value and rate constant so that only the exemption changes.
| Tax year | Exemption | Taxable value | Tax at 10 mills |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | $150,000 | $250,000 | $2,500 |
| 2028 | $250,000 | $150,000 | $1,500 |
In that controlled example, the additional $100,000 exemption reduces the illustrated non-school taxes by $1,000 between 2027 and 2028. It is not a prediction of either year’s complete bill. School taxes, special assessments, valuation changes and future millage decisions are excluded.
A second example shows why home value matters: with a $200,000 assessed value and the same assumptions, the 2027 non-school taxable value would be $50,000. In 2028 it would reach zero, not negative $50,000. An unused exemption does not become a refund. School taxes and applicable assessments may remain.
A home with a $1 million assessed value would still have $750,000 of non-school taxable value after the $250,000 exemption, before any other applicable exemptions. A high-value property does not become tax-free simply because it is homesteaded.
For an actual comparison against 2026, use the exemption shown on your own tax record. The existing exemption already has inflation adjustments; treating every current homeowner’s exemption as exactly $50,000 can distort the baseline. The Flagler County Property Appraiser’s homestead page, for example, lists a $51,411 current exemption.
What buyers, sellers and existing owners should consider
Buying a home
Build a buyer-specific tax estimate. A seller’s bill can reflect years of assessment limitations and exemptions that do not become yours at closing. The Department of Revenue warns buyers about reassessment after ownership changes. A bigger exemption can coexist with a tax bill higher than the seller’s old bill.
Ask for an estimate using your likely post-purchase assessment, your residency and homestead circumstances, any eligible portability, and the property’s actual taxing districts. Label the result as an estimate and identify the year it represents.
Moving within Florida
Keep the homestead exemption and Save Our Homes portability separate in the discussion. The exemption reduces taxable value; portability concerns transferring an eligible accumulated assessment benefit. Amendment 3 does not replace the existing portability framework. Confirm eligibility and filing requirements for the new property.
Selling your home
Market the home with accurate ownership-cost information. “All buyers will save this amount” or “property taxes are going away” would overstate what is known. Supply the existing tax record as historical information and encourage buyers to obtain their own estimate.
Retiring, downsizing or remodeling
For a household on a fixed income, a tax reduction can matter, but the full budget still needs insurance, maintenance, association costs and potential assessments. Compare both staying and moving using the same assumptions. Improvements can affect assessment; a larger exemption does not make a major addition or renovation irrelevant to the property-tax calculation. Ask the appraiser about the proposed scope before treating projected savings as a renovation budget.
Second homes, rentals and commercial properties: what the 5% cap means
For specified non-homestead real property, the amendment reduces the annual assessment-growth limit from 10% to 5%, beginning January 1, 2027, for levies other than school-district levies. The text addresses both the applicable residential category of nine units or fewer and other covered real property.
This is an assessment cap, not a 5% ceiling on the tax bill. Tax rates can change. School-tax treatment differs. Ownership changes and qualifying improvements can trigger different assessment rules.
For a simplified example, a continuing covered property with a prior assessed value of $300,000 could have a $315,000 capped assessment after a 5% increase, assuming sufficient just value and no event that changes the normal treatment. That does not establish the taxes due: the rates, exemptions and other bill components still matter.
A rental property does not receive the owner-occupied homestead exemption simply because its owner lives elsewhere in Florida. Nor does the amendment guarantee lower rent. A tenant’s future rent depends on the lease, owner decisions and market conditions. Source: Article VII, Section 4(g)–(h).
What happens to local services and government budgets?
The amendment limits county and municipal use of property-tax revenue to specified purposes. The list includes public safety; education and public schools; infrastructure such as roads, bridges and stormwater control; natural-resource and flood-control projects; qualifying bond obligations; retirement benefits; and government operations, administration and approved expenditures except those prohibited by general law.
The final category is important: the text is more detailed than a claim that only police, fire and roads may be funded. Read the full provision before drawing conclusions about a specific service.
With the tax rate held constant, a smaller taxable base produces less revenue. How an individual city or county responds depends on its budget, revenue sources, legal limits and subsequent decisions. Passage alone does not establish a particular fee increase, service cut or staffing change in Ormond Beach, Palm Coast or either county.
This guide does not assign an unverified dollar loss to Volusia or Flagler County. Residents should follow their own taxing authorities’ budget proposals and hearings. The potential household savings and questions about public services can both be discussed without taking a partisan position. Source: Article VII, Section 9(a)(2).
Does the amendment eventually eliminate all property taxes?
It does not immediately eliminate all property taxes, and the constitutional provisions do not set a single automatic statewide date when every homeowner’s non-school bill becomes zero.
The text directs the Legislature to establish a uniform procedure allowing counties and municipalities to increase exemptions for their own levies, potentially up to the remaining assessed value. It also allows special districts to increase exemptions for their own levies through a voter referendum under prescribed procedures. Those possibilities should not be presented as already-adopted local exemptions.
Any additional local relief needs separate verification for the relevant taxing authority. School taxes remain distinct. Source: Article VII, Section 6(a)(4).
What Volusia and Flagler homeowners should do now
- Find your property record and current tax bill. Note just value, assessed value, exemptions, taxing authorities and non-ad valorem assessments.
- Check your homestead status. Confirm the permanent-residence facts and documentation. Do not assume a property purchase alone establishes eligibility.
- Ask about your first eligible year. This is especially important for people establishing Florida residency around the end of 2026 or buying after that date.
- Keep filing dates on the calendar. Under the ordinary homestead process, January 1 qualification and a March 1 application deadline matter. Ask the appraiser what, if anything, existing recipients must submit for implementation of Amendment 3.
- Request a property-specific estimate. Separate non-school taxes from school taxes and assessments. Keep unannounced future rates marked as assumptions.
- Review escrow with your mortgage servicer. Do not manually lower your mortgage payment based on this article. Ask when a confirmed tax change would be reflected in an escrow analysis.
- Review the 2027 proposed-tax notice and final bill. Check that the applicable exemption and assessment treatment match your circumstances.
For Volusia County properties, start with the Volusia County Property Appraiser. For Flagler County properties, use the Flagler County Property Appraiser’s homestead guidance. Flagler’s guidance also stresses that a homestead exemption does not automatically follow you to a newly purchased home. Contact the property appraiser for eligibility and assessment questions, and the tax collector for billing or payment questions.
Frequently asked questions
Will my 2026 tax bill go down?
The amendment’s effective date is January 1, 2027. Do not assume a retroactive reduction of the 2026 bill.
Is the $250,000 exemption a $250,000 tax savings?
No. It removes up to that amount of assessed value from the applicable non-school tax calculation. Savings depend on the taxable value actually removed and the applicable rates.
Will everyone receive the full amount?
No. Qualification, the new-resident provision and the property’s assessed value matter. The exemption cannot exceed the assessable value.
Do condominiums qualify?
The constitutional homestead provisions expressly include condominium ownership. A qualifying permanent-residence condo can receive homestead treatment; a vacation condo is a different situation. Association dues and assessments are separate.
Are senior and veteran exemptions being replaced?
The property appraiser’s explanation says existing personal exemptions remain unchanged. Ask how the exemptions you actually qualify for apply to each levy rather than adding every advertised benefit together.
Will my monthly mortgage payment drop immediately?
Do not assume so. Any escrow adjustment should be confirmed by your servicer using the actual tax information and its analysis. Principal, interest and insurance remain separate parts of the payment.
Will this raise home prices?
It is too early to claim a local price effect. Lower ownership costs may influence some buyers’ budgets, but financing, insurance, inventory, property condition and location also shape demand. This article makes no prediction about appreciation.
Sources and how to use this guide
- Filed CS/HJR 1-F constitutional text — the underlying provisions; use the body of the resolution for the detailed rules.
- Florida Department of State initiative record — ballot information and official materials.
- WUSF election reporting — reported passage; this guide does not represent the result as certified.
- St. Johns County Property Appraiser explanation — pre-election educational material on the measure and unchanged benefits.
- Florida Department of Revenue homebuyer guide — background on assessments, buying and the annual tax process; its older exemption figures are not the new Amendment 3 amounts.
- Flagler County homestead guidance and Volusia County Property Appraiser — local starting points for individual records and eligibility questions.
Information reviewed November 4, 2026. This educational overview is not an individual tax determination or legal opinion. Implementation guidance, certification and any subsequent legal developments should be checked before relying on an estimate. Illustrations use hypothetical values and rates, not a quote for a local address.
Planning a move in Volusia or Flagler County? I can help you organize a property-specific ownership budget and identify the questions to take to the appraiser, lender and insurance professional. Contact Alex Bittner, Broker Associate with Realty Pros Assured, to talk through your plans.