THE MOST AVAILABLE PERSON IN INDIAN HARBOUR BEACH GOVERNMENT (321) 252-5922


Florida Amendment 3 (from CS/HJR 1-F / “Save Our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes”), a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot. It requires 60% voter approval to pass and would take effect January 1, 2027 if approved.

Title: Increased Homestead Exemption; Lower Cap on Increases in Non-Homestead Property Assessments

Summary: This amendment increases the homestead exemption, for all non-school taxes, to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, and adjusts for inflation thereafter. It requires the Legislature to prescribe a uniform procedure for counties and municipalities, for their respective levies, to increase the homestead exemption up to full assessed value, and allows special districts, subject to referendum approval, to do the same.

Persons who are not Florida residents on December 31, 2026, will receive the existing homestead exemption upon qualifying for a homestead exemption, with the increased homestead exemption beginning with the fifth year of exemption, to the extent permitted by the U.S. Constitution.

This amendment reduces the annual cap on assessment increases for non-homestead properties from 10% to 5%.

This amendment requires counties and municipalities to use property taxes solely for public safety, education and schools, infrastructure, natural resources, bond debt service, retirement benefits for employees, and operations and administration.

.

FULL TEXT CAN BE FOUND ON THE FOLLOWING LINK:

flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026F/1F

Bill text pdf

Key provisions:

  • Homestead exemption (non-school levies only): Increases from the current structure (effectively $50,000 total in many contexts) to up to $150,000 of assessed value beginning January 1, 2027, and up to $250,000 beginning January 1, 2028, with annual positive CPI/inflation adjustments starting January 1, 2029. School district levies keep the existing $25,000 exemption. New residents (not permanent residents as of December 31, 2026) start with a smaller exemption and become eligible for the full increased amount in the fifth year (to the extent permitted by the U.S. Constitution). The Legislature must prescribe a uniform procedure allowing counties/municipalities (and special districts via referendum) to raise the exemption further, up to the full remaining assessed value.

  • Non-homestead assessment cap: Reduces the annual assessment increase limit for non-homestead residential (≤9 units) and other non-homestead real property from 10% to 5% (for non-school levies), effective for assessments beginning January 1, 2027. School levies are unaffected.

  • Spending restrictions on county/municipal ad valorem (property tax) revenue: Limits use to specified core purposes, including public safety (law enforcement, fire, EMS), education/public schools, infrastructure (roads, bridges, stormwater, etc.), natural resources/flood control, bond debt service, employee retirement benefits, and operations/administration.

  • Save Our Homes (homestead assessment limit of 3% or CPI) and other existing assessment rules largely remain, with the joint resolution integrating the changes into the relevant sections of Article VII..