Florida Homestead Exemption
Deadline: March 1st, 2026
If you purchased a home in 2025 and it is your primary residence, you may qualify for Florida’s Homestead Exemption — but you must file by March 1st, 2026. This exemption can significantly reduce your property taxes and protect your home from certain creditors.
What Is the Florida Homestead Exemption?
FLORIDA’S HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION PROVIDES:
Up to $50,000 in property tax exemptions
A 3% cap on annual assessed value increases
(Known as Save Our Homes)
Important asset protection benefits under Florida law
Who Qualifies for the Florida Homestead Exemption?
YOU MAY QUALIFY IF:
You owned the property on Jan. 1, 2026
The property is your permanent Florida residence
You do not claim a homestead exemption in another state
You are a Florida resident
If you live in the home as your permanent residence as of January 1st, 2026, you likely qualify.
Filing Deadline
March 1st, 2026
Missing this deadline could mean losing valuable tax savings for the entire year.
Late filing is very limited and not guaranteed.
What Is Homestead Portability?
If you previously had a Florida homestead and moved to a new Florida home, you may be eligible to transfer (or “port”) your accumulated tax savings to your new property. This is called Portability.
Portability allows you to transfer up to $500,000 of your Save Our Homes benefit from your prior homestead to your new homestead.
For long-term homeowners, this can result in very substantial annual tax savings.
How Portability Works
When you homestead a property, annual assessment increases are capped at 3%. Over time, your assessed value may fall far below market value. That difference is your Save Our Homes benefit.
IF YOU MOVE:
You may transfer that benefit to your new Florida homestead.
The new property must be homesteaded.
The transfer must be applied for. It can be included in your homestead application.
You generally must establish the new homestead within two tax years of leaving the previous one.
The new property must be homesteaded.
Portability Is Not Automatic
IMPORTANT: Portability is not a separate filing.
When you apply for your new Homestead Exemption, you must specifically indicate on that same application that you are requesting portability from your prior Florida homestead.
If you do not check the portability section and provide the required prior homestead information at the time you file your application, you could permanently lose those accumulated tax savings.
Always make sure you apply for portability at the same time you file for your new Homestead Exemption.
Join Us
Our Clients Are Like Family
We maintain some of the highest levels of security available on the market, and take the safety and security of our clients’ information and funds extremely serious. You can rest assured that we will take every precaution to close your transaction as safe and secure as possible.
Buying or selling a home is one of the largest decisions of your life. We pride ourselves on being different, better. We are a large firm, with a boutique feel, and will strive to exceed your expectations.
Preferred Settlement seeks to implement the latest systems and strategies to streamline the settlement process, and enhance the closing experience for our clients and customers.
Contact Us
From the beginning, our top priority has always remained the same, to look out for the best interests’ of our clients and customers. Give us a chance to earn your business and exceed your expectations.