Florida’s bigger homestead exemption: a checklist for Miami-Dade homeowners

Florida voters approved Amendment 3 in the November 3, 2026 election with about 62% of the vote, just above the 60% needed to change the state constitution. The measure raises the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes starting in 2027 and slows how fast taxable values can rise on second homes and rentals. For families in Miami-Dade, where Upstormed was born, the change could mean lower local tax bills, but only for owners who qualify and file correctly. Here is a practical checklist.

What changes, in brief

• Bigger exemption: The non-school homestead exemption, now roughly $50,000, rises to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, with inflation adjustments beginning in 2029.
• School taxes unchanged: The existing $25,000 exemption from school taxes stays the same, so the school portion of a bill does not get the bigger break.
• Save Our Homes stays: The cap that limits yearly growth in a homestead’s assessed value to 3% or inflation, whichever is lower, is not changed.
• Lower cap for non-homestead property: For second homes, rentals and commercial property, the yearly cap on assessment increases for non-school taxes drops from 10% to 5% beginning January 1, 2027.

As an example cited by CBS News Miami, a homestead assessed at $500,000 could eventually be taxed for local, non-school purposes as if it were worth $250,000. Upstormed News covered the vote and the statewide budget debate in Florida voters pass Amendment 3; this guide focuses on what owners can do next.

A homeowner’s checklist

1. Confirm your residency date

The full benefit goes to owners who had a permanent Florida residence on December 31, 2026. People who become residents after that date receive a $50,000 non-school exemption until their fifth year of exempted residency, according to an analysis by accounting firm Kaufman Rossin. The firm notes that the new-resident rule applies only to the extent the U.S. Constitution allows, so it could be challenged. Recent movers may want to make sure records such as a Florida driver’s license, voter registration and declaration of domicile are in order.

2. File for homestead on time

The bigger exemption is not automatic for anyone who has not already claimed homestead. Applications for the 2027 tax year are due March 1, 2027. In Miami-Dade, that means applying through the county Property Appraiser. Owners who already have a homestead exemption should still confirm it is active and that the ownership information is correct.

3. Know when you will see the change

Kaufman Rossin lays out the timeline: the amendment takes effect January 1, 2027; the Legislature meets from March 2 to April 30, 2027 and is expected to pass implementing rules; the new figures first appear on proposed tax (TRIM) notices in August 2027; and they reach actual tax bills in November 2027. Details could still shift as lawmakers write those rules.

4. Watch your local millage rate

The amendment limits taxable value, not tax rates. Local governments still set millage each year. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s administration estimated the county could lose about $385 million in the first year, and she warned of possible cuts to services such as fire rescue, libraries, parks, flood protection and transit, CBS News Miami reported. How the county and cities respond will shape what owners actually save.

5. Second homes and rentals

Second-home owners still do not get a homestead exemption. The lower 5% cap slows increases in the non-school portion of their assessments, but school taxes on non-homestead property are still based on full market value. Kaufman Rossin also reminds owners that a sale or a transfer of more than half of an ownership interest generally resets the assessed value to market value on the following January 1.

What it means

• For buyers: Moving into a primary home before the end of 2026 versus after can affect which exemption applies for the first years, but timing a purchase around taxes alone is rarely the whole picture. Ask the Property Appraiser or a tax professional how the rules apply to you.
• For sellers: Buyers may ask how the new exemption affects carrying costs. Remember that a buyer’s assessment resets after a sale, so the seller’s current bill is not the buyer’s future bill.
• For long-term owners: Owners who stay put benefit most, since Save Our Homes and the bigger exemption work together over time. Keeping homestead paperwork current protects that benefit.

Upstormed Real Estate focuses on owning and building estates for the long run, and property taxes are one of the steady costs every owner plans around. This guide is general information, not tax, legal or financial advice; for your situation, check with the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser or a qualified professional.

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Sources: Kaufman Rossin, CBS News Miami