Florida Property Tax Reform
Florida's proposed property tax reform bill is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for homeowners. Here's why it matters.
Breaking — June 2, 2026: FL Legislature passed HJR 1-F. Goes to November 2026 ballot. 60% voter approval required.
The Bill Explained
HJR 1-F passed the Florida Legislature on June 2, 2026. Here's a plain-language breakdown of the exemption timeline, who benefits, and what it means for buyers and sellers.
Exemption Timeline
Current: $50,000 Exemption
Applies to all FL homestead properties on non-school levies.
Voter Referendum
Must pass with 60% approval to become law.
Phase 1: $150,000 Exemption
Non-school levies only. School levies stay at $25,000.
Phase 2: $250,000 Exemption
Full exemption takes effect on non-school levies.
Inflation Indexing Begins
The $250K exemption adjusts annually with inflation.
Key Numbers
Maximum homestead exemption (non-school levies, 2028+)
Voter approval required for amendment to pass
New annual assessment cap for non-homestead (2027)
Est. local govt revenue reduction by FY 2028-29
Who It Affects & How
Primary Homebuyers (Existing FL Residents)
Biggest winners. Full $150K exemption in 2027, $250K in 2028. Close and establish homestead before Dec 31, 2026 — no phase-in.
New Residents (Arriving After Dec 31, 2026)
Phase-in applies. Only $50K exemption for the first 5 years, then full exemption. Key caveat for relocation buyers.
Investors & Non-Homestead Owners
Assessment cap drops from 10%/yr to 5%/yr in 2027. More predictable tax bills on rentals and investment properties.
School Levies — Carved Out
Exemption applies only to county and city (non-school) levies. School portion excluded.
What to Tell Buyers
Lock in before year-end. Buyers who close and establish homestead by Dec 31, 2026 qualify for the full exemption — no 5-year phase-in delay.
Use the state calculator. Florida launched saveourhomesfl.com — estimate your actual savings under the new plan.
Still needs voter approval. Goes on the November 2026 ballot and requires 60% to pass. Legislature approved today — voters decide in November.
School taxes unchanged. Total bill won't drop to zero — school levies excluded and remain at the current $25K exemption level.
Market Implications
Strong buyer incentive. Potential savings of thousands annually on non-school levies makes Florida homeownership significantly more attractive.
Pre-November urgency. Buyers motivated to close before Dec 31, 2026 to avoid the 5-year new-resident phase-in — creates near-term demand.
Monitor local services. Estimated $14B+ in local government revenue losses by 2028–29. Watch for impacts on police, fire, and infrastructure.
Generational shift. Described as the largest proposed property tax cut in Florida history — major talking point at any buyer or listing appointment.
Information based on HJR 1-F as passed by the Florida Legislature on June 2, 2026. All figures are estimates. Consult a licensed tax professional for advice specific to your property.
The Numbers
The proposed reform bill delivers measurable, lasting savings to the majority of Florida homeowners — especially those who have been in their homes for years.
Savings Calculator
Enter your Florida address to get a personalized estimate of your annual property tax savings under the proposed homestead exemption — based on real 2025 tax data.
Estimates are provided by the State of Florida's Save Our Homes calculator for informational purposes only and are not a tax bill. Actual savings may vary based on parcel status, exemptions, assessments, local tax rates, and other factors.
Your Savings, Your Choice
If the constitutional amendment passes in November 2026, most Florida homeowners will save between $1,000 and $3,000 every year. Pick a scenario below to see what that money could mean for your family.
For a family of four, $1,000–$2,000 covers roughly half a year of weekly grocery runs — real relief at the checkout line every single week.
Florida communities deserve stability and affordability.
For decades, Florida homeowners have watched their property tax bills climb year after year — often faster than their incomes, faster than inflation, and faster than any reasonable measure of their home's actual value to them. The result: long-term residents are being priced out of the communities they built.
The proposed reform bill addresses this directly. It caps annual assessment increases for primary residences, expands homestead exemptions for long-term owners, and creates a more transparent appeals process so homeowners can challenge unfair valuations without hiring a lawyer.
This isn't a tax cut for the wealthy. It's a floor of protection for the middle class — the teacher, the retiree, the small business owner who bought a home and just wants to stay in it.
"A home should be a source of security — not a source of financial anxiety."The core promise of Florida's property tax reform bill
The bill has broad support across party lines because its benefits are universal. Whether you're a first-generation homeowner in Miami-Dade or a retiree on a fixed income in Pinellas County, runaway property taxes are a shared problem — and this reform is a shared solution.
Capping assessment increases means homeowners can plan their finances without fear of sudden, unaffordable tax spikes.
Long-term residents deserve protection from market volatility that has nothing to do with their actual quality of life.
A transparent appeals process ensures every homeowner — regardless of income — can challenge an unfair assessment.
Florida DOGE Audit Findings
Governor DeSantis and CFO Blaise Ingoglia's Florida DOGE task force audited just 12 jurisdictions and uncovered nearly $1 billion in wasteful spending across only five local governments. These are not hypothetical cuts — they are documented line items from public budgets, paid for by Florida taxpayers. Before any government raises your property taxes, it should answer for every dollar below.
Documented waste — just 5 local governments
~$1,000,000,000
Source: Florida Department of Government Efficiency, October 2025
"Local governments are crying poor but continue to spend wastefully on things like 'counting trees.' The taxpayers are tired of it."
— CFO Blaise Ingoglia, Florida
Florida DOGE visited only 12 of the state's 478 local governments. The waste documented here is a fraction of what a full audit would reveal.
Nearly a billion dollars in waste was identified across only five local governments. That's money that could have offset property tax increases for years.
Florida has 411 municipalities and 67 counties. If the pattern holds, the statewide total of wasteful spending is staggering — and entirely avoidable.
Before any local government raises your property taxes, it should be required to justify every dollar it spends on holograms, tree counts, and ideological programs that serve no resident.
Property tax reform is not just about lowering your bill — it is about forcing accountability on governments that have grown comfortable spending without consequence. Vote yes in November 2026.
Latest News
The bill is in committee now. This is the moment when constituent contact has the most impact. Four actions, fifteen minutes — that's all it takes to make a difference.
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