June 12, 2026Updated June 15, 2026, 12:33 p.m. ET
- Florida voters will decide on a constitutional amendment to increase the homestead exemption for non-school local taxes.
- The proposed amendment would raise the exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028.
- Property taxes that fund schools and other essential services would not be eliminated by this measure.
- The amendment requires 60% voter approval to pass on the November ballot.
(Correction: This story has been updated to report that the only local tax that will remain untouched is for schools. Public safety and other main services will be affected by the property tax cuts.)
The proposed property tax constitutional amendment Florida voters will consider this fall would reduce or eliminate some taxes, but not all of them. There will still be some property taxes to fund schools and other services such as public safety and infrastructure. That amount varies by location.
If 60% of voters approve the amendment on Nov. 3, beginning in 2027 the first $150,000 of a primary home, or homestead, will be exempt from non-school local taxes, and that exemption rises to $250,000 in 2028 and then will track for inflation.
Under current law, Florida residents can exempt $50,000 in taxable value for their homesteaded property. The proposed amendment applies only to non-school taxes, so that means there will still be a bill in most cases. But less than before.
FLORIDA PROPERTY TAX CALCULATOR: How to determine your numbers
Confused? Many Florida residents are by the numbers and the calculations.
What does it all mean for the taxpayer? Here are a few scenarios that may help explain how your property tax bill would change after the maximum $250,000 homestead exemption would apply, and why, in some cases, it won’t change at all.
The scenarios are based on an online tax calculator (www.saveourhomesfl.com)created by the administration of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis combined with real estate listings on Zillow.
An important element to factor in is when the new property tax bill reads $0, that doesn’t your bill will be $0. Rather, it only represents the portion of property taxes that doesn’t fund schools. For example, in St. Petersburg, the property tax going to schools was about $869 in 2024. That would remain.
What are some examples of tax savings?
- St. Petersburg, three-bedroom two-bath house. Taxes in 2025 were $2,457. Taxes in 2028 would be $0.
- Vero Beach, three-bedroom, two-bath on sale for $399,000. Taxes in 2025 were $2,402. Taxes in 2028 would be $0.
- Bonita Springs, three-bedroom, two-bath listed for $510,000. Taxes in 2025 were $3,867. Taxes in 2028 would be $1,180, a savings of more than $2,600.
- Weston, four-bedroom, three-bath house on sale for $1.25 million. Taxes in 2025 were $13,920. Taxes in 2028 would be $10,278 or a savings of $3,642.
- Perdido Key, four-bedroom, two-bath home listed for $365,000. Taxes in 2025 were $811. Taxes in 2028 would be $0.
- Miami, three-bedroom, three-bath house for sale at $630,000. Taxes in 2025 were $3,206. Taxes in 2028 would be $0.
- Yulee, three-bedroom, two-bath home listed at $525,000. Taxes in 2025 were $4,410. Taxes in 2028 would be $1,192.
What is the next step in Florida property taxes?
House Speaker Daniel Perez, a Republican from Miami, said after lawmakers approved the tax amendment earlier this month that people should have their say on the matter through their votes.
“The win here is that we trust our voters,” Perez said. “They’re going to have the opportunity to vote this up or vote this down on the ballot in November.”
The measure also envisions complete elimination of property taxes in the coming years under a procedure that would be adopted by the state Legislature. Independent special districts would also have the ability to eliminate property taxes subject to voter approval.
The governor says property taxes are too high
DeSantis has repeatedly said property taxes are an unfair burden on people who own homes, like paying rent to the government.
“Property tax revenue collected by local governments has nearly doubled in the past seven years and is expected to reach an astounding $83 billion by 2032,” the governor said in announcing the plan. “Florida homeowners need relief. Now is the time to stand up for taxpayers, enact a historic reform, and save the home of every Floridian.”
Curt Anderson is the Policy and Politics Reporter for The USA TODAY NETWORK-FLORIDA. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://tallahassee.com/newsletters.
