Florida Amendment 3 on the Nov. 3 Ballot: What It Would Change for Homestead and Non-Homestead Property

Property taxes · 2026 ballot

What the property tax amendment says, who it would affect, and when it would start. We won't tell you how to vote.

If you own a home in Central Florida, or you’re planning to buy one, you’ve probably heard a lot about Amendment 3 lately. It’s the property tax amendment on the Nov. 3, 2026 general election ballot. It would change the homestead exemption and the cap on yearly assessment increases for non-homestead property, which includes second homes, rentals, and vacation homes.

The aim here is a plain-language explanation of what the amendment says and how it would work, with sources you can check yourself. Theme Park Living takes no position on Amendment 3, and nothing here is a recommendation on how to vote.

What’s on the ballot

The official ballot title is “Increased Homestead Exemption; Lower Cap on Increases in Non-Homestead Property Assessments.”

• Where it came from: The Legislature placed it on the ballot through CS/HJR 1-F during the 2026 Special Session F. It passed the House 75–26 and the Senate 30–9 on June 2, 2026, and was filed with the Secretary of State on June 16, 2026.
• What it takes to pass: At least 60% of the votes cast on the measure, as with any amendment to the Florida Constitution.
• When it would start: Jan. 1, 2027, if approved.

A note on the wording. The Legislature’s original title was “Save Our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes.” On Aug. 3, a Leon County circuit judge ruled that the original title and summary were defective, and the Attorney General submitted revised wording. The title and summary now posted by the Florida Division of Elections are the ones described here. Your sample ballot will show the full summary, which runs well past the usual 75 words. A law passed in the same special session allowed that.

What would change for homestead owners

Today, a Florida homestead gets a $25,000 exemption from all property taxes, including school taxes, and a second exemption that applies to everything except school taxes. Together they come to up to $51,411 in 2026, depending on the home’s assessed value.

Under Amendment 3:

• Non-school taxes (county, city, and special district): the homestead exemption would be $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, then adjusted for inflation each year.
• School taxes: the exemption would stay at $25,000.
• Local option: the Legislature would have to set up a uniform way for counties and cities to raise the exemption for their own taxes, as far as the home’s full assessed value. Special districts could do the same with voter approval.

The Save Our Homes cap, which limits yearly increases in a homestead’s assessed value to 3% or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower, would stay the same. The Osceola County Property Appraiser’s FAQ notes that the amendment doesn’t change portability or other personal exemptions.

The Dec. 31, 2026 residency date

This is the part that matters most if you’re relocating. The ballot summary says that people who are not Florida residents on Dec. 31, 2026 will get the existing homestead exemption when they first qualify, with the increased exemption starting in their fifth year of exemption, “to the extent permitted by the U.S. Constitution.”

The joint resolution sets that interim exemption at $50,000 for non-school taxes, indexed for inflation from 2028. Starting in 2030, a county or city could shorten the wait for its own taxes by a two-thirds vote, if it finds a “critical local need.”

The Osceola County Property Appraiser’s FAQ also notes that someone who is already a Florida resident by Dec. 31, 2026, but buys a home later, would still qualify for the higher amount.

If you’re planning a move in 2027 or later, build your first few years of tax estimates around the smaller exemption, and ask the county property appraiser how it would apply to you.

What would change for non-homestead property

For second homes, long-term rentals, vacation rentals, and commercial property, the yearly cap on assessment increases would drop from 10% to 5% starting Jan. 1, 2027. Like today’s cap, it applies to non-school taxes only.

A few details are easy to miss:

• It’s a cap on assessed value, not on your tax bill. Millage rates can still change, and so can non-ad valorem assessments like CDD or solid-waste charges.
• A sale still resets the value. Under the current rules, a change of ownership brings the assessment back to market value, and the amendment keeps that reset.

Limits on how cities and counties spend property taxes

The amendment would also require counties and cities to use property tax revenue only for public safety, education and schools, infrastructure, natural resources, bond debt service, employee retirement benefits, and operations and administration. In the summary’s words, “other expenditures may be approved by county officers or county or municipal governing bodies unless prohibited by general law.”

The official revenue estimate

The Legislature’s Revenue Estimating Conference studied the joint resolution and published its estimate on July 10, 2026. It projects that local non-school property tax revenue would be about $4.93 billion lower statewide in the first year (FY 2027–28) and about $11.83 billion lower each year once the change is fully in effect. It projects no change for school taxes.

Its estimates for the four counties around the parks:

If the amendment fails, there is no impact from it.

What supporters and opponents say

Here are the major statewide groups on each side, in their own words.

• Supporting: The Florida Realtors Board of Directors voted Aug. 23, 2026 to support the amendment: “Florida Realtors supports Amendment 3 because it offers voters an opportunity to provide meaningful property tax relief while strengthening Florida’s commitment to attainable homeownership.”
• Opposing: The Florida League of Cities says, “Amendment 3 is not a tax cut, it’s a tax shift.” The Florida Association of Counties says the amendment “cuts the largest source of funding for critical local services and provides no replacement revenue.”

Disclosure: Ryan Sager is a REALTOR® and a member of Florida Realtors. Its position is the association’s, not this site’s, and this post isn’t an endorsement.

Where to check the details yourself

• Read the full ballot summary on the Division of Elections site or your sample ballot.
• Find your current exemptions and assessed value on your county property appraiser’s site. Several local appraisers and counties, including Osceola and Orange, have Amendment 3 explainer pages.
• For voting dates, sample ballots, and vote-by-mail requests, check your county Supervisor of Elections.

If you’re also working out what a home will cost to own each month, our guide to the real monthly cost of owning a home in Central Florida breaks out taxes, insurance, and fees. If you’re moving here, the 90-day Orlando relocation timeline shows where the homestead application fits. For a homestead, you need to own and live in the home on Jan. 1 and apply by March 1.

This article is general information, not legal, tax, or voting advice. Tax effects depend on your property, your residency, and future millage rates. Check with your county property appraiser and a tax professional.

Ryan Sager, REALTOR®, LPT Realty · ANEW Collective · FL License #3540605 · (407) 342-6367 · ryan@sagerfl.com