Florida Amendment 3 Passed: Why Your Residency Date Matters More Than Your Closing Date

Florida voters approved Amendment 3 on November 3, 2026, with roughly 62% of the vote, above the 60% required. Starting January 1, 2027, the homestead exemption on non-school property taxes rises from about $50,000 to $150,000, then to $250,000 in 2028. But the full amount right away only goes to people who are permanent Florida residents on December 31, 2026. Everyone who becomes a resident later starts at about $50,000 and waits until their fifth year of homestead.

The test is residency, not ownership. You do not need to buy by January 1. You need to live here.

What Amendment 3 Changes

Non-school taxes are everything on your bill except the school board line: county, city and special district levies. Those are now calculated on a much smaller taxable value.

What does not change:

• Save Our Homes stays. Annual increases in your homestead’s assessed value are still capped at 3% or CPI, whichever is lower.
• Portability stays, so you can still carry your Save Our Homes savings to your next Florida homestead.
• Senior, veteran, disability and widow/widower exemptions stay.
• School taxes keep the same $25,000 exemption and are not capped.

The amendment also limits how counties and cities can spend property tax revenue, steering it to core services such as public safety and infrastructure. You will first see the change on your August 2027 TRIM notice and your November 2027 tax bill.

What It Is Worth in Miami-Dade

For a primary residence with a $900,000 assessed value, $250,000 is now shielded from county, city and district levies instead of roughly $50,000. Miami-Dade Property Appraiser Tomás Regalado’s office has estimated average savings for eligible county homeowners of about $1,700 in 2027 and $2,700 in 2028. In one example reported by Axios, a tax bill of about $6,000 drops to roughly $4,367 in 2027 and $3,289 in 2028 at current rates. Your number depends on your home’s assessed value and your city’s millage, so run your own estimate with the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser’s tax estimator.

Keep in mind that local governments set millage rates. Miami-Dade County projects a revenue loss in the hundreds of millions in the first year, so rates could change as budgets adjust.

The December 31 Line: Two Families, Same Move

Permanent Florida resident on December 31, 2026: you get the larger exemption as soon as you qualify for homestead, even if you buy in 2027, 2028 or later. Not a resident on that date: you get about $50,000 for non-school taxes (indexed to inflation from 2028) until the fifth year of your homestead exemption.

Picture two families relocating from New York to Miami.

• Family A establishes permanent residency in December 2026, rents for a year, and buys in 2028. They receive the full exemption from their first homestead year.
• Family B arrives in February 2027 and buys the same year. For four years they carry roughly $200,000 less in exempt value than Family A.

Same city, same budget, two months apart. On a Miami home, that gap can add up to thousands of dollars. The standard homestead rules still apply on top of this: you must own and live in the home on January 1 of the tax year and file by March 1.

Two details to know, per Kaufman Rossin:

• The new-resident rule applies only “to the extent permitted by the U.S. Constitution,” so it may face legal challenges.
• Starting January 1, 2030, a county or city can shorten the five-year wait with a two-thirds vote of its governing body. Do not count on it.

Which Buyer Are You?

Relocating from out of state. The next few weeks matter more than your closing date. Establish residency before year-end and you keep the full benefit, even if the right home takes another year to find.

Renting in Miami today. If Florida is already your permanent home, you are inside the line. Buy on your own schedule. Do not let headlines rush you into the wrong property.

Already own here and moving up. You are a resident, so your next homestead qualifies for the larger exemption. Lower carrying costs may make a bigger purchase more affordable than it looked a month ago. And portability still lets you bring your Save Our Homes savings with you.

Not a resident today but closing before year-end. Move in and update every address before December 31. Owning and living in the home on January 1, 2027 lets you file for 2027 homestead by March 1 and see the $150,000 exemption on your first bill.

Buying a second home or investment property. Homestead does not apply, and part-time residents get no homestead exemption. But the annual assessment cap on non-school taxes drops from 10% to 5% on January 1, 2027, which makes carrying costs more predictable. The property is still reassessed at full market value when it sells.

Your Residency Checklist: Do This Before December 31

The Legislature and the Property Appraiser have not yet defined exactly how December 31 residency will be documented. These are the markers the Property Appraiser already asks for on a homestead application, so start here and keep dated copies of everything.

1. Get a Florida driver’s license. Surrender your out-of-state license. FLHSMV requires new residents to get one within 30 days, in person. December appointments fill up, so book now.
2. Register your car in Florida. New residents have 10 days. You need Florida insurance and a VIN verification first.
3. Register to vote in Florida and cancel your registration in your old state.
4. File a Declaration of Domicile with the Miami-Dade Clerk of the Court. It must be notarized and costs $10 to record plus $3 for a certified copy. Getting the filed copy back takes about four weeks, so do not wait until late December.
5. Close out ties to your prior state, including any homestead exemption there. You cannot hold homestead in two states.
6. Build your paper trail. Update your address with the IRS, banks, insurers and your employer. Keep your Miami lease or deed on file.
7. File for homestead once you own. The deadline is March 1 every year, through the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser online, by mail or in person.
8. Review your situation with a CPA or real estate attorney, especially if you split time between states.

Reading This After December 31, 2026?

You can still benefit. You start with about $50,000 for non-school taxes, which is roughly what everyone gets today, and you reach the full $250,000 (indexed) in your fifth year of homestead. Save Our Homes, portability and Florida’s lack of a state income tax all still apply. The earlier you establish residency and file homestead, the earlier your five-year clock starts. And watch your city and county from 2030, when they can vote to shorten the wait.

Key Dates

• November 3, 2026: Amendment 3 approved with roughly 62% of the vote.
• December 31, 2026: Be a permanent Florida resident by this date.
• January 1, 2027: $150,000 exemption and 5% non-homestead cap take effect. Own and live in your home on this date to claim 2027 homestead.
• March 1, 2027 (and every year): Homestead filing deadline.
• August 2027: TRIM notices show the new exemption.
• January 1, 2028: Exemption rises to $250,000.
• January 1, 2030: Cities and counties may vote to shorten the five-year wait.

Don’t Let December 31 Pass You By

Amendment 3 can save Miami homeowners thousands of dollars a year, but only if your timing is right. Whether you are relocating from out of state, renting in Miami today, moving up to a bigger home or closing before year-end, the steps you take in the next few weeks decide whether you get the full $250,000 homestead exemption right away or wait years for it. We’ll help you map out your residency, time your purchase and show you exactly what the new tax picture looks like on the homes you’re considering. Book a free 30-minute call on Calendly, email David directly at [email protected], or call 305.508.0899 today.

This article is general information, not tax or legal advice. Implementation details for Amendment 3 are still being finalized by the Florida Legislature. Consult a qualified CPA or attorney about your situation. Last updated November 4, 2026.