Florida's Amendment 3, Explained: What Homestead Exemption Changes Mean for Your Move

If you're weighing whether to make Florida your primary residence before the end of this year, there's a ballot measure worth understanding now. Amendment 3, officially titled "Increased Homestead Exemption; Lower Cap on Increases in Non-Homestead Property Assessments," is a Florida constitutional amendment on the November 3, 2026 statewide ballot. It is not yet law, and it requires 60% voter approval to take effect.

The exemption increase, and the caveat that matters most

Under current law, Florida's base homestead exemption sits at $50,000, though most homeowners actually see $51,411 once the CPI-adjusted portion is factored in, according to the Pinellas County Property Appraiser's official, nonpartisan FAQ on the measure. Amendment 3 would raise that non-school exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028.

The caveat that tends to get left out of promotional materials: this exemption applies only to non-school property tax levies. School taxes, frequently the single largest component of a Collier or Lee County tax bill, are unaffected and continue to be assessed on full market value regardless of how this vote goes.

The residency deadline that matters for a Florida move

This is the part with a real clock on it. To qualify for the increased exemption on the 2027 tax roll, a homeowner needs to have established permanent Florida residency (homesteaded the property) by December 31, 2026. Residents who establish Florida homestead after that date start at the current $50,000 exemption and must wait roughly five years to phase up to the full $250,000 amount.

The fiscal tradeoff, and where opposition stands

Florida's Revenue Estimating Conference projected the amendment would cost roughly $12 billion a year in recurring lost state and local revenue once fully phased in, building from an estimated $5 billion in the first year. That projection is the basis for most organized opposition to the measure. A Leon County circuit judge ruled in early August 2026 that the state's ballot title and summary language was misleading and ordered it rewritten ahead of the vote, according to the Florida Phoenix. The No On 3 campaign has since picked up endorsements from 31 Democratic state lawmakers, the Florida Democratic Party, and groups representing police, firefighters, sheriffs, hospitals, cities and counties, per WFLX's reporting. Polling from the James Madison Institute found support around 74-76% when the measure is described plainly, but dropping below the 60% passage threshold once voters are told about the potential service-funding tradeoffs, according to Florida Politics.

Amendment 3 is a proposed constitutional amendment requiring 60% voter approval on Nov. 3, 2026. It is not current law, and the figures above are subject to change pending the outcome of that vote and any further ballot-language rulings.

Sourced from the Pinellas County Property Appraiser's official FAQ, Florida Phoenix, WFLX, and Florida Politics.