Florida residents who own and live in their house as their primary residence are eligible for exemptions that can reduce their property taxes.
In order to be eligible for a Florida homestead exemption, you must:
- Own and occupy the home as your primary residence before January 1st of the tax year for which you are seeking the exemption.
- You must be a permanent Florida resident.
- You must not have received a homestead exemption on any other property in Florida during the same tax year.
Contact your county’s property appraiser if you match the requirements and want to submit an application for a homestead exemption. A copy of your deed, a driver’s license, or your voter registration card are acceptable forms of identification for proving your ownership and place of residence.
What is the deadline to apply for Florida homestead exemption?
In Florida, you must submit your application for a homestead exemption by March 1 of the tax year for which you are requesting the exemption. While not recommended you may be eligible to late file an application due to extenuating circumstances. Extenuating circumstances are events beyond your control
that prevented you from submitting your application prior to the March 1 deadline. For Example, illness, catastrophic, event, employment circumstances, etc.
To ease the burden on taxpayers, the Property Appraiser automatically renews homestead exemptions. If there have been no changes to the property or changes in ownership or use, and the homesteaded property is still your primary residence, your Homestead Exemption will be automatically renewed each year on January 1st.
What other Florida property tax exemptions are there
Florida homeowners have access to a number of different property tax exemptions in addition to the homestead exemption. In Florida, a few of the most typical property tax exemptions are as follows:
- Disability exemption: This exemption is available to Florida residents who are completely and permanently disabled. To qualify, you must provide a letter from a licensed Florida physician stating that you are unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity due to a physical or mental impairment.
- Senior citizen exemption: This exemption is available to Florida residents who are 65 years of age or older and who meet certain income and net worth requirements. To qualify, you must be a permanent Florida resident and you must use the property as your primary residence.
- Military exemption: This exemption is available to active duty military personnel and their spouses who are Florida residents. To qualify, you must be a Florida resident and you must be on active duty or you must be the spouse of a military member who is on active duty.
- Widow/widower exemption: This exemption is available to Florida residents who are widowed and who meet certain income and net worth requirements. To qualify, you must be a permanent Florida resident and you must use the property as your primary residence.
- Non-profit exemption: This exemption is available to certain non-profit organizations that are exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. To qualify, the organization must own the property and must use it for charitable, educational, or religious purposes.
For more information about Florida Property tax exemptions and other benefits visit the Florida Department of Revenue website or the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser’s website.
*Ideal Lending Solutions, a division of American Financial Network, Inc. is not a tax or financial advisor, and individual tax circumstances may vary. Please consult a licensed tax professional and appropriate government agencies to determine tax consequences of home ownership.
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