Property taxes in Florida come with a homestead exemption and a 3% assessment cap that protect owners. Here is how the system works and the dates that matter.
Property taxes in Florida are a big part of the appeal of owning here, because the state pairs a moderate tax rate with no state income tax and some of the strongest homeowner protections in the country. Still, the system confuses a lot of buyers, especially the homestead exemption and the assessment cap that keeps long-term owners from getting priced out. This guide explains how property taxes in Florida work, what protections you get as a resident, and the dates you cannot afford to miss.
Key takeaways
- Florida's effective property tax rate is about 0.78%, below the national average, and there is no state income tax.
- The homestead exemption can cut your taxable value by up to $50,000 on your primary home.
- Save Our Homes caps annual assessed-value increases at 3% or CPI, whichever is lower.
- That benefit is portable to your next Florida homestead, up to $500,000.
- Watch the calendar: assessments are set January 1, notices arrive in August, and bills come November 1.
The rate and the no-income-tax advantage
Florida's effective property tax rate on owner-occupied homes is roughly 0.78% according to the Tax Foundation, which puts the state below the national average and around the middle of the pack overall. Combined with no state individual income tax, that is a meaningful reason people relocate here. Property tax is a primary way local governments and schools are funded, so it does carry real weight even when the rate is moderate.
The homestead exemption
If the home is your permanent residence, the homestead exemption reduces your taxable value by up to $50,000, in two parts. The first $25,000 applies to all taxes, including school taxes. An additional exemption of up to $25,000 applies to assessed value between $50,000 and $75,000, and only to non-school taxes. As of 2025, that second tier is adjusted for inflation each year when prices rise, so it grows slightly over time. You must own and occupy the home as your primary residence and apply by March 1 to claim it.
Save Our Homes and why long-term owners pay less
This is the protection that surprises newcomers. Once you have homestead, the Save Our Homes rule caps how much your assessed value can rise each year at 3% or the change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower. In a fast-appreciating market, your market value can climb far faster than your taxable value, so a neighbor who bought years ago may pay much less than a new buyer on an identical house. The gap belongs to the owner, not the property, which is why your tax bill can jump when you buy.
Portability lets you keep the benefit
The good news for anyone moving within the state is portability. You can transfer your accumulated Save Our Homes benefit, the difference between market value and assessed value, to your next Florida homestead, up to a $500,000 cap, generally within three years. That keeps a move from resetting all your savings at once.
How millage turns value into a bill
Your tax is calculated by multiplying your taxable value by the millage rate set by local taxing authorities. One mill equals $1 for every $1,000 of taxable value. Because the county, city, school district, and special districts each set their own millage, the total varies from one parcel to the next. Two homes with the same value in different cities can owe different amounts.
County rates and where to check
Across the South Florida counties we serve, including Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, St. Lucie, Martin, and Indian River, effective rates generally land in the neighborhood of 0.8% to 1.1%, with the larger metro counties toward the higher end. Those are approximate. For an exact figure on a specific home, use the county Property Appraiser or the Florida Department of Revenue rather than an online estimator. If low taxes are a priority, our guide to the cheapest property taxes in Florida compares counties directly.
The dates that matter
Value is set as of January 1, and homestead applications are due by March 1. In August, the property appraiser mails your TRIM notice, short for Truth in Millage, which shows your proposed taxes and is your window to challenge value or exemptions. Tax bills go out November 1 and become delinquent after April 1. Pay early and you earn a discount: 4% in November, 3% in December, 2% in January, and 1% in February.
Understanding these numbers also helps at closing. Our breakdown of who pays closing costs in Florida and a fresh home valuation together give you the full cost picture before you buy.
Want to know the real tax picture on a specific home? Pure Equity Realty can pull the numbers and explain what your bill would look like as a resident. Contact us and we will run it for you.
Frequently asked questions
What is the property tax rate in Florida?
Florida's effective rate is about 0.78% of home value on average, below the national average, though the exact amount depends on your county, city, and local millage. There is also no state income tax.
How does the homestead exemption work in Florida?
It lowers the taxable value of your primary residence by up to $50,000, and it activates the Save Our Homes 3% assessment cap. You must own and occupy the home and apply by March 1.
Can I transfer my Save Our Homes savings if I move?
Yes. Portability lets you move your accumulated Save Our Homes benefit to a new Florida homestead, up to $500,000, generally within three years of leaving the old one.
The TRIM notice is the document that matters, and most people bin it
Every August or thereabouts, Florida property owners receive a Truth in Millage notice from the county property appraiser. It is not a bill, which is exactly why it gets ignored, and it is the single most useful document in the whole system.
It shows the assessed value the appraiser has placed on your property, the exemptions applied, the proposed millage rates from each taxing authority, and what your bill would be if those rates are adopted. It also states when the public hearings on those rates take place.
Read it when it arrives rather than filing it. This is the point at which the value can be challenged, and the window to do so runs from that notice rather than from the bill that follows months later. By the time the actual bill arrives, the opportunity has generally passed.
You can appeal, and the route is not obvious
If you believe the assessed value is wrong, there are two routes and most owners know about neither.
The informal one is simply to contact the property appraiser's office and discuss it. Errors of fact happen: wrong square footage, a pool recorded that does not exist, a condition issue not reflected. Many disputes are resolved at this stage without any formal process, and it costs nothing to ask.
The formal one is a petition to the county Value Adjustment Board, an independent body that hears assessment disputes. There is a filing deadline that runs from the TRIM notice, and a small filing fee. You present evidence, typically comparable sales supporting a lower value, and a special magistrate makes a recommendation.
Confirm the current deadline and procedure with your county, since both are set locally and do change. The important point is that the deadline is short and it starts when that notice lands.
Exemptions beyond homestead
The homestead exemption is well known and it is not the only one available, and unclaimed exemptions are simply money left on the table.
Florida provides additional exemptions in defined circumstances, commonly including provisions for senior residents subject to income limits, for widows and widowers, for people with disabilities, and for veterans with service connected disabilities, with further provisions for certain totally disabled veterans and for surviving spouses of first responders and service members.
Eligibility rules, amounts and application requirements are set by statute and by county, and several require documentation and an application by a deadline rather than being applied automatically. Ask your county property appraiser what you may qualify for rather than assuming the standard homestead is all there is.
Portability, and why it should shape your move
The Save Our Homes cap builds up a gap between market value and assessed value over years of ownership. Portability lets a homesteaded owner transfer that accumulated benefit to a new Florida homestead, subject to a cap set by statute and to filing requirements.
This is genuinely consequential for anyone moving within Florida, and it is frequently missed. It has to be applied for rather than following you automatically, and there are timing rules about how soon the new homestead must be established relative to giving up the old one.
If you are a long term Florida owner considering a move, ask the property appraiser what your portable amount is before you decide anything. It can change which price you can comfortably afford, because it changes your future tax bill rather than your purchase price.
Read the whole bill, not just the tax
A Florida tax bill has two distinct halves and conflating them causes most of the confusion about whether taxes here are high.
Ad valorem taxes are calculated from assessed value and millage rates set by each taxing authority, which typically includes the county, the school board, the municipality and various districts. Non ad valorem assessments are flat charges for specific services, and this is where community development district assessments, solid waste, fire and stormwater charges appear.
Non ad valorem lines are not property tax and they are not calculated from value, so an owner comparing bills between properties should separate the two. It is also why people describe taxes as high in district heavy areas when the ad valorem portion is unremarkable.
More common questions
When can I challenge my assessment?
The window runs from the TRIM notice rather than from the tax bill. Contact the property appraiser informally first, and confirm the Value Adjustment Board deadline with your county.
Does portability happen automatically?
No. It must be applied for, with timing requirements relative to your previous homestead. Ask the property appraiser what your portable amount is before you move.
Why is my bill higher than my neighbour's on an identical house?
Usually the Save Our Homes cap. A long term homesteaded owner is assessed well below market value, while a recent purchaser is assessed at what they paid.
Sources
- Tax Foundation, Florida tax rates and rankings
- Florida Department of Revenue, Homestead Exemptions
- Florida Department of Revenue, Save Our Homes Assessment Limitation
- Florida Department of Revenue, Property Tax Calendar
Published July 8, 2026. General information, not tax or legal advice. Rates, exemptions, and deadlines vary by county and change over time; confirm with your county Property Appraiser or a tax professional.
