National Association of Real Estate Editors member
Bylines include Forbes, Bankrate, and CBS News
Aly is a reporter specializing in real estate, mortgages, and personal finance. You can find her work in Hearst newspapers and numerous financial publications.
7+ years in business and financial services content
Chris is a seasoned writer/editor with past experience across myriad industries, including insurance, SAS, finance, Medicare, logistics, marketing/advertising, and many more.
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Property tax exemptions can be a powerful tool to reduce the taxable value of your home — sometimes by tens of thousands of dollars — and, ultimately, your annual property tax bill as well.
Florida offers various valuable tax exemptions that can save homeowners money. Here are the Florida property tax exemptions you should have on your radar.
Common Florida property tax exemptions
Florida property tax exemptions include the homestead exemption, which anyone can use for their permanent residence. The state also outlines exemptions for seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and more, with each exemption requiring its own unique application.
Applicants must file exemptions with the Florida Department of Revenue by March 1 of each year.[1] Use the guide below to learn more about each possible exemption, who qualifies for them, and how much they’re worth.
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Homestead exemption
Florida’s homestead exemption can apply to any permanent home in the state. It allows you to reduce the property’s taxable value by up to $50,000 total — $25,000 on all property taxes and an additional $25,000 on everything but school tax.[2]
Other exemptions below are additional exemptions on top of the homestead exemption.
To qualify for a homestead exemption:
You must be the property owner.
It must be your permanent residence or the permanent residence of someone you claim as a dependent.
You (or your dependent) must have lived at the residence as of Jan. 1 of the current tax year.
You can’t have rented the property for more than 30 days in the given calendar year.
If you do qualify for a homestead exemption, you could deduct up to $50,000 from the assessed value of your home, saving you money. You could also limit your tax implications in the future and even safeguard your home against being forcibly sold to pay outstanding debts.
Senior exemption
Florida also has an additional homestead exemption for seniors, though these vary by county and city. It allows you to reduce your property’s taxable value by up to $50,000. To qualify, you must be 65 or older, be a permanent Florida resident, and have a gross income of $36,614 or less in 2024.
Counties can offer additional senior exemptions for people who have real estate worth $250,000 or less and who have owned their homes for at least 25 years.[3]
Permanent disability exemption
Florida has several property tax exemptions for people with total and permanent disabilities, including quadriplegia, paraplegia, hemiplegia, and legal blindness.
The amount of this exemption varies from $5,000 to a full exemption on all ad-valorem taxes, depending on the disability, the property owner’s income, and whether they use a wheelchair.[4]
An honorably discharged veteran may also get a property tax exemption in Florida if they are disabled to a degree of 10% or more due to a service-connected misfortune, have a total and permanent service-connected disability, or use a wheelchair. The exemption ranges from a $5,000 exemption to a total exemption. The surviving spouse of a veteran may also be eligible.[5]
Surviving spouses of first responders exemption
A surviving spouse of a first responder who dies in the line of duty can also qualify for a full property tax exemption. The first responder and their surviving spouse must have been a Florida permanent resident on Jan. 1 in the year of the first responder’s death.[4]
Widow/widower exemption
Widows and widowers are eligible for a $5,000 property tax exemption. This requires a death certificate for the deceased spouse. You also must be widowed prior to Jan. 1 of the tax year you’re paying property taxes for.[4]
Agricultural/historic property exemptions
Florida tax law also has exemptions for agricultural and historic properties.
Florida’s Greenbelt Law allows for agricultural land to be zoned as agricultural instead of at market value. The Greenbelt Law can also protect agricultural property from rising tax rates due to development around the agricultural land. The land must be assessed as agricultural to qualify for the exemption, and this qualification must be renewed annually.
Historic properties can attain up to a 100% property tax exemption for the increase in assessed improvements. This assessment can last for up to 10 years, but the exemption only applies to the portion of the tax obligation levied by the governing body granting the exemption.
Property tax discounts available in Florida
In addition to exemptions, Florida also has a number of property tax discounts that can reduce your property tax burden even more. These include discounts for certain disabled veterans, deployed military service members, and all homeowners. Here are some property tax discounts you may be able to take advantage of.
Disabled veterans discount
Military veterans 65 and older with an honorable discharge and a partial or total, permanent service-connected disability can qualify for a discount on their property taxes. The exact amount is equal to the percentage of the veteran’s official disability rating that the United States Department of Veterans Affairs determines. For example, a 20% disability equals a 20% property tax discount.[3]
Military deployment discount
Active-duty military service members can also qualify for additional property tax discounts for the tax year they were on deployment. The discount is equal to the percentage of the year the military member was officially on deployment. A deployment length of 25% of the year would equal a 25% reduction in the property’s taxable value.[5]
Save Our Homes limitation
This one isn’t exactly a discount, but it could save you money on property taxes. Under the Save Our Homes limitation, a property’s assessed value can’t increase more than 3% annually. That means if your assessed property value was $300,000 last year, it can’t increase by more than $9,000 this year.[6]
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Other important Florida property tax information
According to Florida statutes, the appraiser must reassess a property’s value after a sale. Tax appraisers re-value properties based on current market conditions without any tax exemptions. For first-time homeowners, this often results in a significant jump in taxes compared to previous owners.[7]
Florida residents can protest the assessed value of their primary residence if they disagree with the appraiser’s assessment. Homeowners can discuss the assessment with the appraiser’s office, file a petition through their local value adjustment board, or even file a lawsuit to challenge the decision.
This might include gathering comparable sales data or hiring a new property appraiser to assess the home’s value again.[8]
Finally, understand that property taxes are assessed on the local level, so your county or city may offer additional exemption programs in addition to those mentioned above. Check with your local appraisal district for more information.
How to apply for tax exemptions and discounts
Once you’ve made sure you qualify for a tax exemption or discount in Florida, you can:
Complete any necessary application. Make sure you’ve assembled the necessary documents, such as your driver’s license and applicable property information.
Submit your application by March 1 of the current tax year.
Appeal if you’re denied. You can collect an appeal form at the county appraiser’s or county clerk’s office.
You should also remember not to do anything that will hinder your application while it’s being reviewed. For example, exemptions require you to be a Florida resident, and your application will be denied if you get a driver’s license in another state.
Florida property tax exemptions and discounts FAQs
Still have more questions about Florida property tax exemptions? See these answers to frequently asked questions from Florida taxpayers for help.
Can your homestead exemption be transferred?
No, you can’t transfer a previous homestead exemption from one house to another. But you can file for a new homestead exemption on the property. You may also be able to transfer the Save Our Homes benefit from one home to another.[9]
How is property tax calculated in Florida?
Florida property taxes are calculated by multiplying millage rates — tax rates that local authorities, school districts, and other entities establish — by the total assessed value of your property. Exemptions can lower the taxable value and, subsequently, the total taxes a property owner pays.[1][7]
How much does home insurance cost in Florida?
The average cost of home insurance in Florida is $980 per month, or $11,759 per year, according to Insurify data. But home insurance premiums vary based on location, property value, coverage amount, deductible, insurers, and more.
How do you save money on home insurance?
You can save money on home insurance in many ways, including shopping around for your insurer, selecting a higher deductible, or making your home more secure or resistant to disasters. Many insurance companies also offer discounts for things like bundling your policies and going claim-free for a certain period.[10]
III. "How to save money on your homeowners insurance."
Aly J. Yale
Aly J. Yale is a freelance writer and reporter covering real estate, mortgages, and personal finance. Her work has been published in Forbes, Business Insider, Money, CBS News, US News & World Report, and The Miami Herald. She has a bachelor’s degree in radio-TV-film and news-editorial journalism from the Bob Schieffer College of Communication at TCU and is a member of the National Association of Real Estate Editors.
Aly has been a contributor at Insurify since September 2023.
7+ years in business and financial services content
Chris is a seasoned writer/editor with past experience across myriad industries, including insurance, SAS, finance, Medicare, logistics, marketing/advertising, and many more.
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