Florida Amendment 3 Passed: Everything 30A & Destin Homeowners Need to Know

Today, a qualifying Florida homeowner gets up to $51,411 in homestead exemptions for the 2026 tax year: the first $25,000 off all taxes (including school taxes), plus an additional $26,411 off non-school taxes. Here's how that changes:

"Non-school" taxes are the county, city and special district portions of your bill, which Florida TaxWatch estimates make up roughly 60% of the average tax bill. The amendment also directs the Legislature to create a process that would let counties and cities raise the exemption even further, potentially up to a home's full remaining value, though nothing requires them to do it on any timeline.

Not this year. Florida collects property taxes in arrears, so the bill you receive in November 2026 is for the 2026 tax year and isn't affected. The new exemption first shows up on the August 2027 TRIM notice (your proposed tax notice) and the November 2027 tax bill.

• November 3, 2026: Voters approved Amendment 3
• December 31, 2026: Residency cutoff for the larger exemption
• January 1, 2027: Amendment takes effect
• August 2027: First TRIM notices reflecting the $150,000 exemption
• November 2027: First tax bills with the new savings
• 2028: Exemption rises to $250,000

This is the part we want every relocating buyer to hear. People who are permanent Florida residents as of December 31, 2026 are eligible for the larger exemption starting in 2027. According to Florida's property appraisers, if you establish residency by that date but haven't bought your home yet, you can still get the larger exemption whenever you do buy and apply for homestead.

If you become a Florida resident on or after January 1, 2027, you'll start with a $50,000 exemption (adjusted for inflation beginning in 2028). After you've held a Florida homestead exemption for four years, the larger exemption kicks in on January 1 of your fifth year. Florida TaxWatch notes local governments may be able to shorten that wait for a critical need after January 1, 2030.

If a full-time move to 30A or Destin is in your plans, talk with the Walton County or Okaloosa County Property Appraiser's office now about what counts as establishing permanent residency, and loop in your attorney or CPA. Those few weeks could make a real difference in your tax bill for years.

It depends on your local millage rate (your tax rate), but Florida TaxWatch offers a simple formula for homesteaded homes assessed above the new exemption amounts:

• Add up your non-school millage rates from your tax bill
• Multiply that number by $98.59 for your estimated 2027 savings
• Multiply it by $198.59 for your estimated 2028 savings

At the statewide average non-school rate of 10.5 mills, that's roughly $1,035 saved in 2027 and $2,085 saved in 2028. If your home's assessed value is at or below the exemption amount, you'd pay only school taxes and any non-ad valorem assessments. These estimates assume tax rates stay the same, which isn't guaranteed (see #7).

A huge share of homes along 30A and in Destin are second homes and short-term rentals, so this one matters a lot here. Non-homestead properties do not get the larger homestead exemption. What they do get is a lower cap on how fast their assessed value can rise each year for non-school taxes: 5% instead of 10%.

• Save Our Homes stays in place. Assessed value increases on homestead property remain capped at 3% or inflation, whichever is less.
• Portability is unchanged, so you can still carry your Save Our Homes savings to a new Florida homestead.
• Personal exemptions for seniors, widows and widowers, veterans and people with disabilities are unchanged.
• School taxes continue, with the same $25,000 exemption as today.
• Non-ad valorem assessments on your bill are not reduced by the homestead exemption.

Property taxes help fund a lot of what makes life on the Emerald Coast work: sheriff's deputies, fire rescue, roads, parks, beach access and stormwater. A state economic analysis estimated local governments could lose nearly $5 billion in the first year, close to $9 billion the next, and about $12 billion a year on a recurring basis.

The amendment doesn't include state money to replace that revenue, and it doesn't stop local governments from raising millage rates (up to legal limits) or increasing fees. Florida's property appraisers are clear that the one certain effect is a lower taxable value on qualifying homes; your final bill still depends on the rates local boards set each year. It's worth watching Walton and Okaloosa County budget decisions closely over the next two years.

Amendment 3 started as a proposal from Gov. Ron DeSantis and was placed on the ballot by the Legislature during a June 2026 special session. Supporters included the governor, the Republican Party of Florida and Florida Realtors, who argued it delivers meaningful relief for homeowners facing rising costs. Groups opposing it or raising concerns included the Florida Association of Counties, the Florida League of Cities, the Florida Sheriffs Association and firefighter groups, along with Senate President Ben Albritton, who warned about the impact on local services, especially in rural communities.

The ballot title and summary were also rewritten in August 2026 after a Leon County judge ruled the original language misleading. The amendment itself didn't change, only how it was described to voters.

Buyers: Don't rely on the seller's current tax bill to estimate yours. Your taxes will depend on your purchase price, whether you homestead, and when you became a Florida resident. We're happy to help you run the numbers both ways.

Relocating buyers: The December 31, 2026 residency date is the headline. If a full-time move is in your plans, now is the time to talk it through.

Second-home and investment buyers: The 5% cap helps with predictability, but budget for school taxes and possible millage changes.

Sellers: Lower carrying costs for full-time residents could make homesteaded living on the Emerald Coast even more appealing to buyers who already live in Florida.