To protect the value of your property up to one million dollars ($1,000,000) per residence, per family, you must file a document called a “Declaration of Homestead”. You can file this form at the Registry of Deeds in the county or district where your property is located, referencing the title/deed to the property.
Filing for a homestead exemption in Florida can lead to substantial property tax savings. The exemption is designed to reduce the taxable value of a homeowner's primary residence, ultimately lowering the overall property tax bill. Florida law provides a generous exemption of up to $50,000 for eligible homesteads.
When someone owns property and makes it his or her permanent residence or the permanent residence of his or her dependent, the property owner may be eligible to receive a homestead exemption that would decrease the property's taxable value by as much as $50,000.
Homestead exemption is $25,000 deducted from your assessed value before the taxes are calculated plus an additional homestead exemption up to $25,000 applied to the assessed value above $50,000. The additional exemption does not apply to school taxes.
To get a homestead deduction on your Florida taxes, you have to fill out an application form, the DR-501, and demonstrate proof of residence by March 1 of the year for which you wish to qualify.
Creditors cannot force the sale of a homestead to satisfy a judgment or place a lien against it. Beyond creditor protection, Florida's homestead law also provides property tax benefits by reducing taxable home value and limiting annual property tax increases under the Save Our Homes cap.
You are 65 years of age, or older, on January 1; You qualify for, and receive, the Florida Homestead Exemption; Your total 'Household Adjusted Gross Income' for everyone who lives on the property cannot exceed statutory limits.
The first $25,000 is entirely exempt. The second $25,722 is to be applied to the value between $50,000 and $75,000, and does not include school taxes. For example: If a home's assessed value is $75,000 or more, the owner would receive the full $50,722 exemption benefit.
Applications are approved by mid-June; the status of an approved exemption will change to 'green' on your property record's detail page, and the status listed above for the appropriate year will change to “Yes.” In some cases, applications may be denied.
Florida law (196.011(8) F.S.) allows for late filing with good cause. Late exemption applications are accepted until 25 days after the Notice of Proposed Property Taxes, also called TRIM (Truth in Millage) Notices are mailed. The exemption will be considered for the following tax year.