Florida Homestead Exemption: How to File in Miami-Dade and Broward

If you own a home in Miami-Dade or Broward and it is your permanent residence on January 1, you can file for the homestead exemption with your county property appraiser by March 1. For 2026 it removes up to $51,411 of assessed value from your taxes and, more importantly, caps future assessment increases at 3% or inflation, whichever is lower. Florida voters decided on Amendment 3 on November 3, 2026, which would make the exemption much larger starting in 2027; results were not final when this guide was published.

Who qualifies and what it is worth

You qualify if you hold title to the home (or have a qualifying interest, like some trusts and life estates) and it is your permanent residence on January 1 of the tax year. You do not have to be a U.S. citizen, but non-citizens must be permanent residents and show a green card. You cannot claim a residency-based exemption anywhere else, including in another state or another county.

Closing date matters. If you close on December 30 and move in before January 1, you can file for the next tax year. If you close on January 2, you wait a full year.

What the exemption is worth

The "$50,000 homestead" is really two pieces, and the second one is now adjusted for inflation:

Using the 2026 rates shown on TRIM notices for unincorporated Miami-Dade (about 15.77 mills in total), that works out to roughly $665 a year. Inside cities with higher millage, it saves more. The bigger long-term benefit is the Save Our Homes cap below.

How to file in Miami-Dade and Broward

1. Close and move in before January 1. Keep your recorded deed or closing statement.
2. Update your Florida driver's license or ID to the new address. Also update your vehicle registration and voter registration.
3. Gather Social Security numbers for every owner who lives there, and for spouses. Non-citizens need their permanent resident card.
4. Apply online. In Miami-Dade, use the Property Appraiser's online exemption portal at miamidadepa.gov. In Broward, use the Online Homestead Filing page at bcpa.net.
5. Or apply in person. Miami-Dade has offices at the Stephen P. Clark Center (111 NW 1st Street, Suite 710, downtown Miami) and the South Dade Government Center (10710 SW 211th Street, Cutler Bay). Broward's main office line is 954-357-6830.
6. File portability at the same time if you had homestead on a previous Florida home (Form DR-501T).
7. Check your status online and watch for your August TRIM notice, which should show the exemption.

You file once. After that, the exemption renews automatically every year as long as nothing changes. Miami-Dade mails an automatic renewal receipt in January.

Deadlines that matter

• January 1: you must own and live in the home on this date.
• March 1: the application deadline in every Florida county.
• Late filing: if you miss March 1 because of extenuating circumstances, Florida law lets you file a late application up to 25 days after the TRIM notice is mailed in August. If the property appraiser denies it, you can petition the Value Adjustment Board in that same window.

The Save Our Homes cap, and why it resets when you buy

Once your homestead is approved, your assessed value can rise no more than 3% a year or the change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower. The Florida Department of Revenue set the cap at 2.9% for 2025 and 2.7% for 2026. Over years of rising prices, the gap between market value and capped value can grow very large.

The cap does not transfer to a buyer. On January 1 after a sale, the home is reassessed at market value. That is why the tax figure on a listing is usually the seller's, not yours. Our property tax guide shows how to estimate the new bill.

Portability: take your savings with you

If you sell a Florida homestead and buy another, you can move your Save Our Homes difference to the new home, up to $500,000. You must establish the new homestead within three tax years. For example, if you gave up your old homestead in 2024, the new one must be in place by January 1, 2027. Moving to a more expensive home, you can carry the full difference (up to the cap). Downsizing, you carry a proportional share. Spouses who divorce can split it using Form DR-501TS.

Mistakes that can cost you

• Renting the home. Renting all or most of it for more than 30 days in two consecutive years counts as abandoning the homestead (active-duty military have an exception).
• Keeping an exemption elsewhere. A residency exemption in New York, Puerto Rico or another county disqualifies you.
• Not reporting a move. If an owner moves out or you start renting, tell the property appraiser.

Getting it wrong is expensive. Under Florida law, the property appraiser can go back up to 10 years and charge the unpaid taxes, a 50% penalty for each year and 15% annual interest, recorded as a lien on the home.

Amendment 3 on the November 2026 ballot

Amendment 3 needed at least 60% of the vote. Early unofficial returns on election night showed it passing with about 61%, but the results were not yet certified. Check our Miami real estate news for the final count. If it passes, starting January 1, 2027 it would:

• Raise the homestead exemption for non-school taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, with inflation adjustments after that. The school-tax exemption would stay at $25,000.
• Give the larger amounts to people who were Florida residents on December 31, 2026. Newer residents would start with a smaller exemption and get the full amount in their fifth year.
• Lower the yearly assessment cap on non-homestead property, like rentals and second homes, from 10% to 5% for non-school taxes.
• Leave Save Our Homes and portability unchanged.

Lawmakers would still have to pass implementing details, and local governments would set new millage rates, so actual savings would vary. Check the official results and your property appraiser's website. Either way, the steps to file stay the same.

How we can help

When we help you buy in Miami-Dade or Broward, we plan your closing date around January 1, help you estimate your post-sale tax bill, and remind you to file before March 1. If you're thinking of moving up or downsizing, we can run the portability numbers before you list. Start with a free home value check, read our first-time buyer guide, or contact us at (786) 545-9222.

Frequently asked questions