Amendment 3 Passed: Why December 31, 2026 Matters If You're Buying in Brevard County

Do you need to buy a home in Brevard County before December 31, 2026 to get the bigger homestead exemption?

If you're moving from out of state, you must be a permanent Florida resident by December 31, 2026 to get Amendment 3's $150,000 exemption in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, and buying and moving in is the clearest proof. Miss it and you wait until your fifth year of homestead.

On Tuesday, November 3, Florida voters passed Amendment 3 with about 62% of the vote (WUSF). It is the biggest change to Florida homestead taxes in a generation, and it comes with a date attached that most people have not noticed yet.

If you have been on the fence about buying on the Space Coast, this is the part you need to read. The calendar now has real money on it.

What Amendment 3 Changes for Homeowners

Today, a Florida homestead gets an exemption of roughly $50,000 off the assessed value. Amendment 3 replaces that with a much bigger exemption on non-school property taxes:

• January 1, 2027: up to $150,000 exempt from non-school property taxes
• January 1, 2028: up to $250,000 exempt, adjusted for inflation after that
• School taxes: the first $25,000 stays exempt, same as today
• Save Our Homes: your assessed value still can't rise more than 3% a year (or CPI, if lower)
• Portability: unchanged

Source: the Florida Senate bill summary for CS/HJR 1F and the Pinellas County Property Appraiser's Amendment 3 FAQ. The first tax bills that reflect it go out in November 2027.

The Date That Matters Most: December 31, 2026

This is the part that surprised me. The bigger exemption is for people who are permanent Florida residents on December 31, 2026.

If you become a Florida resident on or after January 1, 2027, you still get a homestead exemption, but only the old one (up to $50,000). The bigger exemption doesn't start until the fifth year of your exemption. In plain terms, someone who moves in 2027 pays four years of property taxes on the old, smaller exemption while their new neighbors pay on the bigger one.

The Pinellas County Property Appraiser puts it clearly: people who establish Florida residency by December 31, 2026 are eligible for the higher amount whenever they buy and apply for homestead. People who arrive later start on the smaller exemption and move up in year five.

What Waiting Could Cost You in Brevard County

FloridaTaxWatch estimated the yearly savings from Amendment 3 for a typical homestead in each Brevard city (published by ClickOrlando). The last column is our own math on what a newcomer would give up over the four-year wait (2027, plus 2028 through 2030 at the 2028 figure). These are estimates, not your actual bill.

Brevard city	Est. savings 2027	Est. savings 2028	Rough cost of waiting 4 years
Satellite Beach	$1,131	$2,279	about $7,970
Melbourne	$1,044	$2,102	about $7,350
Cocoa	$1,038	$2,091	about $7,310
Palm Bay	$1,013	$2,041	about $7,140
Melbourne Village	$985	$1,985	about $6,940
Titusville	$974	$1,961	about $6,860
Indialantic	$968	$1,949	about $6,820
Cocoa Beach	$944	$1,902	about $6,650
Indian Harbour Beach	$896	$1,804	about $6,310
Rockledge	$880	$1,772	about $6,200
Melbourne Beach	$806	$1,623	about $5,680
Malabar	$796	$1,604	about $5,610
Cape Canaveral	$658	$1,326	about $4,640
West Melbourne	$531	$1,070	about $3,740
Grant-Valkaria	$481	$969	about $3,390
Unincorporated Brevard (Merritt Island, Viera, Suntree)	$352	$710	about $2,480

Two things jump out. Inside city limits, waiting can cost $6,000 to $8,000. And the savings are smaller in unincorporated areas like Merritt Island and Viera, because there's no city millage to exempt. Either way, it's money you'd rather keep.

Already Live in Brevard? January 1 Still Matters

If you already live here and rent, you're on the right side of the residency line. But Florida's homestead rule hasn't changed: you have to own the home and make it your permanent residence on January 1 of the tax year. The Brevard County Property Appraiser says applicants "must qualify on or before January 1" and file by March 1.

So if you close on December 30, you can claim homestead on your 2027 taxes. If you close on January 2, you wait until 2028.

Why Buying Before December 31 Is the Cleanest Path

Technically, Amendment 3 is about being a Florida resident, not owning a home. But the state hasn't written the rules yet for how residency on December 31, 2026 will be proven. Lawmakers still have to pass implementing legislation.

The strongest proof you can have is a Florida home you own and live in, plus the usual paper trail:

• A Florida driver license
• Florida vehicle registration
• Brevard County voter registration
• A recorded deed

Those are the same documents the property appraiser asks for when you file for homestead.

The timing is tight but doable. A typical financed purchase takes 30 to 45 days to close. That means a home under contract by about mid-to-late November can close before December 31. Cash buyers have a little more room.

How to File for Homestead in Brevard

1. Close on your home and move in by December 31, 2026.
2. Get your Florida driver license, register your car and register to vote in Brevard. If you own property in another state, you'll need a letter showing you don't get a residency exemption there.
3. File online at www.bcpao.us between January 1 and March 1, 2027. You can also file by mail or in person.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to buy a home before December 31, 2026 to get the bigger homestead exemption?

Not strictly. The amendment requires you to be a permanent Florida resident by December 31, 2026. Owning and living in a Florida home by then is the clearest way to show it, and it also lets you claim homestead on your 2027 taxes.

What if I move to Florida in 2027?

You still qualify for homestead, but you start with the existing exemption of up to $50,000. You become eligible for the larger exemption beginning in the fifth year of your exemption.

Does Amendment 3 lower school taxes?

No. The larger exemption applies only to non-school property taxes. The first $25,000 of a homestead's assessed value stays exempt from school taxes, the same as today.

I'm a REALTOR, not a tax advisor or attorney. Amendment 3 still needs implementing legislation, and details could change. Confirm your situation with the Brevard County Property Appraiser at www.bcpao.us or a tax professional.

---

Thinking About Making the Move Before December 31?

My partner Nichole and I got your back. We can help you find the right home and close on time.

• Schedule a free consultation
• Call or Text: 321-212-7676
• Email: rachel@livingspacecoast.com