Could Property Taxes Soon Disappear?

Red-brick suburban house in a sunny neighborhood.

Florida’s new $250,000 homestead exemption plan could wipe out most property taxes for longtime homeowners while quietly locking newcomers into higher bills and squeezing local services.

Story Snapshot

Florida voters will decide in 2026 whether to boost the homestead exemption up to $250,000 for primary homes.
The plan could erase most non-school property taxes for many middle-class homeowners and retirees.^[4]
New residents face a waiting period before they get the full break, protecting current Floridians first.^[2]
Local governments and critics warn of multibillion-dollar revenue losses and possible cuts to services.^[5]

What DeSantis’ $250,000 Homestead Exemption Really Does

Governor Ron DeSantis’ “Save Our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes” plan would change how every Florida homeowner’s tax bill is calculated. Today, most homesteaded owners get about $50,000 in non-school exemptions.^[2] Under the proposal, the non-school exemption would climb to $150,000 in 2027 and then to $250,000 in 2028, with future increases tied to inflation.^[2]^[4] That means the first $250,000 of value on a primary home would not be taxed by counties, cities, or most local districts.^[4]

School district property taxes would still apply, so tax bills would not fall to zero, but for many owners the non-school portion would disappear almost completely.^[3]^[4] A $250,000 condo that is a primary home could owe nothing in non-school property tax, while a $500,000 home would be taxed on only $250,000 of value for non-school levies.^[1]^[4] DeSantis has framed this as the first step toward fully eliminating non-school property taxes on homesteads over time, with lawmakers ordered to set a schedule for complete phase-out later.^[1]^[4]

Big Relief for Longtime Residents, Slower Break for Newcomers

The amendment draws a line between people who already call Florida home and those who move in after the cutoff date.^[2] Homeowners who are permanent Florida residents as of December 31, 2026 would qualify for the full new non-school exemption as it phases in, reaching the full $250,000 level in 2028 if voters approve the measure.^[2] People who move to Florida and establish homestead after that date would get a smaller non-school exemption for their first four years.^[2]

Those newer residents would still get the existing school exemption, but their non-school break would be capped at $50,000 during that early period, stepping up to the full inflation-adjusted $250,000 level only in year five.^[2] This structure keeps the largest benefit with established Floridians and aims to discourage tax-driven “gaming” by out-of-state buyers chasing the new break.^[2]^[4] Supporters argue this rewards people who already invested in the state and shields them from rising assessments, especially retirees on fixed incomes.^[4]

How Much Could Homeowners Save – And What Gets Cut?

Supporters say the higher exemption will deliver sizable relief to middle-class families and seniors who feel crushed by rising insurance, inflation, and local tax bills.^[4]^[5] A nonpartisan explainer notes that with a $250,000 exemption, roughly 60 percent of Florida homesteads could pay no non-school property tax at all, and DeSantis has talked about possibly lifting the exemption even higher later, which could cover more than 90 percent of primary homes.^[4] For many fixed-income owners, that feels like a long overdue reset after years of higher appraisals.

Critics, including the left-leaning Florida Policy Institute, warn the plan could strip about $18.3 billion a year from local governments once fully phased in.^[7] They argue counties, cities, and special districts rely heavily on property taxes to fund police, fire, emergency services, and parks, and that large exemptions put those services at risk or force hikes in other taxes and fees that often hit working families harder.^[3]^[6]^[7] Some reports note that in certain counties, property taxes can make up roughly a third of the local budget, so a cut of this size is not easy to replace.^[3]^[6]

What Happens Next – And What Voters Should Watch

The Florida Legislature has already passed the proposal as a constitutional amendment, labeled CS/HJR 1F, sending it to the November 2026 statewide ballot under the title “Save Our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes.”^[2]^[4] It passed with strong Republican majorities, and lawmakers also added language meant to keep public school funding out of the blast zone by preserving school district levies.^[3] For the amendment to take effect, 60 percent of Florida voters must approve it, as required by the state constitution.^[2]^[4]

They're not getting rid of all of it. There's going to be stipulations across the board like Homestead exemption, you need to live there 5+ years, etc.

Like I said, I trust DeSantis. Majority of south FL is corporate owned that's rented out.

— … (@oso4lyf) June 9, 2026

The amendment also instructs the Legislature to create a future schedule to fully eliminate homestead property taxes, but that schedule does not yet exist in law.^[2] DeSantis has spoken about setting up a state trust fund to help local governments adjust, yet critics point out there is no binding long-term formula or dollar amount in place today.^[5]^[7] That means voters are being asked to approve the big exemption and trust that future lawmakers will manage the fallout without gutting local services or raising other taxes.