What Does Florida Amendment 3 Mean for Palm Beach County Homeowners and Buyers?

Florida voters approved Amendment 3 on November 3, 2026, with 61.98% of the vote in unofficial results (60% was needed). Starting January 1, 2027, the homestead exemption on non-school property taxes rises to $150,000, then $250,000 in 2028. School taxes keep the existing $25,000 exemption. For Palm Beach County buyers, the date that matters most is December 31, 2026, because people who become Florida residents after that date start with a smaller exemption and reach the larger one in their fifth year of homestead.

Watch: Lisa explains the December 31, 2026 date in under two minutes.

I have been helping buyers and sellers in Palm Beach County since 1989, and I have never seen a tax question come up in as many conversations as this one. Relocation clients ask about it on our first call. Sellers ask whether it will change what their home is worth. Here is what the amendment actually does, what it does not do, and what I am telling clients to do before the end of the year.

What does Amendment 3 change?

Today a Florida homestead gets about $51,000 in exemptions. Amendment 3 keeps the $25,000 that applies to school taxes and replaces the rest with a much larger exemption that applies only to non-school taxes (county, city and special district millage).

• 2027: up to $150,000 exempt from non-school taxes
• 2028: up to $250,000 exempt from non-school taxes
• 2029 on: the maximum adjusts with inflation
• Non-homestead property: the yearly cap on assessment increases drops from 10% to 5% for non-school taxes

It takes effect January 1, 2027. You will first see the change on your August 2027 TRIM notice and your November 2027 tax bill.

What does Amendment 3 not change?

• It does not eliminate property taxes. School taxes still apply to almost every home.
• Save Our Homes stays. Homestead assessments are still capped at 3% or inflation, whichever is lower.
• Portability stays, so move-up sellers can still carry their Save Our Homes benefit to their next home.
• Senior, veteran, widow and disability exemptions stay the same.
• Non-ad valorem assessments are not reduced. At Avenir, for example, the CDD assessment on your tax bill is non-ad valorem, so it does not go down because of a larger homestead exemption.

Why December 31, 2026 matters for buyers moving to Palm Beach County

This is the part I want every out-of-state buyer to understand. Under the amendment, people who are Florida residents on December 31, 2026 qualify for the larger exemption starting in 2027. According to the Pinellas County Property Appraiser's summary, someone who establishes Florida residency by that date but buys a home later still receives the larger amount when they apply for homestead.

People who become Florida residents on or after January 1, 2027 start with a smaller non-school exemption and become eligible for the larger one in their fifth year of homestead. On a Palm Beach Gardens or Jupiter home, that waiting period can add up to thousands of dollars.

The amendment directs the Legislature to pass a law with uniform procedures for this rule, so details such as how residency is documented may still be set during 2027. Talk with a tax professional about how you establish residency. If you are planning a move in the next year, this is a conversation to have now, not in January. I walk through closing timelines in how a Palm Beach County buyer can close before year end.

How much could a Palm Beach County homeowner save?

It depends on your non-school millage, which is different in Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Wellington, Delray Beach and unincorporated areas. Your TRIM notice lists it. The simple math is the extra exempt amount times your non-school millage. As an example only, at 15 non-school mills, each additional $100,000 of exemption is worth about $1,500 a year.

Homes with assessed values well above $250,000, which describes most of what we sell in Palm Beach Gardens, get the full benefit. Homes assessed below the exemption amount see their non-school taxes drop toward zero.

Could Amendment 3 change home values in Palm Beach County?

Nobody can promise that. What I can tell you is how buyers think. A lower tax bill lowers the monthly cost of owning, and buyers compare monthly costs. That could help demand for homesteaded homes. On the other hand, local governments will have to adjust budgets, and second-home owners and investors only get the smaller 5% cap change.

If you are thinking about selling, the better question is what your home is worth today and what your buyer will actually pay each month. That is something we can calculate for your specific address. Get your home value here, or read how homestead portability works when you move up.

What should you do now that Amendment 3 passed?

• Buying from out of state: plan your residency timeline now. Book a buyer call with me and we will map your dates.
• Already homesteaded: nothing to file. The change applies automatically.
• Selling and buying in Palm Beach County: portability does not change, so your plan can move forward now.
• Buying in Avenir or another CDD community: budget for the CDD separately. See HOA and CDD fees at Avenir.

Voters approved Amendment 3 with 61.98% of the vote in unofficial election night results from the Florida Division of Elections. The state certifies final results later in November. I will update this page again when the Legislature passes the law that sets the residency procedures.

Amendment 3 FAQ

Published: October 16, 2026 | Updated: November 4, 2026