Florida's Amendment 3: What Military Families Need to Know Before November

The Military Group | Real Estate for Military, by Military

If you're PCSing to Northeast Florida or the Space Coast, you're going to hear a lot about "Amendment 3" between now and Election Day. It's one of three constitutional amendments on Florida's November 3, 2026 ballot, and it would change how much of your home's value is shielded from property taxes — but not in the same way for everyone. Here's what it actually does, and what it means if you're buying a home here for the first time.

What Amendment 3 actually does

The official ballot title is "Increased Homestead Exemption; Lower Cap on Increases in Non-Homestead Property Assessments." You may also see it called "Save Our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes" in news coverage — that was the bill's working nickname in the Legislature (it started as House Joint Resolution 1-F from a special legislative session), but it's not the language that will actually appear on your ballot.

Right now, every Florida homestead gets a $25,000 exemption that applies to all property taxes, including school taxes, plus an additional exemption (currently a little over $50,000 after inflation adjustments) that applies only to non-school taxes.

Amendment 3 would raise that second exemption — the non-school one — on the following schedule, for homes already homesteaded as of December 31, 2026:

• 2027: exemption rises to $150,000
• 2028: exemption rises to $250,000
• 2029 and beyond: $250,000, adjusted annually for inflation

The $25,000 exemption that funds school taxes doesn't change at all. The amendment also lowers the annual assessment increase cap on non-homestead property (second homes, rentals, commercial) from 10% to 5%, and adds new constitutional language restricting what local governments can spend property tax revenue on. It needs 60% voter approval to pass, like any Florida constitutional amendment, and if approved it takes effect January 1, 2027 — meaning the first bump would show up on TRIM notices in August 2027 and tax bills that November.

The part that matters most if you're moving here: it's not one schedule, it's two

This is where a lot of the coverage gets muddled, so it's worth being precise. Amendment 3 creates two different tracks:

If you already own and homestead a Florida property before the amendment takes effect, you get the full step-up automatically — $150,000 in 2027, $250,000 in 2028, no waiting period.

If you buy a home and establish your first Florida homestead on or after January 1, 2027 — which describes a lot of PCS'ing families — you don't start at $150,000. You start at the current, lower exemption level (roughly $50,000) and stay there for years one through four of your homestead. Only in year five do you become eligible for the full, then-current enhanced exemption. In other words, new Florida homeowners phase in gradually; existing ones jump straight to the higher amount.

Does military service change that timeline? No — and that surprises people

We get asked this a lot, so we looked closely: there is no military-specific exception to that four-year phase-in anywhere in the bill text, the official ballot summary, or county property appraiser guidance. A military family that PCSes to Jacksonville or Brevard County and buys a home in 2027 goes onto the exact same new-resident schedule as any civilian buyer. Orders, deployment status, and veteran status don't accelerate it.

That said, there are real, longstanding protections for military homeowners under Florida law — they're just separate from Amendment 3, and they protect a homestead you already have rather than speeding up a new exemption:

• F.S. 196.061 lets a servicemember rent out their homestead property during a deployment or PCS without it counting as "abandoning" the homestead exemption — a flexibility civilian homeowners generally don't get.
• F.S. 196.173 provides a pro-rated additional exemption for homesteaded servicemembers (active duty, Reserve, Guard, Coast Guard) deployed outside the continental U.S., Alaska, or Hawaii on a qualifying operation.
• Duval County's Property Appraiser has also noted that a PCS move away from Florida doesn't by itself force you to give up an already-established Florida homestead, as long as you keep it as your permanent legal residence and file your orders.

None of that changes the math above — it just means the exemption protections that already exist for military homeowners are worth knowing about, separately from whatever happens with Amendment 3 in November.

The bigger picture, briefly

Local governments and fiscal watchdogs are watching this one closely because of the revenue it would take off the table — estimates range from roughly $5 billion in year one to nearly $12 billion annually once fully phased in, money that currently funds county and municipal services. Notably, Florida TaxWatch, not usually an anti-tax-cut voice, has come out against the amendment, arguing the lost revenue would likely show up elsewhere as higher millage rates, fees, or assessments. Supporting campaign activity has been comparatively quiet so far, though Governor DeSantis has indicated he'll vote for and campaign for it. We're not taking a position either way — just flagging that this is a genuinely debated measure, not a settled one, heading into November.

What this means for you right now

If you're buying in Florida in the next year or two, Amendment 3 (if it passes) won't change your mortgage approval or your BAH math today, but it will affect your actual out-of-pocket property tax bill a few years down the road — and differently depending on whether you're buying before or after it takes effect, and whether this is your first Florida homestead. That's a conversation worth having with your lender and with us before you lock in a purchase timeline, especially if you're comparing Northeast Florida to another PCS option.

Have a specific scenario — a PCS date, a target neighborhood, a timeline question? Drop it below or reach out directly. We'll help you run the numbers.

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This post is for general information only and isn't legal or tax advice. Property tax rules can change based on the outcome of the November 2026 election and subsequent legislative or administrative action — confirm current details with your county property appraiser or a licensed tax professional before making a purchase decision.

Sources: Florida Senate, CS/HJR 1-F bill history; Florida Division of Elections, 2026 Voter Guide to Constitutional Amendments; Pinellas County and Hamilton County Property Appraiser FAQs on Amendment 3; Florida Statutes §§196.061, 196.173; Jacksonville (Duval County) Property Appraiser, Armed Forces Homestead Allowances; Florida TaxWatch 2026 Voter Guide; Florida Policy Institute; Florida Phoenix reporting on the August 2026 ballot-language ruling; CBS News Miami.