Homestead exemption for new buyers in Broward and Aventura: what to file, the March 1 deadline, and why your tax bill won't match the seller's

October 31, 2026 · Zach Curtis, REALTOR®, Realty Hub

Short answer: if you buy a home or condo in Broward or Miami-Dade and make it your permanent residence by January 1, you can apply for the homestead exemption for that year by March 1. It takes up to $50,000 (indexed for inflation) off the assessed value for most taxes and caps future increases in your assessment. But your first full tax bill is usually based on today's market value, not the seller's capped value, so budget for that before you buy.

Who qualifies

Under Florida law, a person who on January 1 holds title to Florida real property and makes it their permanent residence, or the permanent residence of someone legally or naturally dependent on them, is entitled to the exemption. It covers houses, each condominium parcel occupied by its owner, and co-op units occupied by a tenant-stockholder, and the deed must be recorded before it's granted (Fla. Stat. §196.031). Broward's online portal also asks that each applicant be a Florida resident and a U.S. citizen or permanent resident (Broward County Property Appraiser: online exemption portal).

How much it saves

• The first $25,000 of assessed value is exempt from all property taxes, including school taxes.
• An additional $25,000 applies to assessed value above $50,000 for every levy except school district taxes, and that amount is adjusted each January 1 for inflation (§196.031(1)(b)).

The Broward County Property Appraiser says the basic homestead exemption saved Broward homeowners from $659 to $1,009 in 2025, depending on the city's millage rate, for homes valued at $75,000 or more (BCPA: homestead).

The Save Our Homes cap, and why your bill won't match the seller's

Once a home has the exemption, its assessed value can rise each year by no more than 3% or the change in the consumer price index, whichever is lower (Fla. Stat. §193.155). That's why a seller who has owned for years may have an assessed value far below market value, and a tax bill to match.

The cap doesn't transfer to you. After a sale, the property "shall be assessed at just value as of January 1 of the year following a change of ownership" (§193.155(3)), and BCPA notes the seller's exemptions don't carry over beyond the year of the sale. A simple illustration, with made-up numbers:

Illustration only. The property appraiser sets just value, which can differ from your price, and your city's millage rate sets the bill.

So don't budget from the seller's tax bill on the listing. Estimate from the price instead, and enter that figure in the property tax field of the mortgage calculator.

Deadlines: January 1 and March 1

1. January 1: you must own the home and make it your permanent residence by January 1 of the tax year.
2. March 1: the application is due to the county property appraiser on or before March 1 (Fla. Stat. §196.011).

In Broward, the timely filing period for 2027 homestead runs through March 1, 2027, and the absolute late-filing deadline for 2027 is September 20, 2027. BCPA also says owners who both owned and made the property their permanent residence after January 1, 2026 can file for 2027 now (Broward County Property Appraiser). So if you close in Hallandale Beach, Hollywood, West Park or Dania Beach before the end of 2026 and live there by January 1, file for 2027 right away.

Aventura is in Miami-Dade County, so Aventura buyers file with the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser, which also lists March 1 as the deadline. Boca Raton buyers file in Palm Beach County.

Moving from another Florida homestead: portability

If you had a Florida homestead exemption in any of the three preceding years, you can carry some of your Save Our Homes savings to the new home. When the new home is worth the same or more, the new assessed value is its just value minus the lesser of $500,000 or the old home's difference between just and assessed value; when it's worth less, a proportional amount carries over (§193.155(8)). Portability isn't automatic. Apply for it with your new homestead application, and tell the old county to remove the exemption from your former home.

Amendment 3 on the November 3, 2026 ballot

Florida voters decide Amendment 3 on November 3, 2026. Per the official ballot summary, it would raise the homestead exemption for all non-school taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, adjusted for inflation after that; people who aren't Florida residents on December 31, 2026 would get the existing exemption first, with the larger one starting in their fifth year of exemption; and it would lower the cap on assessment increases for non-homestead property from 10% to 5%. If approved, it takes effect January 1, 2027 (Florida Division of Elections: Amendment 3 ballot text). Check the result before you budget around it, and either way, file your homestead on time.

What buyers should do

1. During your inspection period, look up the property's current assessed and just value on the property appraiser's site, and estimate your taxes from the price.
2. Ask your lender to use a tax estimate based on your price, not the seller's bill, so your escrow isn't short.
3. Gather proof of permanent residence early, such as a Florida driver's license or ID with the new address, Florida vehicle registration or voter registration; Miami-Dade lists these among accepted proofs.
4. File online as soon as you've moved in, and apply for portability if you're coming from another Florida homestead.
5. Check the rules before you ever lease out a homesteaded home. The Miami-Dade Property Appraiser warns owners not to "jeopardize your Homestead Exemption by renting your property" (Miami-Dade PA).

Browse Hallandale Beach homes, Hollywood homes, West Park homes, Dania Beach homes or Aventura condos, and see buyer closing costs in Broward for how taxes are prorated at closing. Ready to look at specific homes? Start at Ready to buy.

Zach Curtis, Realtor, Realty Hub, license SL3664129. General information, not legal, tax, insurance or lending advice. The county property appraiser decides exemptions; a tax professional can advise on your situation.

Published October 31, 2026 by Zach Curtis, REALTOR®, Realty Hub, license SL3664129. General information for South Florida, not legal, tax, insurance or lending advice. Laws, programs and prices change; check the official sources above, and ask a Florida attorney, CPA, insurance agent or lender about your situation. Listing numbers are asking prices and rents from BeachesMLS on the date shown. Equal Housing Opportunity. Zach Curtis and Realty Hub follow federal, Florida and Broward County fair housing law. Every listing is open to everyone. We never steer anyone by race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, familial status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected class.