On November 3, Florida voters will decide on Amendment 3. According to the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser, Amendment 3 would raise the homestead exemption on non-school property taxes to as much as $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. In Boca Raton, the part that matters most for anyone relocating is a single date. People who are Florida permanent residents on December 31, 2026 would get the larger exemption. People who arrive after that would start with a smaller one and wait years for the full benefit.
Today is October 5, so the vote is four weeks away and the cutoff is less than three months off. The amendment needs at least 60% of the vote. If it fails, current property tax law stays in place. If it passes, two buyers could pay the same price for the same east Boca home and get very different tax bills for years. The difference comes from where each of them lived on New Year's Eve, not from their closing dates.
Two Buyers, One House, Different Exemptions
For 2026, a qualifying homeowner gets up to $51,411 in homestead exemptions. That is $25,000 that applies to every levy, including school taxes, plus $26,411 that applies only to non-school taxes. Amendment 3 would leave the $25,000 school exemption alone and expand the non-school portion. Someone who becomes a new Florida resident on or after January 1, 2027 would start with a $50,000 non-school exemption, adjusted for inflation beginning in 2028.
| Non-school exemption, if Amendment 3 passes | Florida resident by Dec. 31, 2026 | New resident from Jan. 1, 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Up to $150,000 | $50,000 |
| 2028 | Up to $250,000 | $50,000, inflation-adjusted |
| 2029 onward | Indexed to inflation | Larger exemption begins in the fifth year of exemption |
| School-tax exemption | $25,000 | $25,000 |
Sources describe the waiting period in slightly different ways. The ballot language on the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser's site says the increased exemption begins "with the fifth year of exemption." The same page's FAQ says "after five years of Florida residency." At an October 2 Florida Realtors webinar, tax attorney French Brown said newcomers would get the current exemption for their first four years and the enhanced one starting in year five. The Property Appraiser also notes that the Legislature may add procedures through implementing laws.
To show the size of the gap, here is a rough example. In 2027 the difference between the two columns is $100,000 of assessed value. At the 2026-27 rates, Boca Raton's 3.6476-mill operating levy and Palm Beach County's 4.5000-mill countywide levy add up to about $815 a year on $100,000 of value. In 2028 the gap grows to $200,000 of value, which is roughly $1,630 a year on those two levies alone. That figure leaves out other taxing districts and any change in future rates. The Property Appraiser says any actual savings will depend on assessed values, existing exemptions, the Save Our Homes benefit, future millage rates, and the final implementing laws.
Residency and Homestead Are Separate Steps
Most of the friction comes from the gap between the residency date and the homestead itself. The two are tied to different calendars. Becoming a Florida resident is the test for Amendment 3's larger exemption. Qualifying a specific property is the test for the exemption itself. The Palm Beach County Property Appraiser says that, under current rules, you must own the home and make it your permanent residence as of January 1, then apply by March 1.
This means the cutoff does not require a December closing. Brown said anyone whose primary residence is in Florida on December 31 qualifies for the full benefit, "and that includes renters who buy a home later." The Property Appraiser's FAQ agrees that people who become residents by the cutoff may qualify for homestead later and still get the larger exemption.
It works the other way too. A buyer who closes on a Boca condo in December but keeps their primary residence in another state has a Florida property, not Florida residency. The law firm Bilzin Sumberg put it plainly in September: the December 31 deadline "should not be viewed as simply a paperwork deadline." Its guidance tells people planning a move to think about two dates. One is when Florida becomes their permanent state of residence. The other is when the property becomes their homestead.
The evidence that tends to come up, based on the Property Appraiser's homestead document list and the guidance from Bilzin and Brown:
- A Florida driver's license or ID card
- Florida vehicle registration
- Florida voter registration
- A Declaration of Domicile
- A federal tax return
- Utility bills, along with changed mailing and financial addresses
Brown specifically advised renters to keep proof such as a license, voter registration, or utility bills. Exactly what counts for a given household is a question for a tax or legal advisor. What matters for a relocation timeline is that these steps take time, and the clock runs out at the end of December whether or not the purchase has closed.
Boca's Budget Shows Who Absorbs the Shortfall
If the exemption grows for homestead owners, the revenue it removes has to come from somewhere. Boca Raton has already estimated the amount. As the Sun Sentinel reported, Mayor Andy Thomson told a Tower Club audience in August that the city would lose close to $8 million in property tax revenue in the first year and nearly $17 million in the second. He added that property taxes fund 55% of the city's day-to-day operations.
He also explained where a rate increase would land:
"That's one option. And I'm really not inclined to do that. If we increase the tax rate, that will also fall on the non-homestead properties. Businesses would end up paying more. Renters would pay more."
So far, the city has held its rate flat. On September 22, the council voted 5-0 to adopt the 2026-27 budget, keeping the operating millage at 3.6476 mills. The total rate went from 3.6649 to 3.6639 mills only because the voter-approved debt-service portion fell. City Manager Mark Sohaney said staff ran 5% and 10% spending-reduction exercises this year to prepare for possible property tax reform. On September 8, Chief Financial Officer Jim Zervis told the council that Amendment 3 would cut roughly $15 million to $16 million in city revenue if approved. Thomson said cities with a large commercial tax base are in a better position than bedroom communities. "Cities like Boca can withstand this," he said.
Palm Beach County's position is different. It adopted a 4.5000-mill countywide rate, 5.44% above its rollback rate of 4.2678. The two layers of government a Boca owner pays are already moving in different directions, and neither has decided yet how it would respond to Amendment 3.
What the 5% Cap Does for Second-Home Owners
For seasonal owners and investors who keep their primary residence in another state, Amendment 3 offers a different benefit. The annual cap on assessment increases for non-homestead property would drop from 10% to 5%. That covers second homes, rentals, commercial property, and vacant land. The Property Appraiser lists three limits on that benefit. It applies only to non-school taxes. School taxes stay based on just market value. The cap "does not cap tax bills or tax rates."
The mayor named rate increases as a possible response, and a rate increase would affect every non-homestead owner whose assessment is still rising under a 5% cap. A smaller limit on assessment growth does not cap the rate. A second-home owner in a Boca tower is protected from one cause of a higher bill and not from the other. The larger exemption also does nothing about non-ad valorem assessments, which local governments can raise, lower, or newly adopt.
For a snowbird who is thinking about making Boca their primary home, the timing raises a direct question. If Amendment 3 passes, becoming a resident by December 31 would make that household eligible for the larger homestead exemption once it qualifies a property. Waiting until 2027 or later would put them on the slower track in the table above. Whether that trade makes sense depends on taxes in their home state, their income, and their plans, all of which call for a professional advisor. No local reporting so far has documented buyers actually changing their timelines because of the cutoff. Right now the deadline appears in legal guidance and on ballot pages, not in transaction data.
Frequently Asked Questions
I already have a homestead exemption in Boca Raton. Do I need to do anything?
According to Brown, no. If the amendment passes, current homestead owners would see the increase on their TRIM notices automatically. The Property Appraiser says the change would first show up on August 2027 TRIM notices and November 2027 tax bills.
Does Amendment 3 change Save Our Homes or portability?
No. The Property Appraiser says the proposal leaves Save Our Homes, portability, and existing senior, veteran, disability, and widow or widower exemptions unchanged.
Can I estimate what it would mean for my property?
Palm Beach County's Property Appraiser launched an Amendment 3 calculator on September 24 for properties that already have homestead. It uses 2026 certified values and millage rates, and the office says the results are estimates, not guaranteed savings. For questions about assessed value or exemptions, the office's number is 561-355-2866.
Would the bigger exemption remove school taxes?
No. The first $25,000 of assessed value stays exempt from school taxes, so most homeowners would still see school taxes on their bill.
If you're planning a move to Boca Raton or thinking about making a seasonal home your primary one, the order of your residency, homestead, and closing dates could affect your tax bill for years. Tatsiana can help you map out a purchase timeline around those dates, in English or Russian, alongside the tax and legal advisors who handle the residency questions. Contact Tatsiana at Tatsiana Tobina-Fotiou for a personalized market consultation before the calendar decides for you.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
