Florida Amendment 3 Property Tax Calculator

Florida Amendment 3 passed on November 3, 2026, with about 62 percent of the vote against the 60 percent it needed. Starting with 2027 tax bills, a Florida homestead is exempt from non-school property taxes on the first $150,000 of assessed value, and on the first $250,000 from 2028. School taxes keep today's $25,000 exemption. Second homes and rentals get a 5 percent cap on yearly assessment increases instead of 10 percent. This page shows what that means, in dollars, for the 389,837 homesteads in Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties, with a calculator for your own home.

We ran every homestead on the county property appraiser rolls through the new rules at each area's 2026 tax rates. The typical homestead saves $1,487 a year from 2028 in Lee County, $1,037 in Collier County and $1,435 in Charlotte County, and 54 percent of Lee homesteads will owe no non-school property tax at all in 2028 at today's values. If you are moving here, the date that matters most is December 31, 2026.

By Jesse McGreevy and Marc Comisar, Domain Realty Group, with offices in Bonita Springs, Naples and Fort Myers. Data updated: November 2026. Call Domain Realty Group at 239-441-2816.

• Calculator
• Savings by city
• December 31 rule
• Second homes
• Buying
• Selling
• FAQ

Key takeaways on Amendment 3 for Southwest Florida

Data updated: November 2026.

• The non-school homestead exemption rises from up to $51,411 in 2026 to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, then grows with inflation from 2029. The $25,000 school exemption does not change.
• Typical yearly savings from 2028: $1,487 in Lee, $1,037 in Collier and $1,435 in Charlotte. The most any homestead can save in 2028 is $198,589 times its non-school tax rate, from about $954 on Marco Island to about $2,323 in the City of Fort Myers and about $2,786 in Everglades City.
• Homes assessed at $250,000 or less pay no non-school ad valorem tax from 2028. That is 54 percent of Lee homesteads, 62 percent in Charlotte and 30 percent in Collier at today's values.
• Owners who already have homestead do not need to do anything new, based on what property appraisers have said so far. The Legislature still has to write the implementing rules.
• Anyone who is not a Florida permanent resident on December 31, 2026 gets a $50,000 non-school exemption for their first four homestead years, then the full amount in the fifth year. On a $400,000 Cape Coral home, that wait costs about $8,043.
• Second homes, rentals and commercial property get a 5 percent yearly cap on assessment increases for non-school taxes, down from 10 percent. It resets to market value when the property sells.
• School taxes, fire and other non-ad valorem assessments, HOA and CDD fees and insurance are not reduced by Amendment 3.

Source: Domain Realty Group analysis of the Lee County Property Appraiser 2026 roll (October 2026 export), the Collier County Property Appraiser 2026 certified roll (October 27, 2026 export) and the Charlotte County Property Appraiser roll (2025 certified values, September 2026 export), residential homesteads only, at each tax district's 2026 final non-school millage. Medians are per homestead. Values and rates held at today's levels.

What did Florida Amendment 3 change?

Amendment 3, passed as CS/HJR 1F in the Legislature's June 2026 special session, rewrites the homestead exemption for every property tax except school taxes. A homestead's first $150,000 of assessed value is exempt from county, city, fire district and water district taxes in 2027, and its first $250,000 from 2028. It takes effect January 1, 2027.

The amendment also lowers the yearly cap on assessment increases for non-homestead property, limits what counties and cities may spend property tax revenue on, and lets local governments raise the exemption further under a procedure the Legislature must create. Unofficial results showed 4,917,829 votes for and 3,016,210 against, about 62 percent. The state Elections Canvassing Commission certifies the result on November 17, 2026.

Sources: enrolled CS/HJR 1F, Florida Department of Revenue 2026 homestead exemption adjustment, Revenue Estimating Conference impact statement of July 10, 2026.

How much will Amendment 3 save me in Lee, Collier or Charlotte County?

In most Southwest Florida areas the typical homestead saves between about $800 and $2,200 a year from 2028, depending on the tax rate where the home sits and its assessed value. The most a home can save in 2028 is $198,589 times its non-school millage divided by 1,000. Homes assessed under $250,000 save less, because their non-school bill simply drops to zero.

Data updated: November 2026. The table gives every area's 2026 non-school tax rate and the typical result for its homesteads. Use the calculator above for your exact assessed value.

Source: Domain Realty Group analysis of the 2026 Lee and Collier county appraiser rolls and the 2025 Charlotte roll; millage from the Lee County Property Appraiser 2026 millage book (final rates, October 9, 2026), the Collier roll's own 2026 certified millage and the Charlotte County Property Appraiser 2026 final rate chart. Where an area has more than one fire or lighting district, the rate shown is the one most of its homesteads pay.

How we calculated the savings

For each homestead we took today's non-school exemption from the county roll (up to $51,411), the new exemption (the lower of the assessed value and $150,000 for 2027, or $250,000 for 2028), and multiplied the difference by that parcel's 2026 non-school millage. We left out senior, veteran and widow exemptions, future Save Our Homes growth, inflation indexing and any change in tax rates, so treat the figures as today's estimate, not a promise.

Why do some homes save more than others?

Two numbers decide your savings: your non-school tax rate and your assessed value. The rate sets the dollars per $1,000 exempted, so a City of Fort Myers home at 11.6992 mills can save more than twice as much as a City of Naples home at 4.8282 mills. The assessed value sets how much of the new exemption you can use.

Assessed value is not market value. Save Our Homes has held homestead assessments to 3 percent a year or inflation, so a home bought years ago is often assessed far below its price. In Lee County the typical homestead is assessed at $235,732 while its market value is much higher. That is why many long-time owners will reach a $0 non-school bill, and why a home assessed at $250,000 or more gets the full $198,589 of extra exemption no matter how expensive it is.

Cape Coral vs Naples: who saves more under Amendment 3?

The short version: Cape Coral owners save about twice as many dollars because the city and its fire service are funded at a higher rate. Naples owners already pay one of the lowest rates in the state, so the new exemption is worth less to them in dollars.

When do the Amendment 3 savings start?

Your November 2026 tax bill does not change. The first bill with the larger exemption is the one mailed in November 2027, and you will see it first on the proposed tax notice (TRIM notice) the property appraiser mails in August 2027. The $250,000 level starts with the 2028 bill.

1. November 20262026 bills arrive at today's exemption. Pay by November 30 for the 4 percent discount.
2. November 17, 2026The Elections Canvassing Commission is scheduled to certify the statewide result.
3. Before early January 2027Governor DeSantis said on November 4 that he plans a special session within about two months to deal with what comes next.
4. December 31, 2026Residency date. People with a Florida permanent residence on this date get the full new exemption once they homestead.
5. January 1, 2027Amendment 3 takes effect. To claim homestead for 2027, you must own and live in the home on this date.
6. March 1, 2027Deadline to file a new homestead application with your county property appraiser.
7. August 2027TRIM notices show the $150,000 exemption for the first time.
8. November 2027First tax bill with the $150,000 exemption.
9. November 2028First bill with the $250,000 exemption.
10. 2029 onwardThe $250,000 grows with inflation. From 2030, counties and cities may vote to shorten the new-resident wait.

Do I need to reapply for homestead because of Amendment 3?

No, based on what property appraisers have said so far. The Palm Beach County Property Appraiser says the larger exemption will be applied automatically from 2027 for owners who already have homestead and qualify. The Lee, Collier and Charlotte appraisers had not posted their own step-by-step guidance by November 4, 2026, and Charlotte says details wait on the Legislature.

What you should do now is confirm your homestead is in place on your county record: Lee County Property Appraiser exemptions, Collier County Property Appraiser homestead and Charlotte County Property Appraiser Amendment 3 page. If you bought this year, homestead is not automatic: you must apply by March 1.

What is the December 31, 2026 residency rule?

A person who did not keep a permanent residence in Florida on December 31, 2026 gets a non-school homestead exemption of up to $50,000 for their first four years of exemption, then the full amount from the fifth year. Someone who was a Florida resident on that date gets the full exemption as soon as they qualify for homestead, even if they buy later.

That makes the next weeks unusual. Residency, not a closing, is what the date tests. How the state will prove residency on December 31, 2026 is not written yet; it is expected in implementing law. The rule also carries a legal question: in Osterndorf v. Turner (1983) the Florida Supreme Court struck down a statute that gave five-year residents a bigger exemption, but this time the rule is in the constitution itself, so any challenge would turn mainly on federal law.

What does it cost to miss the December 31 cutoff?

For a typical Southwest Florida home, missing the date costs several thousand dollars over four years. A newcomer pays non-school tax on everything above $50,000 instead of everything above $250,000, so the yearly difference is $200,000 times the local non-school millage, for four years.

Domain Realty Group math at 2026 rates; assumes the home is assessed at its price in the first homestead year and rates stay the same.

What does Amendment 3 mean for second homes and rentals?

Second homes, rentals, commercial property and vacant land get no homestead exemption, but from 2027 their assessed value for non-school taxes can rise no more than 5 percent a year instead of 10 percent. School taxes still use full market value, and the cap resets to market value when the property sells.

The cap only saves money in years when values climb faster than 5 percent. If a $500,000 rental assessed at market value grows 8 percent a year from 2027 through 2031, the lower cap keeps about $267,000 of growth off the non-school tax roll over those five years. That is about $2,685 saved in Cape Coral and about $1,394 in North Naples. In a flat market like 2026 it saves nothing. Lee County alone had 95,602 non-homestead single-family homes and 55,416 non-homestead condos on its 2025 roll.

One more thing for investors and snowbirds: because the homestead tax base is shrinking, local governments may lean harder on millage, and non-homestead owners pay that rate on a bigger share of their value. Run the second-home tab in the calculator with your own growth estimate.

What does Amendment 3 not change?

• School taxes. They stay on value above $25,000 at the school rate: 5.2710 mills in Lee, 4.1470 in Collier and 6.2720 in Charlotte for 2026.
• Non-ad valorem assessments. Flat charges such as Lehigh Acres fire, Englewood Area Fire ($290.78 a year for a home in 2026-27), solid waste, stormwater and community development district assessments stay on the bill.
• Save Our Homes and portability. The 3 percent cap and the right to move up to $500,000 of Save Our Homes benefit to a new Florida homestead within three years both stay.
• Other exemptions. Senior, widow, widower, disability and veteran exemptions stay, although some add less once the non-school taxable value is near zero.
• HOA dues, condo fees, insurance and your mortgage rate. Your monthly escrow payment drops only after your servicer's next escrow review picks up the lower bill.

Will local governments raise taxes or cut services?

Amendment 3 shrinks the tax base, not the tax rate, so counties, cities and fire districts may adjust rates, fees or budgets. The state's Revenue Estimating Conference puts the long-run yearly revenue loss to local governments at $453.3 million in Lee County, $203.3 million in Collier and $126.7 million in Charlotte, before any changes.

Local responses so far: Lee County commissioners discussed cuts, new taxing units and fees; Cape Coral faces an estimated $31.1 million loss in 2027-28 by the state's count; Charlotte County's sheriff projected a $26 million reduction in 2028 and $47 million in 2029; Marco Island's analysis described cuts across every department. Supporters, led by Florida Realtors, argued the change makes owning a home more affordable. Opponents, including the Florida Association of Counties and the Florida Sheriffs Association, warned about service cuts and shifting costs to renters and businesses. Rates remain capped at 10 mills for counties and cities under the constitution.

What does Amendment 3 mean if you are buying a home here?

For buyers, three facts matter. Your tax bill starts from your purchase price, not the seller's bill, because a sale resets the assessment. Your residency date decides whether you get $50,000 or the full exemption for your first four years. And to claim homestead for 2027 you must own and live in the home on January 1, 2027.

A cash purchase usually closes in two to three weeks and a financed one in 30 to 45 days, so a contract signed in November can still close before January 1, though condo approvals and insurance can add time. You do not need to close by December 31 to keep the bigger exemption if you are already a resident; you need to close by then only to claim homestead for 2027.

Our agents work every day in Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Estero, Bonita Springs, Naples, Marco Island, Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte and the communities around them. We can pull the real tax history of any home you like, run its numbers under Amendment 3, and set a closing date that fits your residency plans. Start with homes for sale across Southwest Florida, or browse Cape Coral, Naples, Estero, Bonita Springs, Fort Myers, Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte.

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What does Amendment 3 mean if you are selling?

For sellers, Amendment 3 changes the conversation with buyers. A full-time buyer who is a Florida resident by December 31, 2026 will carry a much lower non-school bill than one who arrives later, and long-time owners moving within Florida keep their Save Our Homes portability. Lower ongoing costs for permanent residents can widen the pool of buyers who can afford your home.

Your own homestead does not transfer to the buyer, so the honest way to market a home is to show a buyer their own estimate at your list price, not your current bill. We do that for every listing, along with a pricing plan built on recent sales near you. Get a free home valuation, see what you would walk away with on our home sale proceeds calculator, or read the Florida seller cost breakdown on our partner site, McGreevy and Comisar's guide to seller closing costs in Florida.

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Why Southwest Florida families work with Domain Realty Group

We are here for our clients first. Domain Realty Group is a Southwest Florida brokerage team with offices in Bonita Springs, Naples and Fort Myers, serving buyers and sellers across Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties. When a law like Amendment 3 changes the math of owning a home, our job is to give you the real numbers for the home in front of you, explain the dates that matter and help you make the move that fits your family. Call 239-441-2816 or send us a message, and a local agent will answer, not a call center.

Amendment 3 FAQ

Sources

1. Florida Legislature, CS/HJR 1F enrolled text (June 2026).
2. Revenue Estimating Conference, impact of CS/HJR 1F (July 10, 2026).
3. Florida Department of Revenue, 2026 homestead exemption adjustment.
4. News4Jax, unofficial statewide results (November 3, 2026) and Ballotpedia, Florida Amendment 3 (2026).
5. Florida Realtors, voters approve Amendment 3 (November 4, 2026).
6. ClickOrlando, DeSantis eyes a special session (November 4, 2026).
7. Lee County Property Appraiser, 2026 taxing district millage book (October 9, 2026) and 2025 final roll totals.
8. Lee County Property Appraiser, exemption information and portability.
9. Collier County Property Appraiser, homestead and the appraiser's 2026 certified roll data export (October 27, 2026).
10. Charlotte County Property Appraiser, 2026 final millage by tax district, Amendment 3 page and Amendment 3 FAQ.
11. Palm Beach County Property Appraiser, Amendment 3 calculator and FAQ.
12. Florida TaxWatch, Florida Property Tax Resource Center and Tax Foundation, Amendment 3 analysis.
13. WGCU, Lee commissioners on Amendment 3 (September 4, 2026) and what happens if it passes (October 15, 2026).
14. WINK, Marco Island analysis and Charlotte County sheriff.
15. Collier County Clerk, the effect of property taxes on Collier County.
16. Osterndorf v. Turner, 426 So. 2d 539 (Fla. 1983).
17. Section 222.17, Florida Statutes, declaration of domicile; FLHSMV new residents.
18. Bilzin Sumberg, the Amendment 3 residency deadline (September 2026) and Anchin on residency audits.
19. Kaufman Rossin, Florida voters approved Amendment 3.
20. Englewood Area Fire Control District, 2026-27 assessments.
21. Domain Realty Group analysis of the Lee, Collier and Charlotte county property appraiser parcel rolls, November 4, 2026.