Florida Senior Property Tax Exemption: What 65+ New-Home Buyers Can Claim
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Florida lets counties and cities give homeowners 65 and older an extra property tax exemption of up to $50,000 if their household income is under a yearly limit. For 2026, that limit is $38,686, according to the Florida Department of Revenue. It sits on top of the regular homestead exemption, but it only cuts the taxes of the county or city that adopted it, so what you save depends on exactly where your new home is.
What property tax exemptions can seniors get in Florida?
Florida has two senior exemptions in Section 196.075 of the Florida Statutes. Both are local options. A county commission or city government has to adopt them by ordinance before anyone can claim them.
The limited-income senior exemption. Up to $50,000 off the assessed value for a homeowner 65 or older whose household income is under the yearly limit.
The long-term resident senior exemption. For a home with a just value under $250,000 when the owner first qualifies, where the owner has lived for at least 25 years. It exempts the home's full assessed value from the taxes of the government that adopted it.
A buyer moving into a brand-new home cannot use the long-term resident version, because it requires 25 years living in that home. The limited-income exemption is the one that matters for a 65+ new-home buyer.
What is the income limit for the Florida senior exemption in 2026?
The law started with a $20,000 household income limit and adjusts it every January 1 for inflation. The Florida Department of Revenue's January 2026 notice lists:
2026 limit: $38,686 (a 2.6% increase)
2025 limit: $37,694
You apply with a sworn statement of household income on Form DR-501SC. The income limit for the year you apply is published by the Department of Revenue each January, so check the current figure before you file.
Which Florida counties and cities offer the senior exemption?
This is where it gets local. The exemption only reduces taxes for the government that adopted it. Because a county or city grants it, it does not reduce school district taxes, and the county's exemption does not reduce a city's taxes.
Here is what property appraisers in National House Search markets say today:
Palm Beach County: $25,000 off county taxes only. The appraiser says it does not apply to other taxing authorities such as the school district or cities. Some cities add their own: Wellington, Jupiter and Riviera Beach list $50,000; Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Greenacres, Lake Worth Beach, Palm Beach Gardens and West Palm Beach list $25,000.
Broward County: an additional $25,000 that applies only to the county's portion of the taxes. Many cities list $50,000, including Coral Springs, Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines, Pompano Beach and Weston.
Miami-Dade County: the appraiser's 2026 senior exemption table shows a $50,000 county exemption. City amounts vary, and Florida City is listed at $0.
Martin County: $25,000 of assessed value against county taxes. The Village of Indiantown has its own $50,000 exemption.
St. Lucie County: the property appraiser confirms the senior exemption and the $38,686 income limit. Check its office for the exact county and city amounts.
How does the senior exemption stack with the homestead exemption?
The senior exemption is added on top of the regular homestead exemption, so you need homestead first. Under Section 196.031, homestead goes to a person who, on January 1, owns the home and makes it their permanent residence.
For 2026, homestead takes off:
The first $25,000 of assessed value, from all taxes, including school taxes
A second exemption on assessed value above $50,000, from all taxes except school taxes. This second amount is now adjusted for inflation, and the Department of Revenue lists it at $26,411 for 2026.
That is up to $51,411 in all for 2026. A widow or widower can also claim a separate $5,000 exemption under Section 196.202.
Homestead also brings the Save Our Homes cap. Each year, your assessed value can rise by no more than 3% or the change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower. For 2026, the Department of Revenue set that cap at 2.7%.
Here is an EXAMPLE of how the exemptions change taxable value. It uses a made-up home with a $400,000 assessed value, a 2026 homestead, and a county senior exemption of $25,000 in a city that has not adopted its own.
Tax type | Assessed value | Homestead | Senior (county) | Taxable value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
School taxes | $400,000 | $25,000 | Not applied | $375,000 |
County taxes | $400,000 | $51,411 | $25,000 | $323,589 |
City taxes | $400,000 | $51,411 | Not adopted in this example | $348,589 |
Your real savings depend on your county and city tax rates. Call 561-704-0091 for today's numbers on a specific community.
When and how do you apply for the senior exemption on a new home?
Timing matters most for a buyer of new construction, because Florida looks at January 1.
Close and move in. Homestead goes to a person who owns the home and lives in it as a permanent residence on January 1.
Be 65 by January 1. Form DR-501SC asks you to confirm you are at least 65 years old on January 1 of the tax year you are applying for.
File by March 1. Apply for homestead and file Form DR-501SC with your county property appraiser by March 1. Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie appraisers all list March 1.
Renew as your county requires. Form DR-501SC says it must be filed each year by March 1, but it also says renewing applicants do not need to send documents unless the appraiser asks. Many counties handle renewal for you, so ask yours.
Report changes. Under the law, you must tell the appraiser by May 1 if your income goes over the limit.
Example: if you close on a new home in December 2026 and live there on January 1, 2027, you would apply by March 1, 2027 for the 2027 tax year. If you close in February 2027, you would wait for the 2028 tax year.
Our guide on how to file for the Florida homestead exemption walks through the homestead form step by step.
Does Amendment 3 on the November 2026 ballot change senior exemptions?
Florida voters decide on Amendment 3 on November 3, 2026. The ballot title is "Increased Homestead Exemption; Lower Cap on Increases in Non-homestead Property Assessments."
According to the ballot summary, it would raise the homestead exemption for non-school taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, then adjust for inflation. It says people who are not Florida residents on December 31, 2026, would get the existing homestead exemption, with the increased exemption beginning with their fifth year of exemption. It also lowers the yearly cap for non-homestead properties from 10% to 5%. It needs 60% of the vote to pass and would take effect January 1, 2027.
The ballot summary does not mention seniors or the age-65 exemptions. We do not take a side. Read the full summary and our Amendment 3 explainer before you vote, and check back after the election for the result.
What this means for new-construction buyers in Florida
If you are 65 or older and buying a new home in Florida, the senior exemption can lower your county or city tax bill if your household income is under the limit. Three things decide how much it helps:
Your address. County and city amounts differ, and some cities offer $0.
Your closing date. Owning and living in the home on January 1 decides which tax year you can first claim.
Your income. The 2026 limit is $38,686, and it changes every January.
On a brand-new home, the first tax bills can look very different from later ones. Our guide to Florida property tax bills explains due dates, the November discount and the new-home catch.
Common Questions
At what age do you stop paying property taxes in Florida?
No age ends property taxes in Florida. Homeowners 65 and older can get an extra exemption of up to \$50,000 if their county or city adopted it and their household income is under the yearly limit.
What is the income limit for the Florida senior exemption in 2026?
The Florida Department of Revenue lists \$38,686 for 2026. It was \$37,694 for 2025. The limit is adjusted every January 1.
Can I get the senior exemption on a new home I just bought?
Yes, if you own and live in the home as your permanent residence on January 1, are 65 by January 1, meet the income limit, and your county or city offers it. File by March 1.
Does the senior exemption lower school taxes?
Generally no. The exemption only reduces taxes levied by the government that adopted it, such as the county or city. Palm Beach County's appraiser says its county exemption does not apply to the school district.
What form do I file for the Florida senior exemption?
You file Form DR-501SC, the household income sworn statement, with your county property appraiser by March 1, along with your homestead application if you have not filed one yet.
Can I get the long-term resident senior exemption on a new home?
No. That version requires living in the home for at least 25 years, and the home's just value must be under \$250,000 when you first qualify.
Ready to take the next step?
Call 561-704-0091 to talk with a National House Search specialist, or Schedule a visit.
Related reading: How the Florida homestead exemption works on a brand-new home · Florida homestead portability · 55 plus communities in Palm Beach County: how to compare
External sources: Florida Statutes 196.075 · Florida Statutes 196.031 · Florida DOR: additional homestead exemptions for persons 65 and older · Florida DOR: Form DR-501SC · Palm Beach County Property Appraiser · Broward County Property Appraiser · Miami-Dade Property Appraiser · Martin County Property Appraiser · Leon County Supervisor of Elections: 2026 ballot questions
This is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Figures checked October 28, 2026.