Florida Veteran Property Tax Exemptions: What You Can Claim on a New Home
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Florida offers several property tax breaks to veterans, on top of the regular homestead exemption. The biggest is a full exemption on the homestead of a veteran with a service-connected total and permanent disability. Others include a $5,000 exemption for a disability of 10% or more and a discount for veterans 65 and older with a combat-related disability. On a new home, the timing rules around January 1 and March 1 decide when your savings start.
This guide walks through each benefit, who qualifies, and what to do when you buy a newly built home.
What property tax exemptions do veterans get in Florida?
Here is a quick view of the main veteran benefits in Florida law. Each line links to the statute so you can read it yourself.
Benefit | Who qualifies | What it does |
|---|---|---|
Florida resident, honorably discharged, service-connected disability of 10% or more | $5,000 of property value is exempt | |
Honorably discharged with a service-connected total and permanent disability; permanent Florida resident on January 1 | The homestead is fully exempt | |
Service-connected total disability, specially adapted housing and wheelchair use | The homestead is fully exempt | |
Age 65 or older, permanent combat-related disability, honorably discharged | Discount on homestead taxes equal to the VA disability percentage | |
Servicemember with a homestead exemption who was on a qualifying deployment | Exempts a share of taxable value based on days deployed the year before |
These sit next to the regular homestead exemption. Under section 196.031, that is up to $25,000 off assessed value, plus a second exemption of up to $25,000 on assessed value above $50,000 for non-school taxes. The second amount is now adjusted each year for inflation.
Who qualifies for the total exemption for disabled veterans?
Section 196.081 exempts "any real estate that is owned and used as a homestead by a veteran who was honorably discharged with a service-connected total and permanent disability." The veteran must be a permanent resident of Florida on January 1 of the tax year.
The key document is a letter from the U.S. government or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs showing a total and permanent disability. The statute calls that letter "prima facie evidence," which means the appraiser treats it as proof unless something shows otherwise. Miami-Dade's property appraiser, for example, asks applicants to file the DR-501 form and include the VA letter certifying a service-connected total and permanent disability.
The exemption also carries over to a surviving spouse "until such time as he or she remarries or sells or otherwise disposes of the property." A surviving spouse who moves can transfer it to a new main home, up to the amount on the most recent tax roll.
How does the $5,000 veteran disability exemption work?
Under section 196.24, an ex-servicemember "who is a bona fide resident of the state, who was discharged under honorable conditions, and who has been disabled to a degree of 10 percent or more" gets $5,000 of property value exempt. An unremarried surviving spouse can also get it. You show a certificate of disability from the U.S. government or the VA.
One thing to check: the Florida Department of Revenue's property tax brochure for veterans says this exemption "is not limited to homestead property." Miami-Dade's appraiser page lists a homestead exemption as a requirement. Ask your own county property appraiser how they apply it before you count on it for a second home.
What is the discount for veterans 65 and older?
Section 196.082 gives a discount, not a full exemption. A veteran who is 65 or older, partly or totally permanently disabled, honorably discharged, and whose disability was combat-related gets a discount on homestead taxes "in a percentage equal to the percentage of the veteran's permanent, service-connected disability" as set by the VA.
The statute lists what to bring: an official VA letter stating the disability percentage with evidence that it is combat-related, a copy of the honorable discharge, and proof of age as of January 1. The deadline is March 1.
When do veteran exemptions start on a new-construction home?
This is where buying new gets tricky. Florida's exemptions are built around two dates:
January 1. You must own the home and make it your permanent residence on January 1 of the tax year (section 196.031).
March 1. You must file your application on or before March 1. Under section 196.011, missing it counts as "a waiver of the exemption privilege for that year," with some late-filing exceptions.
So if you close on a new home in, say, June, your regular homestead and most veteran benefits usually start the next January 1, as long as you file by the next March 1. Our step-by-step guide on how to file for the Florida homestead exemption covers the forms.
Also know that a new home's first tax bill may be small. Under section 192.042, improvements "not substantially completed on January 1 shall have no value placed thereon." We explain how that plays out in how property taxes work on a newly built Florida home.
Can a disabled veteran get a refund for the year they buy?
Yes, for the total exemption. Section 196.081(1)(b) says that if title to a property is acquired between January 1 and November 1 by a veteran (or surviving spouse) who already gets this exemption on another property, they are "entitled to a refund, prorated as of the date of transfer, of the ad valorem taxes paid for the newly acquired property" if they apply for and receive the exemption on the new property the next year.
The same prorated refund is open to a veteran who does not yet have the exemption on another home, as long as he or she was honorably discharged with a service-connected total and permanent disability as of January 1 of that year and has the required letter.
For a new-home buyer, that means a June closing does not have to mean a full year of taxes lost. Keep your closing papers and your tax receipt, and ask your county property appraiser how to claim the refund once the exemption is granted.
Can I find out if I qualify before I buy?
Florida added a way to check early. Section 196.092 lets a property appraiser give a "tentative verification" of eligibility after you buy a homestead, before the regular filing. It is "not binding." The DOR's form DR-501V is clear that "you still need to complete an application" once you finalize the purchase and make the home your permanent residence on or before January 1.
What this means for new-construction buyers in Florida
If you are a veteran shopping new homes in Florida, plan your timeline around January 1 and March 1. Ask your builder for a realistic completion window, gather your VA letter and discharge papers before closing, and file as soon as you move in. If you qualify for the total exemption and close between January 1 and November 1, ask about the prorated refund.
If you are buying with a VA loan, see our guide to using a VA loan on new construction. Veterans 65 and older may also want to compare the senior exemptions in Florida, which some counties and cities offer.
Common Questions
Do 100% disabled veterans pay property tax in Florida?
A veteran honorably discharged with a service-connected total and permanent disability can get a full exemption on the home they own and use as a homestead. They must be a permanent Florida resident on January 1 of the tax year. The VA letter of total and permanent disability is the key document.
What is the \$5,000 veteran exemption in Florida?
A Florida resident who was honorably discharged and has a service-connected disability of 10% or more can have \$5,000 of property value exempt from tax. An unremarried surviving spouse can also get it. Ask your county property appraiser how they apply it.
Can I get the veteran exemption if I buy a new home in the middle of the year?
Exemptions are based on January 1, so a home bought mid-year is usually exempt starting the next year. But a veteran who qualifies for the total exemption and buys between January 1 and November 1 can get a refund of that year's taxes on the new home, prorated from the date of transfer, once the exemption is granted on it the next year.
When is the deadline to apply for Florida veteran property tax exemptions?
Florida's exemption applications are due on or before March 1. Missing March 1 counts as giving up the exemption for that year, with some late-filing exceptions, so file as early as you can after you move in.
Do veterans over 65 get a bigger break in Florida?
Veterans 65 or older with a permanent, combat-related disability who were honorably discharged can get a discount on their homestead taxes. The discount equals their VA disability percentage. They must apply by March 1 with the VA letter, discharge papers and proof of age.
Can my county check if I qualify before I buy?
Yes. Florida law lets a property appraiser give a tentative check of your eligibility after you buy a homestead, before you file. It is not binding, and you still have to file the regular application once you own the home and make it your permanent residence by January 1.
Does a surviving spouse keep the veteran exemption?
For the total exemption, it carries over to the veteran's surviving spouse until he or she remarries or sells the home. A surviving spouse who moves can transfer it to a new main home, up to the amount on the most recent tax roll.
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Related reading: Florida Homestead Exemption on a New Home · Can You Use a VA Loan on New Construction? · Florida Senior Property Tax Exemptions
This is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Figures checked October 30, 2026.