Amendment 3 Guide

by Kiara Proctor

# Florida Amendment 3: What It Could Mean for Your Pensacola Homestead

Florida voters will decide Amendment 3 on November 3, 2026, and it could reshape the homestead exemption for homeowners across the state. If you own — or are planning to buy — a primary home in Pensacola or anywhere in Florida, here's a clear, jargon-free breakdown of what the amendment would do, what it would not do, and the deadlines that actually matter for your situation.

## The Quick Version

Florida votes on Amendment 3 on November 3, 2026. It needs 60 percent to pass. If approved, the homestead exemption for taxes other than school taxes could rise to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. How much any household would save depends on home value and local tax rates, so no specific number can be promised.

## What Could Change If It Passes

- **A larger homestead exemption** on your primary home, for taxes other than school taxes.
- **Potential savings** on your primary home, based on your value and local rates.
- **A lower yearly cap on increases** for non-homestead properties, from 10 percent to 5 percent.

## What It Does Not Do

- **It does not eliminate property taxes.**
- **It does not cut school taxes.**
- **It does not apply to a second home or a rental** — homestead is for your primary home only.
- **It does not change your November 2026 bill.**
- **It is not automatic at closing.** You still have to qualify and file.

## Key Dates to Know

If you become a Florida permanent resident after December 31, 2026 and the amendment passes, you would start with the current exemption and wait five years for the larger exemption. That timing difference is why this date matters so much.

## If You Already Claimed Homestead

- **Confirm your homestead is active** for your primary home.
- **Check that you were a Florida permanent resident by December 31, 2026.**
- **Do not assume a new filing is needed,** but do not assume everything updates on its own either. Confirm your status before March 1, 2027.
- **Ask what your own value and local rates mean for you,** rather than going by a headline number.

## If You Are Buying or Moving Soon

- **Plan your move and residency steps around December 31, 2026** if you want to be positioned for the full schedule.
- **Get your Florida license, voter registration, and primary residence pieces sorted.** Do not wait until January.
- **Remember, buying a home does not automatically get you the exemption.** You have to qualify and file.
- **Put March 1, 2027 on your calendar** as your filing deadline.
- **If your closing or move slips past the cutoff,** ask how the five-year wait would apply to you.

## Thinking About Buying, or Selling and Buying?

The vote alone does not tell you to rush, and it does not create a benefit on its own. What matters is your timeline, and whether that timeline lines up with the December 31, 2026 residency cutoff if this passes.

If you are thinking about buying soon:

if you plan to buy and become a Florida permanent resident by December 31, 2026, your timing could matter. Being positioned by that date is the difference between the full exemption schedule and a five-year wait for the larger exemption, if it passes. It is not just about your closing date — residency is what counts, so your license, voter registration, and primary residence steps matter too. That does not mean buying any home just to beat a date; it means if a move is already in your plans, it is worth mapping your closing and residency steps so you do not miss the cutoff by accident.

If you are thinking about selling:

selling on its own does not create a benefit here. The real question is what comes next. If you sell and buy another Florida home as your primary home, keeping your Florida residency in place, that buy-side timing is worth looking at before the end of the year for the same December 31 reason. There is also your sale itself to think about: buyer motivation tied to homestead timing could affect how quickly homes move near the end of the year, which could factor into when you list. If you are selling and leaving Florida, or selling a rental or second home, this likely does not change your decision, because homestead is for a primary home only.

## Questions About Your Timeline?

If buying, or selling and buying, is already on your mind for this year, do not wait until January to ask about the timing. Reach out and let's look at your dates together and see whether the end of the year actually helps you, or whether it changes nothing at all. Either answer is useful to know before you decide.

**Kiara Proctor**
eXp Realty — Pensacola, Florida
Phone: 850-501-2749
Email: kiara.proctor@exprealty.com
Instagram: @kiki.proctor

*Disclaimer: This guide is information only. It is not tax or legal advice, and it is not a recommendation on how to vote — just what to check if Amendment 3 is approved. Check with the Escambia County Property Appraiser and your CPA for your own situation.*