Buyer Guide
Florida's December 31, 2026 Residency Deadline — What It Could Mean for Future Buyers
A date in a proposed constitutional amendment has been circulating in conversations across Estero and Southwest Florida, and it is being described incorrectly almost everywhere it comes up. This page explains what the proposal actually says, what the date refers to, and — just as importantly — what is still unknown.
Start With the Correction
The Deadline Is About Residency, Not Buying a Home
Most people who bring this up believe December 31, 2026 is a deadline to purchase a home in Florida. It is not. Under the proposal, the date concerns establishing Florida residency. Someone who establishes Florida residency by that date would be eligible for the higher exemption amounts when they later purchase a residential property and apply for homestead. They do not have to buy in 2026.
That distinction changes the entire conversation. A rushed purchase to beat a year-end date is not what the proposal contemplates, and treating it that way is how people end up buying the wrong home in the wrong community for the wrong reason.
It also bears repeating at the outset: this is not law. Amendment 3 goes before Florida voters on November 3, 2026 and requires 60% approval. Nothing has changed. No property taxes have been eliminated or reduced.
Jack Mancini and his team are licensed real estate professionals — not attorneys, CPAs, or tax advisors. This page is general information about a proposed constitutional amendment that is not law. Establishing Florida residency is not only a property tax decision: it affects state income tax domicile, estate planning, health insurance, and other matters that vary by individual circumstance and by the state you are leaving. Anyone considering accelerating a move for this reason should speak with a CPA or tax attorney before acting.
The Proposal
What Amendment 3 Would Do
Described as written, without prediction about how the vote will go.
It Is a Ballot Question, Not a Law
Amendment 3 originated as HJR 1F, passed the Legislature on June 2, 2026, and goes to voters on November 3, 2026. It requires 60% approval. Until then, nothing about Florida property taxes has changed.
The Date Is About Residency
The December 31, 2026 date concerns when someone establishes Florida residency. It is not a deadline to close on a house, and it does not require you to own property by year-end.
Non-School Levies Only
The proposed exemption — up to $150,000 for 2027 and up to $250,000 for 2028 — would apply to non-school levies. School district taxes would be unaffected, with a $25,000 exemption continuing to apply to school millages.
A Different Starting Point for Later Arrivals
Those establishing residency on or after January 1, 2027 would start at $50,000, CPI-adjusted from 2028, and would need to maintain a Florida homestead for four years before qualifying for the higher amounts.
A Lower Cap on Non-Homestead Property
Separately, the amendment would reduce the annual assessment cap on non-homestead property — second homes, investment, and commercial — from 10% to 5%.
Nothing Visible Until 2027
If approved, the amendment takes effect January 1, 2027 and would first appear on August 2027 TRIM notices and November 2027 tax bills. There is no 2026 tax consequence either way.
Side by Side
Residency Before the Date vs. After It
Residency established by December 31, 2026
- Eligible for the higher exemption amounts described in the proposal
- Up to $150,000 for 2027 and up to $250,000 for 2028, on non-school levies only
- Eligibility applies when a residential property is later purchased and homestead is applied for
- No requirement to own a Florida home in 2026
Residency established on or after January 1, 2027
- Starts at the new-resident exemption of $50,000
- CPI-adjusted beginning in 2028
- Must maintain a Florida homestead for four years before becoming eligible for the higher amounts
- Same non-school-levy limitation applies
Whether that difference matters to you, and by how much, depends entirely on your own circumstances. We are not in a position to tell you — and we will not estimate a figure for any individual or property. That conversation belongs with a CPA.
Scope
Who This Does and Does Not Affect
Worth Knowing About
- People already planning a move to Florida within the next few years
- People weighing when, rather than whether, to change their residency
- Owners and prospective owners of non-homestead property, because of the separate cap change from 10% to 5%
Not Affected by the Deadline
- People who already live in Florida and already have homestead
- Anyone who was not otherwise considering a move — this is not a reason to move
- Anyone expecting a change to their 2026 taxes; there is none either way
The honest framing is narrow. If a Florida move was already in your plans, the timing of when you establish residency may matter significantly, and that is worth knowing now rather than discovering in 2028. For someone already planning the move, establishing residency before year-end may preserve optionality at relatively little cost. For someone who was not planning to move, none of this changes that.
Still Uncertain
This May Simply Not Happen
A Florida constitutional amendment requires 60% voter approval. That is a high bar: Amendment 4 in 2024 received 57% and failed. Amendment 3 is a real possibility that may or may not happen — not a foregone conclusion.
We take no position on the ballot measure and make no prediction about the outcome. If it passes, the amendment takes effect January 1, 2027 and would first show up on August 2027 TRIM notices and November 2027 tax bills. If it does not pass, current exemptions remain and the date carries no property tax meaning at all.
Implementation details, administrative rules, and the mechanics county property appraisers would use are also not fully settled. Treat anything you read about specific amounts for a specific property — including anywhere on the internet — with caution until the Florida Department of Revenue and your county property appraiser publish guidance.
What to Do Next
Talk to a CPA or tax attorney first
This is the step that actually matters, and it comes before anything real-estate related. Residency affects state income tax domicile, estate planning, health insurance, and more, and the analysis depends on the state you are leaving as much as the one you are entering.
If a Florida move is already in your plans, factor timing into that conversation
Not as a reason to accelerate a decision you were not going to make, but as one input among several. Your advisor can tell you whether timing is material in your situation.
Do not treat this as a reason to buy quickly
The proposal does not require a 2026 purchase. Choosing the right community is a decision that outlasts any single tax year, and it should be made on its own terms.
Verify current information at the source
Your county property appraiser and the Florida Department of Revenue are the authoritative sources for exemption rules and how any change would be administered.
Say it twice, because it is the point: establishing Florida residency is a legal determination with consequences well beyond property taxes. We do not explain how it is done and we do not provide a checklist, because that is not ours to give. It is defined by law, it involves considerably more than buying property, and it must be discussed with a qualified professional.
Jack Mancini and his team are licensed real estate professionals — not attorneys, CPAs, or tax advisors. Nothing here is tax or legal advice, and no dollar savings are stated or estimated for any individual or property.
Information on this page reflects the proposal as of August 14, 2026. Proposed measures change. For current information, consult your county property appraiser and the Florida Department of Revenue.
Common Questions
Questions People Actually Ask About the Deadline
Straight answers about a proposal that is widely misdescribed — including what it does not do.
When You Are Ready
Timing Is a Tax Question. The Community Is Ours.
Once you have talked with your CPA, we can help with the part we are actually qualified for — which community fits how you want to live in Estero and Southwest Florida, and what to look at when you visit.
Related Reading
For background on the broader property tax debate in Florida, see our earlier analysis of Florida property tax elimination proposals. For the recurring costs that surprise buyers most, read CDD fees explained, flood zones in Southwest Florida, and insurance and 4-point inspections.
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