How to File for Homestead in Duval County: Up to $50,000 Off, a March 1 Deadline and 6 Steps

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Duval County homeowners can apply for Florida's homestead exemption online at homestead.coj.net to reduce their home's taxable value by up to $50,000. To qualify for the 2027 tax year, homeowners must own and occupy the property as their permanent residence on Jan. 1, 2027, and file their application by March 1, 2027. The steps below explain who qualifies, what information to have ready and what happens after you apply.

The exemption can lower property taxes by reducing the value subject to taxation, although the amount of savings depends on the property and the taxes involved. Florida also provides a separate benefit called Save Our Homes, which limits certain annual increases in a qualifying property's assessed value. Here are six steps to understand the requirements, prepare an application and meet the deadline.

Step 1: Confirm that your home qualifies

Florida's homestead exemption applies to property that an owner makes a permanent residence, including a property used as the permanent residence of a dependent. The Duval County Property Appraiser states that applicants must "own and occupy your home as your permanent residence on January 1." The Jan. 1 requirement determines eligibility for the tax year in which the homeowner applies.

For example, someone who owns and lives in a Duval County home as a permanent residence on Jan. 1, 2027, can apply for the 2027 exemption. Homeowners must also consider whether they claim residency in another county or state because the application asks about other residency claims. The county property appraiser makes the final determination about whether the property qualifies.

Step 2: Understand the exemption before applying

The homestead exemption can reduce a qualifying property's taxable value by up to $50,000, but its two portions work differently. The first $25,000 applies to all property taxes, including school district taxes. The additional exemption of up to $25,000 applies to assessed value above $50,000 and only reduces non-school property taxes.

Florida law also provides an annual inflation adjustment for the additional exemption. Under Section 196.031, Florida Statutes, that adjustment occurs each Jan. 1 when the Consumer Price Index change is positive. As a result, homeowners should distinguish between the basic $25,000 exemption and the additional portion when reviewing their property taxes.

The Florida Department of Revenue provides an example involving a home assessed at $65,000. The first $25,000 is exempt from all property taxes, while the next $25,000 remains taxable. The remaining $15,000 qualifies for exemption from non-school taxes, illustrating why the two portions do not necessarily produce identical savings.

Step 3: Gather your information and residency documents

Florida's homestead application uses state Form DR-501, which asks homeowners to provide ownership and residency information. Applicants should be prepared to identify whose names appeared on the property's title on Jan. 1 and provide required Social Security numbers. They must also answer questions about permanent residency and whether they or their dependents occupied the home on Jan. 1.

The property appraiser may request additional documentation to establish permanent residency. Not every applicant will necessarily need every item, but the Florida Department of Revenue identifies several types of information that may be considered. Preparing relevant information before beginning the application can make it easier to answer the required questions.

What you might be asked for

• Names listed on the property's title as of Jan. 1.
• Your Social Security number and your spouse's or co-applicant's number.
• Florida driver license or identification card number.
• Evidence of surrendering another state's driver license.
• Florida vehicle license plate number.
• Florida voter registration number, if a U.S. citizen.
• Declaration of domicile and date Florida residency began.
• Proof of previous residency outside Florida and when it ended.
• Current employer's name and the address on your last IRS return.
• Dependent children's school locations.
• Bank statement or checking account mailing address.
• Proof of utility payments at the homestead address.

Step 4: Submit the application through Duval County

Duval County accepts online homestead exemption applications through its official application website, homestead.coj.net. The website is titled "County of Duval Online Homestead Exemption Application." Homeowners use the county's application process to submit the information required under Florida's Form DR-501.

The Duval County Property Appraiser administers the exemption process and determines whether an application qualifies. Filing an application does not itself establish that a property meets the requirements. Homeowners with questions about required information can contact the property appraiser before submitting their application.

Step 5: Meet the March 1 filing deadline

Florida's standard homestead exemption application deadline is March 1 of the tax year. For the 2027 exemption, an eligible homeowner must have established the qualifying permanent residence by Jan. 1, 2027, and submit the application by March 1, 2027. The ownership and residency date and the application deadline are separate requirements.

The Duval County Property Appraiser also states that late filing is permitted through early September. That provision does not change the regular March 1 deadline established by the state. Homeowners who miss March 1 can contact the property appraiser about the county's late-filing process and applicable requirements.

Step 6: Understand Save Our Homes and future changes

Receiving homestead exemption also activates Florida's Save Our Homes assessment limitation. After the first year, the assessed value of a qualifying homestead generally cannot increase by more than 3% or the annual change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is less. Section 193.155, Florida Statutes, also provides that assessed value cannot exceed the property's just, or market, value.

Homestead eligibility can change when a property's use or ownership changes. The exemption ends if the home is rented, no longer serves as the owner's permanent home or the owner is no longer a permanent Florida resident. A sale or other ownership change generally triggers reassessment at market value the following Jan. 1, although exceptions include certain transfers between spouses.

Moving from another Florida home

Homeowners moving from one Florida homestead to another may qualify to transfer all or part of their accumulated Save Our Homes benefit. Florida calls this process portability, and it can preserve some of the assessment benefit established at the previous homestead. Portability is separate from the basic homestead exemption and requires an additional application.

The homeowner must establish homestead on the new property within three years of Jan. 1 of the year the previous homestead was abandoned. That period is not calculated as three years from the previous home's sale date. To request portability, the homeowner must submit Form DR-501T along with Form DR-501 by March 1.

Other exemptions and where to get help

Duval County also lists exemptions for qualifying senior citizens, disabled veterans, widows and widowers, blindness, disability and conservation. Its listed disabled veteran exemption is $5,000, while its listed disability exemption is $500. These exemptions have separate qualifications from the general homestead exemption.

If the property appraiser denies a homestead application, the property owner may file a petition with the county's value adjustment board. The property appraiser remains the office responsible for determining eligibility in the application process. Residents can contact that office with questions about applications, residency documentation and available exemptions.

Duval County Property Appraiser

• Address: 231 E. Forsyth St., Suite 260, Jacksonville, FL 32202
• Phone: 904-255-5900
• Email: [email protected]
• Online application: homestead.coj.net
• Exemptions information: jacksonville.gov/departments/property-appraiser/exemptions

Homeowners in St. Johns, Clay and Nassau counties follow the same Florida homestead eligibility rules and March 1 filing deadline. However, each county's property appraiser handles applications for properties within that county. Residents outside Duval County should file with their own county property appraiser rather than Duval County.

How we did this

Jax Times prepared this guide using the Florida Department of Revenue's "Property Tax Information for Homestead Exemption" brochure, Form PT-113, revised August 2025, and its "Save Our Homes Assessment Limitation and Portability Transfer" brochure, Form PT-112. We also used the Duval County Property Appraiser's official exemptions page for local application instructions, filing information, additional exemptions and contact details. The sources were reviewed Oct. 27, 2026, and this guide explains the published requirements without providing individual legal or tax advice.