Florida Voters Pass Amendment 3, Expanding Homestead Tax Exemption

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Florida voters approved Amendment 3 on Tuesday, Nov. 3, expanding the homestead property tax exemption to $250,000 by 2028 and setting up substantial changes to Jacksonville's property tax revenue. The constitutional amendment received 62% support statewide, clearing the 60% threshold required for passage, according to unofficial Florida Division of Elections results. Jacksonville's City Council Auditor's Office projected before the vote that the measure could cut city revenue by roughly $200 million in 2027 and by nearly $300 million once the larger exemption is fully in place.

The unofficial statewide count showed 4,907,469 votes in favor, or 62%, and 3,007,685 against, or 38%. The figures represented 7,915,154 votes, with 5,621 of Florida's 5,626 precincts reporting as of approximately 11:30 p.m. Eastern time Tuesday. Results remain unofficial until certified.

How Duval County Voted

Duval County voters also supported Amendment 3, although by a smaller margin than voters statewide. Unofficial results showed 193,085 votes in favor, representing 56.5%, compared with 148,416 votes against, or 43.5%. All 159 Duval County precincts had reported, accounting for 341,501 votes on the amendment.

Duval was below the 60% mark that the amendment needed statewide. Statewide, however, the total cleared the threshold, and that is what carried the amendment. Final certification of the results is still pending.

What Amendment 3 Changes

Amendment 3 increases Florida's homestead exemption for property taxes collected for purposes other than schools. The exemption rises to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, according to summaries from the Florida Chamber, Florida TaxWatch and other sources. After 2028, the exemption will be adjusted for inflation.

The school-tax portion of the homestead exemption remains unchanged. That means the amendment does not eliminate every property tax charged to homeowners, even when their properties qualify for the expanded exemption. Homeowners will continue to be responsible for applicable school property taxes.

The measure also reduces the annual assessment increase cap on non-homestead properties from 10% to 5%, according to Florida TaxWatch. This provision concerns the growth of assessed property values rather than eligibility for the expanded homestead exemption. Second homes, rental properties and commercial properties do not qualify for the larger homestead exemption.

Who Qualifies for the Larger Exemption

Florida residents who qualify for the homestead exemption as of Dec. 31, 2026, can benefit from the expanded exemption under the measure's provisions. Newer residents begin with the current $50,000 exemption and reach the full $250,000 exemption after five years, according to summaries from NBC Miami and the Florida Chamber. The distinction means the applicable exemption depends partly on when a qualifying resident established eligibility.

The amendment also directs the Florida Legislature to establish a schedule for eventually eliminating non-school homestead property taxes. That direction is separate from the exemption increases scheduled for 2027 and 2028. The measure does not immediately eliminate all non-school property taxes on homesteaded residences.

Jacksonville Faces Major Revenue Changes

Jacksonville's City Council Auditor's Office projected a substantial reduction in city revenue before Tuesday's vote. An initial estimate placed the first-year reduction in 2027 at approximately $200 million, representing about 10% of the city's roughly $2 billion operating budget. The projections were reported by the Jax Daily Record and JaxToday before the amendment passed.

A later auditor analysis estimated $193.1 million in reduced revenue at the $150,000 exemption level and $299.6 million at the $250,000 level. Other reports described the potential reduction as roughly $300 million. The estimates vary by source and timeframe and represent projections rather than actual revenue losses.

Property taxes account for a substantial portion of Jacksonville's finances. Nearly $1.3 billion of the city's 2026-27 revenue came from property taxes, according to budget documents. The amendment changes the homestead tax base that contributes to those revenues while leaving the school-tax portion of the exemption unchanged.

What Jacksonville Homeowners Could Save

A Jacksonville property tax calculator cited in local coverage estimated that a homesteaded homeowner receiving the maximum $150,000 exemption would save approximately $1,121 in the 2027 tax year. That figure is a calculator estimate, not a guaranteed reduction for every homeowner. The actual exemption applicable to a property depends on its eligibility under the amendment.

The distinction between school and non-school taxes is central to understanding the measure. Even a homeowner qualifying for the expanded exemption would continue paying applicable school property taxes. The amendment therefore reduces certain property taxes without necessarily eliminating a homeowner's entire property tax bill.

Debate Over City Services and Spending

The Jacksonville Civic Council opposed Amendment 3 before the election, warning that reduced property tax revenue could affect services including parks, libraries, roads and drainage. The Jacksonville City Council president supported the property tax reduction. Those positions reflected competing assessments of the measure's implications for homeowners and local government finances.

The issue also intersected with a major downtown development proposal. Jacksonville City Council delayed a vote on a nearly $49.65 million incentive package for Gateway Jax's proposed downtown Publix and residential tower until after the Amendment 3 vote. The delay placed consideration of that incentive package after voters decided the property tax question.

According to a local guide to the measure, Amendment 3 does not restrict a local government's ability to increase other taxes or fees. That provision is distinct from the amendment's changes to homestead exemptions and assessment limits. The city auditor's revenue figures do not represent completed budget reductions.

Other Florida Amendments Fall Short

Two other proposed constitutional amendments on the Florida ballot failed to reach the required 60% threshold in Tuesday's unofficial statewide results. Amendment 1, concerning the Budget Stabilization Fund, received approximately 40.9% support, while Amendment 2, concerning farm equipment and agricultural land tax exemptions, received approximately 58.2%. Both fell short of the threshold required for passage.

What to Know

Amendment 3's unofficial passage establishes a larger non-school homestead exemption beginning in 2027, followed by another increase in 2028. Jacksonville's projected revenue reductions reach $299.6 million at the $250,000 exemption level, according to the later City Council auditor analysis. The statewide and Duval County vote totals remain unofficial until certification, and the city's financial estimates remain projections rather than realized budget changes.