Florida’s 2026 Property Tax Amendment 3 Explained

Sep 22, 2026 | News, Luxury Real Estate

Florida Proposed Property Tax Amendment 3 Infographic

What the Florida Property Tax Amendment Really Means for Sarasota Property Owners

Florida voters will decide on Amendment 3 on November 3, 2026, and it has generated plenty of confusion. The most common claim we hear is that it would eliminate property taxes in Florida. It would not. Amendment 3 is a proposed constitutional change that would enlarge the homestead exemption, slow assessment increases on non-homestead property, and restrict how local governments spend property tax revenue. For buyers, sellers, and owners of luxury homes along Sarasota’s coast, the details matter. Laughlin Tanner Group put together this plain-English overview, with links to the official and nonpartisan sources, so you can decide for yourself.

November 3, 2026

Election Date

60% of Votes

Needed to Pass

January 1, 2027

Effective Date if Approved

Latest Update: Polling Shows Amendment 3 Short of 60%

Updated September 22, 2026

A statewide poll shows support for Amendment 3 falling short of the 60% threshold it would need to pass in November, according to 10 Tampa Bay (WTSP). In a St. Pete Polls survey of 913 Florida voters, conducted September 15–17, 44.9% said they support the amendment, 30.4% oppose it, and 24.8% are undecided. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.

Among voters who have already made up their minds, support is just under 60%. For the amendment to pass, undecided voters would need to break roughly 3-to-2 in its favor. 

Polls are a snapshot, not a prediction.

Source: 10 Tampa Bay (WTSP), September 22, 2026

Amendment 3 at a Glance

A larger homestead exemption, for non-school taxes only
The homestead exemption for non-school taxes would rise to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, then adjust for inflation. Florida’s current homestead exemption is $50,000. School property taxes are not affected.

A lower cap for second homes, rentals, and commercial property
The annual cap on assessment increases for non-homestead property would drop from 10 percent to 5 percent.

A waiting period for new Florida residents
People who are not Florida residents on December 31, 2026 would get the existing homestead exemption when they qualify. The increased exemption would begin in their fifth year of exemption, to the extent the U.S. Constitution permits.

Limits on how local governments can use property taxes
Counties and cities would have to spend property taxes on public safety, education and schools, infrastructure, natural resources, bond debt service, employee retirement benefits, and operations and administration.

A local option to go further
The Legislature would have to create a uniform procedure that counties and municipalities could use to raise the homestead exemption for their own levies, up to full assessed value. Special districts could do the same with referendum approval. This is a local choice, not an automatic statewide elimination, and it is likely one source of the “no more property taxes” rumor.

Florida 2026 Property Tax Amendment at a Glance

Myth vs. Fact

Myth: Amendment 3 abolishes property taxes in Florida.
Fact: It does not. It enlarges an exemption and lowers a cap. Every property still pays school taxes, and most properties will still pay non-school taxes too.

Myth: It lowers my school taxes.
Fact: The larger exemption applies only to non-school property taxes.

Myth: My Siesta Key condo or Longboat Key second home gets the $250,000 exemption.
Fact: Second homes and rentals do not qualify for any homestead exemption. What they would get is the lower 5% assessment cap.

Myth: If I move to Sarasota next year, I get the full exemption right away.
Fact: New residents who aren’t Floridians by December 31, 2026 would wait until their fifth year of exemption for the increased amount.

Myth: A simple majority passes it.
Fact: Constitutional amendments in Florida need at least 60% voter approval.

Myth: This is the same “Amendment 3” I voted on before.
Fact: No. Florida’s 2024 Amendment 3 dealt with recreational marijuana. The 2026 Amendment 3 is an entirely separate measure about property taxes.

Myth: The ballot wording is the same as when it was first announced.
Fact: A Leon County Circuit Court judge ruled that parts of the original ballot title and summary were misleading and inaccurate. The Attorney General released revised language on August 13, 2026. The amendment itself did not change. The ballot title changed from “Save Our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes” to “Increased Homestead Exemption; Lower Cap on Increases in Non-Homestead Property Assessments.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Amendment 3 eliminate property taxes in Florida?
No. It increases the homestead exemption for non-school taxes and lowers the assessment cap on non-homestead property.

When is the vote, and what does it take to pass?
November 3, 2026. It needs at least 60% of the votes cast on the measure.

If it passes, when would it take effect?
January 1, 2027. The exemption would rise to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028.

Does it apply to my second home in Sarasota?
Not the larger exemption. Second homes would see annual assessment increases capped at 5% instead of 10%.

I’m moving to Sarasota in 2027. Would I qualify?
You would receive the current homestead exemption when you qualify. The larger exemption would begin in your fifth year of exemption.

Would it lower my school taxes?
No. School levies are excluded.

Where can I read the official ballot language?
On the Florida Department of State website (linked below).

2026 Florida Property Tax Amendment 3 Resources

Official and Nonpartisan

Sarasota-Specific

The Campaigns (for balance)

This page is for general information only and does not constitute tax, legal, or voting advice. Laughlin Tanner Group takes no position on Amendment 3. Consult a qualified tax professional or attorney about your specific situation. Information current as of September 22, 2026.