Why are Florida property taxes higher after you buy a house?

Under Save Our Homes, a homestead's assessed value can rise by no more than 3% or inflation each year. After a sale, the home is reassessed at full market value on January 1 of the next year, so the new owner's bill is based on a higher value.

When does the new property tax bill start after buying in Florida?

The reassessment happens on January 1 after the sale, so the higher amount appears on the tax bill mailed around November 1 of that year.

How much is the Florida homestead exemption in 2026?

Up to $51,411 for non-school taxes: $25,000 on the first $25,000 of assessed value, plus $26,411 on assessed value above $50,000. For school taxes it is $25,000.

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Florida property tax

Why Florida property tax goes up after you buy a home

The tax shown on a Florida listing is the seller's bill. After the sale, the next owner's bill is often thousands of dollars higher. It isn't a mistake. It's how Florida law works.

Last reviewed October 5, 2026 · Written for Florida home buyers and buyer's agents

The short version

A homestead's assessed value can only rise a little each year, under a rule called Save Our Homes.
When the home sells, the assessed value resets to market value on January 1 of the next year.
The buyer's bill is based on that reset value, minus whatever exemptions the buyer qualifies for.

How the gap builds up

Under Florida Statutes s. 193.155, the assessed value of a homestead can rise each year by no more than 3% or the change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower. For 2026 that cap is 2.7%. In years when home values climb faster, a long-time owner's assessed value falls further and further below what the home is worth.

The same statute then says a property "shall be assessed at just value as of January 1 of the year following a change of ownership." At the sale, the gap closes all at once, and the new owner is taxed on full value.

Homes that aren't anyone's homestead, such as second homes and rentals, have a separate 10% annual cap that applies to non-school taxes only (s. 193.1554). School taxes are charged on full value, and this cap also resets after a change of ownership.

What the buyer gets back: the homestead exemption

A buyer who makes the home their permanent residence can claim the homestead exemption. For 2026:

Exemption	Applies to	2026 amount
First exemption, on the first $25,000 of assessed value	All property taxes, including school	$25,000
Second exemption, on assessed value above $50,000	Non-school taxes only	$26,411
Most a homestead can exempt	Non-school / school	$51,411 / $25,000

The second exemption was a flat $25,000 until voters approved indexing it to inflation in 2024. It was $25,722 in 2025 and is $26,411 in 2026.

Two dates matter. To qualify, the buyer must own the home and live in it as a permanent residence on January 1, and apply to the county property appraiser by March 1. A buyer who closes in the spring pays that year's taxes at the seller's level. The reset arrives with the following November's bill.

Portability. A buyer who is leaving another Florida homestead can often bring part of that home's Save Our Homes benefit along: up to $500,000 of the difference between its market and assessed value. They must have had a homestead exemption on January 1 of any of the three previous years (s. 193.155(8)).

A worked example

The same home in the City of Tampa, using Hillsborough's 2025 total millage of 19.8428 mills (6.34 of them for schools) and the 2026 exemption amounts. Taxes only; district fees such as CDD assessments and solid waste come on top.

Owner	Assessed value	Estimated yearly tax
Long-time homestead owner (the seller)	$200,000	about $3,116
New owner with homestead	$500,000	about $9,069
New owner without homestead (second home, rental)	$500,000	about $9,921

An illustration, not a quote. A real estimate depends on the value the property appraiser sets (which isn't always the sale price), the exact taxing districts the home sits in, and any non-ad valorem assessments.

Florida already warns buyers, in capital letters

Every residential sale contract in Florida must include this summary, required by s. 689.261:

PROPERTY TAX DISCLOSURE SUMMARY: BUYER SHOULD NOT RELY ON THE SELLER'S CURRENT PROPERTY TAXES AS THE AMOUNT OF PROPERTY TAXES THAT THE BUYER MAY BE OBLIGATED TO PAY IN THE YEAR SUBSEQUENT TO PURCHASE. A CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP OR PROPERTY IMPROVEMENTS TRIGGERS REASSESSMENTS OF THE PROPERTY THAT COULD RESULT IN HIGHER PROPERTY TAXES. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNING VALUATION, CONTACT THE COUNTY PROPERTY APPRAISER'S OFFICE FOR INFORMATION.

Most buyers sign it without doing the math.

What changes for listing sites in 2027

A 2026 law (chapter 2026-239) adds a new rule to s. 689.261. From February 1, 2027, any public website or app that lists Florida homes must show estimated property taxes for each listing, calculated from the list price and millage rates the Department of Revenue publishes from December 15, 2026.

Those estimates must say that they leave out non-ad valorem assessments (such as CDD fees), exemptions and discounts. The current owner's tax bill may still be shown, but only as historical information.

On the ballot November 3, 2026: Amendment 3. Its official title is "Increased Homestead Exemption; Lower Cap on Increases in Non-Homestead Property Assessments." If at least 60% of voters approve it, from January 1, 2027:

the homestead exemption from non-school taxes would rise to the first $150,000 of assessed value in 2027 and $250,000 from 2028, indexed to inflation from 2029. School taxes would keep the existing $25,000 exemption;
people who aren't permanent Florida residents by December 31, 2026 would get a smaller exemption ($50,000) for their first five years;
the annual assessment cap on non-homestead property (second homes, rentals) would drop from 10% to 5% for non-school taxes.

The Save Our Homes reset after a sale would not change. We'll update this guide after the election.

The Florida property tax calendar

When	What happens
January 1	Ownership, residence and value are set for the year
March 1	Deadline to apply for homestead
Mid to late August	TRIM notice: the proposed taxes for the year arrive in the mail
November 1	Tax bills go out. Paying early earns a discount: 4% in November, 3% in December, 2% in January, 1% in February
April 1	Unpaid taxes become delinquent

How to estimate a buyer's bill before the offer

Use the county property appraiser's estimator. In Hillsborough it's the HCPA Tax Estimator, where you enter the purchase price and whether the buyer will claim homestead.
Add the non-ad valorem lines from the current tax bill (CDD, solid waste, special districts). The estimator leaves them out.
Remember the timing: the reset shows up on the first November bill after the January 1 following closing.

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Sources

This guide explains Florida law and public records in plain English. It is not legal, tax or insurance advice, and laws change. Check important details with the county property appraiser, the tax collector or a Florida attorney.