Florida voters approved Amendment 3 on November 3, 2026. Official statewide results show Yes 4,917,482 (61.99%) and No 3,015,840 (38.01%) of 7,933,322 votes cast, clearing the 60% threshold required for constitutional amendments (Florida Election Watch). Amendments 1 and 2 did not pass.
The ballot title was "Increased Homestead Exemption; Lower Cap On Increases In Non-Homestead Property Assessments" (Florida Election Watch; official ballot PDF). If you want the pre-vote explainer of how homestead works today, see our October 9 guide to Florida's homestead exemption and Amendment 3. This post is the post-passage update for Manatee and Sarasota homeowners, buyers, sellers and investors: what passed, when it starts, and what to do next.
What Passed
Per the official ballot summary and text, Amendment 3 does four big things:
1. Larger homestead exemption for non-school taxes (for Florida residents as of Dec. 31, 2026).
School district levies stay capped at up to $25,000 of assessed value exempt. For all other (non-school) levies, the exemption rises to up to $150,000 beginning January 1, 2027, and up to $250,000 beginning January 1, 2028. The $250,000 amount then adjusts for inflation beginning January 1, 2029, when CPI is positive.
2. A slower phase-in for new Florida residents.
People who were not Florida permanent residents on December 31, 2026 get the existing-style homestead first: up to $25,000 for school levies and up to $50,000 for non-school levies. Beginning with the fifth year of exemption, they receive the increased amount (the $250,000 figure as adjusted), to the extent permitted by the U.S. Constitution. The Legislature must set uniform procedures. Beginning on or after January 1, 2030, a county or municipality may, by a two-thirds vote for a critical local need, shorten that five-year requirement.
3. A tighter non-homestead assessment cap.
For levies other than school district levies, the annual cap on assessment increases for non-homestead property drops from 10% to 5% beginning January 1, 2027. That covers residential real property with nine units or fewer that is not homestead, and other real property not under the homestead/Save Our Homes rules. A sale or change of ownership still resets assessed value to just (market) value.
4. Local spending guardrails and optional deeper exemptions.
Counties and municipalities must use property taxes for listed purposes such as public safety, education and schools, infrastructure, natural resources, bond debt service, employee retirement benefits, and operations and administration. The Legislature must prescribe a uniform procedure for counties and municipalities to raise the homestead exemption, for their own levies, up to full assessed value. Special districts may do the same with voter approval by referendum.
The Manatee County Property Appraiser also notes that Save Our Homes, portability and existing personal exemptions (veterans, seniors, widows/widowers, first responders and disability) remain unchanged (Manatee PA Amendment 3).
What Changes When
The amendment takes effect January 1, 2027 (ballot PDF, Article XII schedule).
For Manatee County, the Property Appraiser's FAQ (Property Appraisers' Association of Florida) states that if approved, changes would first be reflected on the August 2027 TRIM notices and on tax bills delivered in November 2027 (Manatee PA FAQ PDF; Manatee PA Amendment 3). That matches the usual Florida calendar: TRIM in August, tax bills in November (Manatee PA important dates; Sarasota PA important dates).
School taxes do not get the bigger exemption. Non-ad valorem lines on your bill (HOA is separate; CDD and stewardship assessments often ride on the tax bill) are not reduced by homestead exemptions. For how those district fees work locally, see our CDD fees guide for Lakewood Ranch and Parrish. For the early-pay discount on the November bill, see our November property tax bill guide.
Exact dollar savings vary by assessed value, Save Our Homes differential, other exemptions and future millage rates. Neither property appraiser can quote your 2027 bill today, and implementing legislation may still fill in administrative details (Manatee PA FAQ).
What to Do Next in Manatee and Sarasota
If you already homestead here. Confirm your exemption is on file and current with the Manatee County Property Appraiser or Sarasota County Property Appraiser. Lakewood Ranch spans both counties, so check the county on the tax record first. You still need to own and occupy the home as your permanent residence on January 1 of the tax year.
If you're buying and already a Florida resident (or will be by Dec. 31, 2026). File homestead by March 1 of the year you want the exemption. Manatee and Sarasota both use the March 1 deadline (Manatee PA important dates; Sarasota PA homestead overview). Closing and moving in during late 2026 can matter for residency timing relative to December 31, 2026. Talk with a tax professional before making timing decisions.
If you're relocating to Florida in 2027 or later. Plan on the smaller initial non-school exemption until your fifth year of homestead exemption, unless a later local two-thirds vote shortens that timeline. Budget taxes accordingly when you compare homes in Search Homes and run payment scenarios on our tools page.
If you're selling. Buyers will ask how Amendment 3 affects the next owner's bill. Point them to the official sources above and to our pre-vote homestead guide. Remember: after a sale, the home is reassessed at just value the following January 1, so your capped bill is not a preview of theirs (Florida DOR homestead materials, PT-113; Save Our Homes rules). Get a current home value report if you're pricing a listing.
If you own rentals, a second home or other non-homestead property. The annual assessment increase cap for non-school levies falls to 5% beginning January 1, 2027, but school taxes still track just value, and a purchase still resets assessed value. Model holding costs on Invest before you buy or sell.
Key Takeaways
Amendment 3 passed statewide with 61.99% Yes on November 3, 2026 (Florida Election Watch).
Effective January 1, 2027; first shows on August 2027 TRIM and November 2027 tax bills in the Manatee PA guidance.
Non-school homestead exemption rises to up to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028 for Florida residents as of Dec. 31, 2026; school exemption stays $25,000.
New Florida residents after that date start at up to $50,000 non-school and reach the larger amount in the fifth year of exemption.
Non-homestead assessment cap for non-school levies drops from 10% to 5% beginning 2027; sales still reset to market.
File homestead by March 1 with your county property appraiser. Save Our Homes and portability stay in place.
Let's Map This to Your Property
I'm Luis Odon, a REALTOR® with Keller Williams Coastal Living II. I help homeowners, buyers, sellers and investors in Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton, Sarasota, Parrish and Palmetto pull the current tax bill, homestead status and CDD lines so budgets start with real numbers. Se habla español.
Call or text (941) 993-8311, email LuisfjosRealtor@gmail.com, or book a 15-minute call at https://calendly.com/luisodonrealtor. Browse Search Homes, request a free home value report, explore investing, or use our tools.
This article is general information only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Confirm eligibility, deadlines, assessed values and millage with your county property appraiser (Manatee or Sarasota), the tax collector and a qualified tax professional. Implementing legislation and local millage decisions can still affect how Amendment 3 appears on your bill. Figures are from the linked sources as of November 4, 2026, and can change. Equal Housing Opportunity.
