Does Florida Amendment 3 Help If I Move to Brevard County After 2026?

Yes, with a timing catch. Amendment 3 passed with 61.98% Yes and takes effect January 1, 2027. Nonschool homestead exemption rises to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028 for qualifying residents. People who become Florida residents after December 31, 2026 start on a smaller exemption until their fifth homestead year.

Last updated November 6, 2026.

People moving to Brevard County and the Space Coast usually start with commute times, flood zones, and insurance. After the November 2026 election, the next question is often property tax: does Amendment 3 help if your move lands in 2027 or later? This guide is for relocators planning a primary home in Brevard, not a parcel-by-parcel tax bill. Statewide results and the Florida Department of Revenue set the rules. Your Brevard County parcel record and TRIM notice set the numbers for a specific address.

Did Amendment 3 pass, and when does it affect a Brevard County move?

Yes. It passed, and it first applies to the 2027 tax roll. Florida Election Watch reports 4,917,796 Yes votes (61.98%) and 3,016,195 No votes (38.02%), above the 60% threshold for Florida constitutional amendments. The Florida Department of Revenue's Property Tax Oversight bulletin PTO 26-21 (November 5, 2026) states the amendment takes effect January 1, 2027 and first applies to the 2027 tax roll.

Florida Realtors summarized the measure after the election: larger nonschool homestead relief, a lower non-homestead assessment cap, and no change to education-millage exemptions, Save Our Homes, or portability.

What homestead change should a relocator budget around?

Plan around a larger nonschool homestead exemption starting in 2027, not around a fixed dollar cut on every Brevard bill. Per the Department of Revenue bulletin and the Florida Division of Elections amendment text, the homestead exemption for nonschool taxes rises to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, then adjusts for inflation. Education-millage exemptions stay on today's structure.

Tax year	Nonschool homestead exemption	Education millages
2026	Current law (existing exemption)	Unchanged by Amendment 3
2027	Up to $150,000	Unchanged by Amendment 3
2028 and after	Up to $250,000, then inflation-indexed	Unchanged by Amendment 3

That exemption reduces assessed value used for nonschool millages. It is not a cash payment of $150,000 or $250,000. Your future bill still depends on assessed value, millage for that address, and non-ad valorem charges. Look up the parcel on the Brevard County Property Appraiser site and review the TRIM notice once you have an address in mind.

What if I become a Florida resident after December 31, 2026?

You still get a homestead exemption when you qualify, but it starts smaller until your fifth year of exemption. This is the detail that matters most for people moving to Brevard County in 2027 and beyond.

Per PTO 26-21 and the ballot text, people who are not Florida residents as of December 31, 2026 receive, upon qualifying for homestead:

• Up to $50,000 exemption on assessed value for nonschool taxes
• Eligibility for the increased nonschool exemption beginning with the fifth year of homestead exemption

Florida Realtors notes the same timing: the expanded exemption applies to qualifying homeowners who establish Florida residency by December 31, 2026, and those who become residents afterward receive the existing exemption first, with the larger benefit beginning in their fifth year of homestead exemption, subject to federal constitutional requirements.

Residency timing and homestead filing are separate steps. Establishing Florida residency by December 31, 2026 can matter for the larger path even if you buy later, and you still must file homestead with the property appraiser when you qualify. Implementation details may still come from the Legislature and local offices, so confirm with the Brevard County Property Appraiser before you lock in a move calendar.

Do Save Our Homes and portability still work when I relocate?

Yes. Amendment 3 does not change Save Our Homes or portability. Homesteaded assessed value is still limited under Save Our Homes once you qualify, and portability still lets qualifying owners move differential value from a prior Florida homestead to a new one under the rules that already exist.

If you are coming from another state, you will not bring Save Our Homes protection with you. A new Brevard homestead starts at just value for assessment purposes in the usual way, then Save Our Homes can limit annual increases after that. Portability applies when you already have Florida homestead history that qualifies.

What about buying a Brevard rental or second home instead?

Non-homestead properties do not get the larger homestead exemption. They do get a tighter annual assessment-increase cap for nonschool taxes: the cap drops from 10% to 5% beginning January 1, 2027. Ownership change can still reset assessed value to just value as provided by law, so the lower cap is not a guarantee of a lower bill every year.

If you are comparing a primary move versus keeping an investment or second home in Brevard, model both paths with millage and exemptions for the exact parcel rather than assuming the homestead increase applies.

How should I plan a Brevard County move around these tax rules?

Treat Amendment 3 as one line in a relocation budget, next to insurance, flood zone, HOA or CDD fees, and commute costs.

1. Map residency and closing dates. Ask whether you will be a Florida resident by December 31, 2026, and when you expect to file homestead on a Brevard primary home.
2. Price the address, not the headline. Use the Brevard County Property Appraiser lookup and recent TRIM data for comparable homes. Do not invent a countywide savings figure.
3. If you are on military orders, align closing and homestead timing with your report date. My PCS to Patrick Space Force Base guide covers the base side of a Space Coast move.
4. Compare towns before you fix a tax assumption. North and central Brevard sit closer to Orlando than south Brevard. My Brevard County communities guide and relocation guide help you narrow areas first.

For drive times to Orlando and the airport, see How far is Brevard County from Orlando? If Viera is on your short list, my sister site Moving to Viera Florida goes deeper on that community.

What I see with buyers moving to Brevard County

As a Brevard County Relocation Realtor, I hear the Amendment 3 headline first, then the calendar question: "We close in 2027. Do we get the $150,000 or $250,000 exemption right away?" For many relocators the honest answer is that residency date, homestead qualification, and the fifth-year rule matter as much as the headline numbers. I walk buyers through filing timelines with the property appraiser, and I keep tax talk tied to a specific address instead of a county average. Use my property tax calculator as a planning aid, then verify figures on bcpao.us before you decide.

Frequently asked questions

Does Amendment 3 help if I move to Brevard County in 2027?

It can, but new Florida residents after December 31, 2026 start on the smaller homestead exemption for nonschool taxes and become eligible for the increased amount beginning with the fifth year of exemption. Confirm residency and filing rules with the Brevard County Property Appraiser.

What is the homestead exemption under Amendment 3 for nonschool taxes?

Up to $150,000 in 2027 and up to $250,000 in 2028 for qualifying homestead property, then inflation-indexed, for nonschool taxes. Education-millage exemptions stay on the prior structure.

Does Amendment 3 change Save Our Homes in Brevard County?

No. Save Our Homes and portability stay unchanged. New out-of-state buyers still start without prior Save Our Homes protection from another state.

What changed for non-homestead Brevard property?

The annual assessment-increase cap for nonschool taxes on non-homestead property drops from 10% to 5% beginning January 1, 2027. That caps assessed-value growth; it does not freeze the tax bill.

Where do I check taxes for a specific Brevard address?

Use the Brevard County Property Appraiser site, file homestead on time if you qualify, and review the annual TRIM notice for millage and exemptions on that parcel.

Sources: Florida Election Watch, Amendment 3 results (Yes 61.98%); Florida Department of Revenue, PTO 26-21 (November 5, 2026); Florida Division of Elections, Amendment 3 ballot text; Florida Realtors, Florida voters approve Amendment 3; Brevard County Property Appraiser. General information only; not tax, legal, or financial advice.