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Florida voters have approved Amendment 3, the property-tax measure championed by Governor Ron DeSantis, with about 62 percent of the vote, clearing the 60 percent threshold Florida requires for constitutional amendments. The Associated Press called the measure approved on election night, November 3, 2026, with roughly 98 percent of votes counted: about 4.89 million votes in favor to about 3.00 million against. Results remain unofficial until the state Elections Canvassing Commission certifies them, scheduled for November 17.
Amendment 3, titled "Increased Homestead Exemption; Lower Cap on Increases in Non-Homestead Property Assessments," was placed on the ballot by the Florida Legislature during a June 2026 special session on property taxes, through House Joint Resolution 1-F. It raises the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes from about $50,000 today to $150,000 starting January 1, 2027, and to $250,000 on January 1, 2028, with annual inflation adjustments beginning in 2029. School taxes are unchanged. The measure also lowers the annual cap on assessment increases for non-homestead properties — second homes, rentals and commercial buildings — from 10 percent to 5 percent. Floridians who were residents by December 31, 2026 qualify for the full new exemption; people who move to Florida after 2026 start at $50,000 for four years.
DeSantis has pushed the measure as a step toward his longer goal of eliminating property taxes on homesteads altogether, and he has estimated that the $250,000 threshold would eliminate the property-tax bill for about 60 percent of Florida homeowners. Supporters say the larger exemption will deliver significant affordability relief to homeowners facing rising housing costs.
Critics, including city officials, educators and first responders, warn that the measure will strip billions from local budgets. State economists estimate it could reduce local government revenue by nearly $5 billion in its first year and nearly $8.8 billion the following year, with the Florida Policy Institute putting the recurring cost at roughly $12 billion, forcing counties, cities and special districts to cut services or raise other taxes and fees to make up the difference. How the state replaces that revenue will determine the measure’s long-term impact on schools, local governments and essential public services.