Florida Amendment 3: What Voters Need to Know to be Informed When They Vote

A plain-language guide to the property tax measure on your November 3, 2026 ballot

This document was created to help voters understand Amendment 3.  It does not tell you how to vote.

Amendment 3 At a Glance What it is: A constitutional amendment that would cut property taxes for homeowners, starting in 2027. What it needs to pass: 60% of the vote — not just a simple majority. What it would cost: Local governments statewide would collect an estimated $4.6 billion to $12 billion less per year, depending on the estimate and year (details below). Example: A Palm Coast homeowner with a $250,000 home could see their bill drop from about $3,769 to about $1,204 a year once fully phased in. The challenge: Nothing in the present amendment says how cities and counties make up the lost money and current funding for services.

What is Amendment 3?

It’s a change to the Florida Constitution that voters decide on November 3, 2026. Its official name is “Save Our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes.” The Legislature voted to put it on the ballot in June 2026. Like all constitutional amendments in Florida, it needs 60% voter approval to pass — a simple 50%-plus-one majority isn’t enough.

Where does my property tax money actually go?

It doesn’t go to “the government” as one thing. A single tax bill is split among several separate governments, each with its own elected board, its own budget, and its own job. Here’s a real example: an actual 2025 tax bill for a home in Flagler Beach, assessed at $183,251, with a total bill of $2,726.58.

Who gets it	What it actually pays for	Amount	Share
County government	Sheriff, roads, parks, courts, social services, land conservation	$1,084	40%
School Board	Public school operations, teacher pay, school construction	$846	31%
City government	Local police/fire, streets, parks, beach services (only if you live in a city)	$722	26%
Mosquito control district	Spraying and monitoring to control mosquito-borne disease	$46	2%
Water management district	Flood control, water supply protection, wetlands	$24	1%
Navigation district	Maintaining the Intracoastal Waterway, boat ramps, beach renourishment	$4	<1%

Even within one line on this list, the money splits further: the county’s share alone is four separate levies (general operations plus three conservation/debt funds), and the School Board’s share is three (general operations, “discretionary,” and construction). None of these agencies can spend your money outside its own mission and sets its own budget and tax rate at its own public hearings, which you can attend.

What would it actually change?

• Bigger homeowner exemption. Rises from $50K to $150K in 2027, $250K in 2028 (school taxes unchanged).
• 5-year wait for new residents. Move here after 2026, you wait before getting the full break.
• Tighter cap on rental and commercial properties. Annual taxable value increase capped at 5%, down from 10%.
• Restricted local spending. Property tax revenue limited to core services: public safety, roads, utilities, debt, pensions, and basic operations.
• Option for more local breaks. Legislature must create a path for cities and counties to offer additional exemptions.

How much could I actually save living in this area?

It depends entirely on your home’s assessed value and where you live — but here’s a real-world example using actual 2025 tax rates for Palm Coast, in Flagler County, applied to a hypothetical $250,000 home:

	Today (2026)	2028, fully phased in
Tax break on home value	$25,000	$250,000
Estimated yearly tax bill	$3,769	$1,204

That’s about $2,565 in savings, or roughly 68% — for this specific example. This is an illustration, not an actual bill. Your county Property Appraiser’s website can estimate your own number.

What might my community lose?

Estimates vary depending on the source:

• Florida Senate staff project local governments statewide would lose about $4.6 billion in the first year (2027–28) and $8.4 billion in the second year (2028–29).
• Other reporting, citing the state’s official Revenue Estimating Conference, puts the cost at nearly $12 billion a year once the tax break is fully phased in.

Either way, the amendment doesn’t create a new source of money to replace what’s lost. Cities and counties would have to decide on their own whether to cut services, raise other taxes and fees, or draw down savings.

What should I check before I vote?

• What is my home’s assessed value, and how much would I personally save? (Your county Property Appraiser’s office can tell you.)
• How much of my city and county’s budget comes from property taxes, and which services rely on it most?
• Would my local government likely raise other taxes or fees, or cut services, to cover the loss?
• Am I a recent Florida resident who’d be subject to the five-year wait?
• Do I rent instead of own? You could still be affected — through your landlord’s taxes or through local service cuts.

Where can I read more?

Ballotpedia — Florida Amendment 3 (2026), full text and background