Save Our Homes Portability Explained

Use the free tool — Homestead Exemption FL

What Is Save Our Homes Portability?

Florida's homestead exemption can lower your taxable value by up to $50,000 and caps how fast your assessed value can rise each year. If you already have a homestead and you move to a new home within Florida, you may be able to carry, or "port," the savings built up under that cap to your new home. This can add up to hundreds a year and thousands over time. But it only happens if you apply — it is not automatic.

Who Qualifies and the Deadline

You must have had a homestead exemption on your prior Florida home.
You must be moving to a new Florida homestead.
The deadline to apply is March 1. Exemption amounts and county rules can change yearly, so confirm the exact date and any local variations with your county property appraiser.

Portability is one of the extra savings people miss most often — worth checking even if you're not sure you qualify, since applying is free.

How the Portability Math Works

Portability is based on the difference between your old home's market value and its assessed value under the Save Our Homes cap. That built-up difference can transfer, in whole or in part, to your new home's assessed value. The exact calculation depends on your old and new home's numbers, and the county property appraiser makes the final determination. This guide does not invent example numbers — use your own values with a tool or with the appraiser's office to see your actual math.

Extra Exemptions Many People Miss

Beyond the basic homestead exemption and portability, Florida law (Florida Constitution Art. VII §§4 and 6; Florida Statutes chapters 193 and 196) provides additional exemptions for:

Seniors age 65 and older (income limits may apply)
Widows and widowers
People with disabilities
Veterans
First responders

These can stack with homestead and portability. Trusts, LLC-owned homes, and non-citizen owners have special rules — confirm specifics with the county property appraiser.

Documents and Forms You'll Need

Form DR-501 for the homestead exemption application.
Form DR-501T specifically for portability.
Supporting documents proving your move date, prior homestead, values, and any age, veteran, disability, or widow/widower status.
You can apply online or in person with your county property appraiser.

What to Do Next

This is general information, not legal or tax advice, and it cannot verify your residency or property values — the county property appraiser makes the final decision. A free tool can read your own numbers — your old home's value, your new home's value, your move date, and your age or status — and walk through whether you qualify, roughly what portability could save you, and which extra exemptions apply to you, plus the checklist to bring to the property appraiser.

Use the free tool

Homestead Exemption FL is an informational tool based on Florida Constitution Art. VII §§4 and 6 and Florida Statutes chapters 193 and 196 as of 2025–26. It is not legal or tax advice and does not file applications; exemption amounts, senior-income limits and county options change yearly. The county property appraiser is the authority. TRIM appeals are handled by Property Tax Appeal FL. It is not affiliated with any county or agency.