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Property Tax Exemptions

Florida Statutes define property tax exemptions that are available in the State of Florida. Application for these exemptions must be made between January 1st and March 1st of the year for which you apply. The initial application must be made in person at the Property Appraiser’s office. If you are confined to you home, arrangements can be made to accommodate your particular situation. Failure to apply for any exemption by March 1st constitutes a waiver of the exemption for that year. You as the property owner would then have to wait until the following year to apply. There are provisions within the statutes to allow for a late filing of applications for extenuating circumstances.

After the original application has been filed and approved, most exemptions are renewed automatically by the Property Appraiser. This is based on Florida Statutes and approved by the Board of County Commissioners. This automatic renewal helps to ensure you do not lose your exemption simply because you failed to renew one year. However, there are some exemptions that must be renewed annually by the property owner.

Go to our Download Forms page to download the appropriate application form.

Homestead Exemption Qualification Checklist

Homestead exemption provides a tax exemption up to $50,000 for persons who are permanent residents of the State of Florida, who hold legal or equitable title to the real property, and who occupy the property as their permanent residence. The first $25,000 applies to all property taxes, including school district taxes. The additional exemption up to $25,000 applies to the assessed value between $50,000 and $75,000, but only to non-school taxes.

In addition to the reduction of taxes, the exemption provides a limit on the annual increase of your assessment value.  This limit will be the lower of either the CPI (Consumer Price Index) or 3%. This limitation is automatically applied beginning the second year you qualify for the homestead exemption.

This checklist is designed to ensure that you have all documentation required at the time you apply for any exemption(s).  Prior to applying, please ensure that you meet all eligibility requirements.

HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

(Must meet ALL requirements listed below)

  • You must own AND occupy the home as your PERMANENT residence prior to January 1st of the year for which you are applying
  • You MUST  be a Florida resident as of January 1st
  • You cannot be claiming or receiving any type of tax exemption on any other property in the U.S.
  • You must complete an exemption application in our office by the statutory deadline of March 1st.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION (Please read thoroughly)

  • Florida Driver’s Licenses & vehicle registrations should be issued PRIOR to January 1st & should also reflect your current Florida residence address.
  • ALL documentation MUST be presented at time of application.
  • BOTH signatures are required for married couples.
  • Application must be signed by person receiving the exemption being applied for, or individual with the applicant’s Power of Attorney (must provide copy of POA document at time of application).
  • For any owner who is NOT a US Citizen, you will be required to produce a Resident Alien Card (in addition to the other documentation required). NO temporaries will be accepted.
  • MOBILE HOME OWNERS – If you own the land and the mobile home, you MUST apply for a Real Property (“RP”) Decal, pursuant to Florida Statute 193.075. No exemption application can be taken until the RP application is complete.  To apply for an RP Decal, the deed and the title(s)/registration(s) for the mobile home will be required.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION:

All documentation listed below must be presented at time of application.  Please utilize this checklist to ensure you have all necessary documentation PRIOR to applying for any exemptions as incomplete or late applications CANNOT be accepted.

NOTE: All documentation listed below must also be presented at the time of applying for any exemptions listed in the “Additional Exemptions” section.

 VERIFICATION OF OWNERSHIP:  Can be any one of the following:

  • Copy of your Warranty Deed or Quit-Claim Deed.
  • Most recent County tax bill.
  • Printout of your property from our website (franklincountypa.net).
  • Closing documents.
  • Other documentation proving property ownership.

 A CURRENT UTILITY BILL AT HOMESTEAD ADDRESS IN APPLICANT(S) NAME IS ALSO REQUIRED.

SENIOR EXEMPTION 

Additional $50,000 Homestead Exemption for Persons 65 and Over.

To qualify for the senior exemption:

  • The taxpayer must qualify for and have or file for Homestead Exemption.
  • The taxpayer must be 65 years of age or older on January 1 of the year for which the exemption is claimed.
  • The total annual household income of the taxpayer does not exceed $20,000. (this income threshold is adjusted annually by the percentage change in the average cost-of-living index).
  • The taxpayer must submit a sworn statement of household income to the property appraiser no later than March 1 each year.

The county or municipality adopts an ordinance that allows the additional senior exemption, which applies ONLY to the taxes levied by the unit of government granting the exemption. Each Taxing Authority has until December 1 of each year to adopt the ordinance and notify our office. They can keep or drop the ordinance from year to year and they can also change the amount of the exemption as they see fit. If no changes are made, the Department of Revenue, notifies this office in late January of the tax year, as to what the current rate will be for the cost of living increase this tax year. That rate is then applied against the previous years’ maximum allowable income, to determine income eligibility.

$5000 WIDOWS OR WIDOWERS EXEMPTION

Widow and widowers who are permanent residents of Florida and who have not remarried are eligible. If a husband and wife are divorced and one of them dies, the survivor is not eligible. You may be asked to have a death certificate filed for the deceased spouse when you apply.

$5000 DISABILITY EXEMPTION

Florida residents with a total and permanent disability or armed service members with at least 10% disability caused by a service-connected disability are eligible. A letter from a Florida physician or a disability award letter from Social Security may be used to verify disability. Veterans may supply a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs as documentation.

$5000 EXEMPTION FOR BLIND PERSONS

Florida residents who are blind are eligible. A letter from a Florida physician, the Division of Blind Services, or the Department of Veterans Affairs will serve as documentation that the applicant is blind.

SERVICE-CONNECTED TOTAL AND PERMANENT DISABILITY EXEMPTION

Any honorably discharged veteran with a service-connected total and permanent disability, surviving spouses of qualifying veterans and spouses of Florida resident veterans who died from service-connected causes while on active duty in the armed forces are eligible. A letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs certifying that the total and permanent disability is service connected is required when the application is made. This exemption is a total exemption from real estate taxes owned and used as a homestead property, less any portion used for commercial purposes. To be eligible you must be a resident of the State of Florida as of January 1st of the year for which you apply for the exemption. The disability exemption may carry over to the veteran’s spouse when they die. You should talk with the Property Appraiser to make this determination.

EXEMPTION FOR TOTAL AND PERMANENT DISABILITY

A.) Any real estate owned and used as a homestead by any quadriplegic, less any portion used for commercial purposes shall be exempt from taxation.

B.) Any real estate owned and used as a homestead, less an portion used for commercial purposes, by a paraplegic, hemiplegic or other totally and permanently disabled person, as defined in Florida Statute 196.012(11), Florida Statutes, who must use a wheelchair for mobility or is legally blind, shall be exempt from taxation. To be entitled to the total exemption you must:

  • Be a permanent resident of the State of Florida as of January 1st of the year in which you apply for the exemption.
  • The prior year’s gross income for all persons residing in or upon the homestead shall not exceed the amount of income as set forth and adjusted in Section 196.101(4)(a)(b), Florida Statutes. Gross income shall include Veteran’s Affairs benefits and any Social Security being paid to the persons residing on the property. A statement of gross income must accompany your application.
  • Requires certification from 2 Florida physicians or from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

RELIGIOUS, CHARITABLE AND EDUCATIONAL EXEMPTIONS

Real estate owned by certain religious, charitable or educational entities that are used for religious, charitable or educational purposes is exempt from property taxation. An exemption must be applied for through the Property Appraiser’s office. The exemption is not automatic. Contact the office for further information.