Homestead exemption — Texas and Florida

Updated January 2026

A homestead exemption removes a fixed dollar amount from your home's taxable value if it is your primary residence. Texas exempts the first $100,000 of school-district value plus county options. Florida exempts the first $25,000 plus a second $25,000 for non-school taxes and caps annual assessment growth at 3% under Save Our Homes.

This guide shows how to file. For side-by-side amounts across every exemption category (senior, disabled, veteran, portability), see the full exemption comparison.

Side by side

State	Exemption	Cap on growth	Filing deadline
Texas	$100,000 school + local options	10% per year on assessed value	April 30 (Form 50-114)
Florida	$25,000 + $25,000 (non-school)	3% per year (Save Our Homes)	March 1 (Form DR-501)

Eligibility

You own and occupy the property as your primary residence on January 1 of the tax year.
The property is not used as a rental or short-term-let primary use.
You have a valid driver's license or state ID showing the property's address.

Common questions

Does the homestead exemption automatically lower my taxes?

Only after you file. Counties do not apply it by default. In Texas you file form 50-114 with the appraisal district; in Florida you file form DR-501 by March 1. Filing once typically carries forward in the same home.

Can I file homestead and appeal in the same year?

Yes, and you should. The exemption lowers taxable value; the appeal lowers market and assessed value. They stack — both reductions flow into the final bill.

What if I missed the deadline?

Most states allow a late-filed homestead exemption for the prior one to two years. Texas allows back-filing up to two years from the delinquency date. File now even if you missed the original window.

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Research

Every exemption side by side

Homestead, senior, disabled, veteran, portability — with statute references (Texas Tax Code Ch. 11, Fla. Stat. Ch. 196).

Open the exemption comparison