Florida Senate - 2025 SB 1018 By Senator Ingoglia 11-01515-25 20251018__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to homestead exemptions; amending s. 3 196.031, F.S.; increasing the homestead tax exemption 4 amount for all levies, except for assessments for 5 special benefits; deleting homestead tax exemptions 6 for all levies other than school district levies; 7 providing a contingent effective date. 8 9 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 10 11 Section 1.Subsection (1) of section 196.031, Florida 12 Statutes, as amended by chapter 2024-261, Laws of Florida, is 13 amended to read: 14 196.031Exemption of homesteads. 15 (1)(a)A person who, on January 1, has the legal title or 16 beneficial title in equity to real property in this state and 17 who in good faith makes the property his or her permanent 18 residence or the permanent residence of another or others 19 legally or naturally dependent upon him or her, is entitled to 20 an exemption from all taxation, except for assessments for 21 special benefits, up to the assessed valuation of $75,000 22 $25,000 on the residence and contiguous real property, as 23 defined in s. 6, Art. VII of the State Constitution. Such title 24 may be held by the entireties, jointly, or in common with 25 others, and the exemption may be apportioned among such of the 26 owners as reside thereon, as their respective interests appear. 27 If only one of the owners of an estate held by the entireties or 28 held jointly with the right of survivorship resides on the 29 property, that owner is allowed an exemption of up to the 30 assessed valuation of $75,000 $25,000 on the residence and 31 contiguous real property. However, an exemption of more than 32 $75,000 $25,000 is not allowed to any one person or on any one 33 dwelling house, except that an exemption up to the assessed 34 valuation of $75,000 $25,000 may be allowed on each apartment or 35 mobile home occupied by a tenant-stockholder or member of a 36 cooperative corporation and on each condominium parcel occupied 37 by its owner. Except for owners of an estate held by the 38 entireties or held jointly with the right of survivorship, the 39 amount of the exemption may not exceed the proportionate 40 assessed valuation of all owners who reside on the property. 41 Before such exemption may be granted, the deed or instrument 42 shall be recorded in the official records of the county in which 43 the property is located. The property appraiser may request the 44 applicant to provide additional ownership documents to establish 45 title. 46 (b)Every person who qualifies to receive the exemption 47 provided in paragraph (a) is entitled to an additional exemption 48 of up to $25,000 on the assessed valuation greater than $50,000 49 for all levies other than school district levies. The $75,000 50 $25,000 value of the additional exemption provided in this 51 subsection paragraph shall be adjusted annually on January 1 of 52 each year for inflation using the percentage change in the 53 Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, U.S. City Average, 54 all items 1967=100, or successor reports for the preceding 55 calendar year as initially reported by the United States 56 Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, if such percent 57 change is positive. 58 (8)Unless the homestead property is totally exempt from ad 59 valorem taxation, the exemption exemptions provided in 60 subsection (1) paragraphs (1)(a) and (b) shall be applied before 61 other homestead exemptions, which shall then be applied in the 62 order that results in the lowest taxable value. 63 Section 2.This act shall take effect on the effective date 64 of the amendment to the State Constitution proposed by SJR 1016 65 or a similar joint resolution having substantially the same 66 specified intent and purpose, if such amendment to the State 67 Constitution is approved at the next general election or at an 68 earlier special election specifically authorized by law for that 69 purpose.