Florida voters passed Amendment 3 on Nov. 3. Post-election counts put the yes vote near 62%, above the 60% a constitutional amendment needs. The state canvassing commission was scheduled to certify results on Nov. 17. Most coverage has focused on how much existing homeowners will save.

The sentence in the ballot text that sets the date

The headline numbers are simple. The homestead exemption on non-school taxes goes from $51,411 to $150,000 in 2027 and to $250,000 in 2028, and it rises with inflation starting in 2029. The ballot summary then adds this condition:

"Persons who are not Florida residents on December 31, 2026, will receive the existing homestead exemption upon qualifying for a homestead exemption, with the increased homestead exemption beginning with the fifth year of exemption, to the extent permitted by the U.S. Constitution."

That language appears in the state's initiative record and in Florida TaxWatch's guide to the 2026 amendments.

St. Lucie County's non-school millage

St. Lucie County has the highest average non-school millage rate in Florida, 15.3 mills by Florida TaxWatch's count, compared with 4.9 in Walton County. A higher rate makes each dollar of exemption worth more here than almost anywhere else in the state.

Amendment 3 and the Torino tax bill

Palm Beach County Property Appraiser Dorothy Jacks told WPTV: "Everyone will continue to pay the school board. In addition, any non-ad valorem assessments, so assessments based usually on fees, the most common one is the solid waste authority, those won't go away."

The Save Our Homes row comes from Florida Realtors' Nov. 4 summary. The non-homestead cap comes from the City of Port St. Lucie's Amendment 3 FAQ.

Why Port St. Lucie's budget feels this more than most cities

Port St. Lucie has one of the highest shares of homesteaded property in Florida. According to the city's FAQ, about 62% of residential parcels carry a homestead exemption, compared with 47% statewide. The city also says many local homes have assessed values at or below the new exemption amounts. Before the vote, it estimated a revenue loss of $26.3 million in the first year plus another $22.1 million in the second, a total of $48.4 million. The city describes the hit as nearly one-quarter of its General Fund, which is expected to collect $105 million in FY 2026-27.

The county is in a similar position. St. Lucie County Communications Director Erick Gill told WQCS after the election that county government expected about $63 million less revenue in the first year and $112 million less in 2028, and that service reductions had not yet been decided. Across all local taxing bodies in the county area, TaxWatch projects $127.7 million in reduced property taxes in FY 2027-28.

This budget pressure affects buyers who don't homestead. TaxWatch notes that when exemptions shrink the taxable roll, a local government's rolled-back rate becomes a "rolled up" rate. That lets a board adopt a higher millage to recover lost revenue by simple majority without advertising it as a tax increase. The city's FAQ warns that higher millage or fees to replace lost revenue could raise costs for non-homestead owners and renters. On that same Nov. 3 ballot, Port St. Lucie residents saw a non-binding straw poll on moving trash pickup from once a week to twice a week for an additional fee.

For now, the starting point is a low city rate. In September the City Council cut the millage from 4.9750 to 4.8750 for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1, the 11th straight annual reduction, WFLX reported. The same report said more than 60,000 new residents have moved to Port St. Lucie since 2020.

Implementing Amendment 3

The documentation rules for the Dec. 31 test are expected to come from the Legislature. Gov. Ron DeSantis said after the vote that he wants a special session and that implementation has to be done by Jan. 1, according to the Florida Phoenix. The incoming Senate and House leaders told the same outlet that implementation might wait until January and is too complex to roll out in a few days. Implementing legislation will likely set the rules for questions like documentation and timing.

The 1982 precedent

Florida has tried a five-year waiting period before. In Osterndorf v. Turner, the Florida Supreme Court struck down a statute that tied a larger homestead exemption to five years of residency. TaxWatch quotes the court: "It is constitutionally prohibited for this state to impose different taxes on its citizens based solely on their length of permanent residence in the state." That case involved a statute. Amendment 3 writes the distinction into the constitution itself, and the qualifier "to the extent permitted by the U.S. Constitution" is part of the ballot language. Courts may still be asked to rule on whether the waiting period holds.

This post is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Confirm your own eligibility and timing with the St. Lucie County Property Appraiser and a qualified tax professional.

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