To:Property Appraisers
Counties
Municipalities
From:James McAdams
Date:April 26, 2007
Bulletin:PTA-07-02
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE
PROPERTY TAX INFORMATIONAL BULLETIN
Homestead Exemption; Increase; Seniors
The 2007 Legislature enacted Chapter 2007-4, Laws of Florida, effective April 9, 2007, and retroactive to January 1, 2007 (See HB 333.). This law implements HJR 353,the joint resolution, approved by the voters in the November 2006 general election, which created an amendment to section 6 of Article VII of the State Constitution, relating to the optional additional homestead exemption for persons 65 and older.
In summary, this new law increases the additional exemption for low income seniors that cities and counties may grant from a maximum of $25,000 to a maximum of $50,000. Under current law, counties and municipalities must deliver a copy of the ordinance providing for the additional senior exemption to the property appraiser no later than December 1 prior to the year the ordinance will take effect. For the 2007 tax roll only, a county or municipality that has adopted the exemption for the 2007 tax year may increase the exemption by delivering a copy of the adopted ordinance to the property appraiser by June 1, 2007.
Chapter 2007-4, Laws of Florida, specifically revised the law as follows (words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions):
196.075Additional homestead exemption for persons 65 and older.—
(2)In accordance with s. 6(f), Art. VII of the State Constitution, the board of county commissioners of any county or the governing authority of any municipality may adopt an ordinance to allow an additional homestead exemption of up to $50,000$25,000 for any person who has the legal or equitable title to real estate and maintains thereon the permanent residence of the owner, who has attained age 65, and whose household income does not exceed $20,000.
(4)An ordinance granting additional homestead exemption as authorized by this section must meet the following requirements:
(c)It must specify the amount of the exemption, which may not exceed $50,000$25,000. If the county or municipality specifies a different exemption amount for dependent special districts or municipal service taxing units, the exemption amount must be uniform in all dependent special districts or municipal service taxing units within the county or municipality.
Section 2.For the 2007 tax roll only, a taxing authority that has adopted an exemption under s. 196.075, Florida Statutes, for the 2007 tax year may increase the amount of that exemption, subject to the $50,000 limit, by delivering to the property appraiser by June 1, 2007, a copy of the adopted regular or emergency ordinance authorizing the increase.
This information is provided by the Department of Revenue to advise interested parties of legislative action taken during the 2007 session. If you have questions with regard to this matter and wish to discuss them, you may contact Jane Marshall at or 850-414-6100.