Seller situation guide
Florida Amendment 3 and Vacant Land in 2026
Florida Amendment 3 would reduce the annual assessed-value cap for covered non-homestead property from 10% to 5% for non-school levies beginning January 1, 2027, if voters approve it. Some vacant lots fall under that cap, but it does not apply to school-district levies, tax rates can change, and a sale generally resets assessed value to just value under current law.[1][2][3][4]
By Parcel Buyers · Updated October 3, 2026 · How we made this page
What Amendment 3 would change for non-homestead property
Amendment 3 is a proposed change, not current law. The Florida Division of Elections identifies it as ballot number 3 for the 2026 election, and the department's election calendar sets the general election for November 3, 2026. The enrolled joint resolution sets the cap at 10% before January 1, 2027 and 5% beginning January 1, 2027. The change would apply only if voters approve the amendment.[1][2][6][5]
The cap limits how fast assessed value can rise from one year to the next. It does not freeze a parcel's market, or just, value, and it does not set the millage rate. Florida's Department of Revenue explains that property appraisers determine value and apply assessment limits, while local taxing authorities set millage rates. A lower assessment cap therefore does not by itself guarantee a lower bill.[2][5][1][6]
The proposed 5% limit applies only to levies other than school district levies. The enrolled joint resolution places that limit in two provisions that expressly exclude school district levies. It does not place the same 5% cap on the school-district portion of a covered lot's assessment.[2][1][5][6]
Which vacant lots use the non-homestead cap
Vacant residential lots are expressly included in Florida Statutes section 193.1554 when they are zoned and platted for residential use and do not receive the homestead exemption. Under current law, those parcels are assessed at just value when they first become eligible, then annual reassessment increases are limited to 10% for non-school levies. Amendment 3 would change that constitutional percentage to 5% beginning in 2027 if approved.[2][3][1][4]
Vacant non-residential land falls under section 193.1555 when it is not covered by the other constitutional assessment limitations. That statute applies to nonresidential real property and to residential property not assessed under the homestead or non-homestead-residential sections. It now uses the same 10% annual limit for non-school levies; Amendment 3 proposes a 5% constitutional limit for this property group as well.[2][4][1][3]
A lot does not receive the proposed larger homestead exemption merely because its owner lives in Florida or intends to build later. The proposal ties that exemption to real estate on which the owner, or a legally or naturally dependent person, maintains a permanent residence. An empty investment lot, second lot, or future homesite without a granted homestead exemption does not become homestead property through this measure.[1][2][3][4]
Why a 5% cap does not equal a 5% tax change
The proposal limits annual assessed-value growth; it does not reduce every assessment by five percentage points. If a parcel's non-school assessed value already equals its just value and that just value does not rise, there may be no cap-related reduction to calculate. If assessed value is below just value, the appraiser can continue moving the assessment upward within the applicable cap. The statutes also require assessed value to be lowered when a capped calculation would exceed just value.[3][4][2][5][7][8]
Taxable value and the final bill involve more than the cap. Millage rates can rise or fall, school-district levies remain outside this cap, and non-ad valorem assessments are separate from millage-based taxes. A parcel-level estimate therefore needs the current just value, non-school assessed value, taxable values, taxing districts, rates, and non-ad valorem assessments.[2][5][3][4][7][8]
The county table on this page does not predict savings. It reports the share of selected DOR use-code 000 records where the 2026 preliminary-roll non-school assessed value is below just value. That gap shows room for assessed value to rise toward just value within the applicable cap. It does not determine a future tax bill or prove that any particular parcel qualifies under section 193.1554 or 193.1555.[3][4][7][8][2][5]
The cap generally resets after a sale
A sale generally resets capped non-homestead residential property to just value on January 1 of the following year. Section 193.1554 defines a change of ownership or control to include a sale, foreclosure, or transfer of legal or beneficial title and directs the appraiser to assess the property at just value after that change. The annual cap applies again in later years. The statute lists narrow exceptions, including certain corrective transfers and transfers between spouses.[3][2][4]
Section 193.1555 also directs property in its category to be assessed at just value on January 1 after a qualifying improvement or change of ownership or control. Its definition includes a sale, foreclosure, and transfer of legal or beneficial title, subject to listed exceptions. The joint-resolution text preserves the constitutional framework for reassessment after ownership changes; it does not promise that a buyer inherits the seller's accumulated cap difference.[2][4][3]
For a seller, this means the current owner's capped assessment is not a reliable forecast of the buyer's next assessment. For a buyer, the seller's present tax bill is not a promise of the next bill. Before signing, compare the property appraiser's just value and non-school assessed value, then ask the county office how the recorded transfer would be treated under current law.[3][4][2]
How to read the selected-county table
The table is a narrow snapshot of eight selected counties, not a statewide estimate. It uses DOR use code 000 and compares AV_NSD with JV in archived 2026 preliminary NAL records. The Department of Revenue's file guide defines code 000 as vacant residential, AV_NSD as assessed value for non-school-district purposes, and JV as the property appraiser's opinion of market value after the statutory adjustment.[7][8][3][4][5]
A value gap does not reveal how long a parcel has been capped, whether it will sell, or how much its next tax bill will change. It also does not prove that every code-000 parcel belongs under section 193.1554 rather than another assessment category. Ownership changes, corrections, value-adjustment decisions, and final-roll updates can change a record. The label therefore stays '2026 preliminary roll.'[3][4][7][8][5]
The useful owner question is parcel-specific: what are today's just value, non-school assessed value, school assessed value, exemptions, and non-ad valorem assessments? If the non-school assessment is below just value, assessed value may continue rising within the applicable cap. If the lot is sold, the statutory reset rules can matter more than the seller's present assessed value.[3][4][5][7][8]
What a vacant-lot owner can check before the vote
Start with the county property appraiser's current parcel record and 2026 TRIM notice. Record just value, non-school assessed value, school assessed value, taxable values, exemptions, and the ownership date. Those fields show whether a value gap exists today. They do not show the final 2027 millage rates or guarantee a result from Amendment 3.[3][4][5][8][1][6]
Separate the proposed homestead exemption from the non-homestead cap. A vacant lot without a homestead exemption does not receive the larger homestead exemption described in the ballot summary. Its possible connection to Amendment 3 is the proposed non-homestead assessed-value cap, subject to the parcel's legal classification and any ownership reset.[1][3][4][5][6][8]
Check this guide again after the election. The status banner is scheduled for an update by November 5 with the official result. If the measure passes, implementation guidance and county systems may add details not available before the vote. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice; ask the property appraiser about assessment records, a Florida attorney about legal questions, and a CPA about tax questions tied to your facts.[1][6][3][4][5][8]
Order of operations
Steps to take
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Open the county property appraiser record and write down the parcel's just value, non-school assessed value, school assessed value, taxable values, exemptions, and ownership date.[3][4][5][8]
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Confirm whether the lot is vacant residential property under section 193.1554 or another kind of property under section 193.1555; do not decide from a mailing address alone.[3][4]
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Compare non-school assessed value with just value. A gap can indicate room for recapture, but it does not calculate the 2027 bill.[3][4]
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If a sale is planned, ask the property appraiser how the transfer and the January 1 reassessment date apply, because current law generally resets the assessment after a change of ownership.[3][4]
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After November 3, verify the official election result and any implementation guidance before relying on the proposed 5% limit.[1][2][6]
2026 preliminary roll
County data
| County | AV_NSD below JV |
|---|---|
| Lee County | 72.4% |
| Hendry County | 73.7% |
| Charlotte County | 56.4% |
| Sarasota County | 54.9% |
| Marion County | 74.9% |
| Citrus County | 73.4% |
| Hernando County | 60.4% |
| Brevard County | 61.7% |
Questions
Common questions
Would Amendment 3 apply to an empty residential lot?
It can. Section 193.1554 expressly includes vacant property zoned and platted for residential use when the property does not receive a homestead exemption. If Amendment 3 passes, the proposed 5% annual limit would apply to the non-school assessed-value growth covered by that provision beginning in 2027, subject to ownership resets and the parcel's actual classification.[2][3]
Would the larger homestead exemption apply to my vacant lot?
No, not merely because you own the lot or hope to build on it. The proposal ties the larger exemption to real estate used as the permanent residence of the owner, or of a legally or naturally dependent person. A lot without a granted homestead exemption must be analyzed under the applicable non-homestead assessment rules instead.[1][2]
Would the 5% cap include school taxes?
No. The enrolled joint resolution applies the proposed 5% non-homestead assessment limit only to levies other than school district levies. The amendment therefore would not place that 5% cap on the school-district portion of a covered lot's assessment.[2]
Does a 5% cap mean my property tax bill can rise only 5%?
No. The cap applies to annual assessed-value growth for covered non-school levies, not to millage rates or the whole bill. School-district assessments remain outside this cap, taxing authorities set millage rates, and non-ad valorem assessments are separate from millage-based taxes.[2][5]
Does the non-homestead cap transfer to a buyer?
Generally no. Current sections 193.1554 and 193.1555 call for reassessment at just value on January 1 after a change of ownership or control, with limited statutory exceptions. The annual cap then applies in later years. A buyer should not use the seller's current assessed value as a forecast without checking the transfer facts.[3][4]
Why can assessed value rise when market value falls?
A parcel with assessed value below just value can still move upward within the annual cap, a process often called recapture. Sections 193.1554 and 193.1555 limit the annual change and also prevent assessed value from exceeding just value. The parcel's exact figures and classification control the calculation.[3][4]
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