You must file by March 1 of the year you wish to qualify.

There are three ways to apply:

• E File at pbcpao.gov
• Visit one of our five service centers to file in person
• Complete the application online, print it out, and mail it to the Property Appraiser’s Office

Once you qualify, your homestead exemption will be renewed for you annually as long as you continue to qualify for the exemption.

Florida Statute 193.155 states when the ownership changes and/or a homestead exemption is filed, the assessed value of the property resets to the market value. When this occurs, any savings from the 10% cap that may have accumulated will be removed. After the value is reset, the homestead exemption up to $50,000 will be deducted from the assessed value and the Save Our Homes 3% cap will be applied the following year. Please contact our office if you own a non-homesteaded property and decide to homestead it.

You may qualify for a late file application. Because our office needs to verify the eligibility of a late file application, we ask that you come to one of our branch locations to apply. The deadline to file late is mid-September. Please contact us for more information.

No. We will renew your homestead exemption annually as long as you continue to qualify for the exemption. After January 1 of each year, we will send you a homestead exemption receipt by mail to confirm the renewal. You should review the receipt card to be sure everything is correct.

If you have filed for a homestead exemption or if you currently have a homestead exemption and your property is put into a trust, our office does not need the Trust Agreement, which can be large and have personal information.

Instead, we use a Certificate of Trust (COT). The COT lets us know who has beneficial interest along with who is entitled to the use and occupancy of the property. There are two ways to submit your completed COT form:

• Email: pa-trust@pbcpao.gov or
• Mail: Palm Beach County Property Appraiser's Office
  Exemption Services, 1st Floor
  301 N. Olive Ave.
  West Palm Beach, FL 33401

Section 193.155(3) of the Florida Statutes states that a change in ownership requires that the property be reassessed at just value as of January 1 of the year following the change in ownership. This would remove any exemptions and capped saving. There are certain exceptions to this. Please contact our office with any questions.

By Florida law, some data of property owners in certain professions such as law enforcement are exempt from public access. A complete list of those entitled to keep their record confidential is provided on the Confidential Records Request form.

For more information, call us at 561.355.2866.

Florida law allows the following:

• Rental for 30 days or less per calendar year.
• Rental for more than 30 days and less than six months in one year. If you rent again the following year for more than 30 days, you will lose your homestead exemption for that tax year.
• Rental on any day except January 1. If your home is rented on January 1, you will lose the homestead exemption for that year.

Rental for more than six months constitutes abandonment of a homestead exemption.

This statute does not apply to a member of the Armed Forces of the United States.

Property owners are required to notify the Property Appraiser’s Office when their property no longer qualifies for exemption. Failure to do so could result in a homestead tax lien with substantial penalty and interest.

Florida Statute 196.061

Florida Statute 196.011(9)(a)

The top five ways to lose your homestead exemption are:

• Rental – There are restrictions on how/when a homesteaded property may be rented and maintain the exemption.
• Renewal receipt card returned – Every year, the Property Appraiser’s Office mails homestead exemption receipts to each qualifying property owner. If that card is returned to our office, it triggers an investigation.
• Buying or selling – If you buy a new home, you will need to file for a homestead exemption or port your homestead savings to your new property.
• Deed changes – Transferring the deed to an heir or changing the ownership listed on a deed could cause the removal of a homestead exemption.
• Claiming homestead elsewhere – A homesteaded property must be your primary residence. If you claim a residency-based tax benefit on another property, you could not only lose your exemption, you could be subject to a tax lien with substantial penalty and interest.

Anyone may use our online form to report homestead fraud»

Homestead exemption fraud is a serious issue that affects every taxpayer. Homestead exemption was created as a benefit for homeowners who live in Florida and make it their permanent and legal residence. When someone is receiving an exemption to which he or she is not entitled, law-abiding property owners must make up the difference in lost tax revenue by paying higher taxes.

When a property owner files a false application or is no longer entitled to a homestead exemption, they are in violation of the law.

Homestead fraud could be perpetrated by those who:

• Rent their property
• Receive a residency-based benefit based on another property, either in Florida or another state
• Do not notify the Property Appraiser’s Office if the owner is deceased so that the benefit can be removed

Please note that the status of a property on January 1 each year is used to determine the property’s value and exemption status for the entire year. That means if a property owner has homestead exemption and sells their property, their exemption may remain on the property for the entire calendar year, and will be removed as of January 1 of the next year. Although there will still be an exemption on the property after the sale, it is not the new owner’s exemption.