The limit
You may transfer your Save Our Homes difference, meaning just value minus assessed value, up to $500,000, to a new Florida homestead.
SUMTER · LAKE · MARION · HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION
Buy the home. Then file the homestead exemption.
The homestead exemption is not automatic, and it does not transfer from the seller. If The Villages is now your permanent home, you apply with the property appraiser in the county where the parcel sits, which may be Sumter, Lake, or Marion, by March 1 of the tax year you want it to apply.
Short answer: You qualify if you hold title and make the home your permanent residence on January 1, then apply with your county property appraiser by March 1. The exemption removes up to $25,000 of assessed value from all property taxes and up to another $25,000, now adjusted for inflation, from non-school taxes on assessed value above $50,000. It also starts the Save Our Homes cap of 3% or CPI, whichever is lower.
January 1Own the home and make it your permanent residence on this date.
March 1File with the county property appraiser by this deadline for that tax year.
Save Our HomesOnce granted, yearly assessed-value increases are capped at 3% or CPI, whichever is lower.
Start with the right county
The Villages spans three counties, and a Villages mailing address does not tell you which one handles your exemption. Confirm the county on the parcel record or your closing documents before you file.
| County | Where to apply | Before you start |
|---|---|---|
| Sumter | Sumter County Property Appraiser homestead application | Have your Florida driver license or ID number and issue date ready. |
| Lake | Lake County Property Appraiser exemptions | Gather Florida residency documents such as a driver license, vehicle registration, and voter registration. |
| Marion | Marion County Property Appraiser exemption filing | File online, by mail, or in person at the Ocala office. |
File in this order
- Close and record the deed.The owners on the recorded deed should match the people applying.
- Establish Florida residency.A Florida driver license, vehicle registration, and voter registration all help show permanent residence. Use the residency checklist →
- Apply by March 1.Apply for a year when you owned and occupied the home on January 1. A closing in October 2026 generally means applying by March 1, 2027 for the 2027 tax year.
- Add portability if you are leaving another Florida homestead.The transfer of a Save Our Homes benefit is filed on its own form with the homestead application.
- Check the August notice.The proposed-tax notice mailed each August shows whether the exemption was applied.
Why the seller’s tax bill is not your tax bill
Save Our Homes limits assessed-value growth only while the same owner keeps the homestead. After a sale, the property is generally reassessed at just value as of the next January 1, so a long-time owner’s capped bill can understate what a new buyer will pay. Mo’s estimator starts from the expected purchase price instead of the seller’s bill.
Portability when you move from another Florida homestead
The timing
The new homestead must be established by January 1 of the third year after the prior homestead was abandoned, and the transfer form is filed with the new homestead application.
Downsizing
If the new home’s just value is lower than the old one’s, the benefit is proportional: the new assessed value equals the new just value divided by the old just value, multiplied by the old assessed value.
Illustration only. Suppose your old homestead had a $400,000 just value and a $250,000 assessed value, a $150,000 difference.
| Move to a $500,000 home | The full $150,000 difference ports, for a starting assessed value of $350,000. |
|---|---|
| Move to a $300,000 home | $300,000 ÷ $400,000 × $250,000 gives a starting assessed value of $187,500. |
The county property appraiser makes the actual determination.
Other exemptions to ask about
Florida law provides additional exemptions for some seniors with limited income, veterans and active-duty military, certain surviving spouses, and people with disabilities. Amounts and eligibility differ, and some depend on county or city adoption. The Florida Department of Revenue publishes guides, and the county property appraiser decides each application.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Homestead questions from new owners
Does the seller’s homestead exemption transfer to me?
No. The seller’s exemption ends with the sale. You must apply in your own name with the county property appraiser.
I closed in November. When can I get the exemption?
If you owned the home and made it your permanent residence on January 1 of the next year, apply by March 1 of that year. The exemption then applies to that year’s taxes.
Can a seasonal resident claim the Florida homestead exemption?
Only if the Florida home is your permanent residence. Owners who keep their primary home in another state generally do not qualify, and property appraisers review residency evidence.
What happens if I miss March 1?
Missing the deadline generally waives the exemption for that tax year. Contact the property appraiser promptly, because late applications are accepted only in limited circumstances.
Which county is my Villages home in?
Check the parcel on the property appraiser’s website or your closing documents. The Villages includes land in Sumter, Lake, and Marion counties, and the mailing city does not settle the question.
Buying in The Villages and want the real tax number?
Mo will confirm the parcel’s county, estimate the post-sale assessment, and add the bond, amenity fee, and district charges so your monthly budget is honest.
Official sources and references
Checked September 14, 2026. Rates, forms, and program rules change, so confirm the current version before relying on a number.
- Florida Statutes §196.031: Homestead exemption
- Florida Statutes §193.155: Save Our Homes and portability
- Florida Department of Revenue: Property tax exemptions
- Sumter County Property Appraiser: Homestead application
- Lake County Property Appraiser: Exemptions
- Marion County Property Appraiser: Exemption filing
- Mo’s Villages property-tax estimator
Important: General real estate information only—not legal, tax, insurance, title, engineering, or financial advice. Mo Mufti is a Florida REALTOR® (license SL3600299) with LPT Realty, LLC, not an attorney, CPA, insurance agent, or inspector. Use qualified Florida professionals for your situation.
More Florida costs & rules: Transfer tax calculator · Who pays closing costs · Capital gains when selling · Florida residency checklist · 4-point and wind mitigation · Sinkhole due diligence · Flood disclosure · Buyer agreements · Downsizing in The Villages