By state · Florida
Florida’s property tax exemption for disabled veterans.
100% P&T: homestead totally exempt; smaller breaks start at 10%. Here is who qualifies, what it covers, and how to claim it.
Checked against state sources · July 16, 2026
- At a 100% permanent & total rating
- Total exemption from ad valorem taxes on the homestead for honorably discharged veterans with a service-connected total and permanent disability (F.S. 196.081). A similar exemption covers veterans confined to wheelchairs.
- Below 100%
- Two more tiers: a $5,000 assessed-value reduction for veterans 10%+ disabled by wartime service or misfortune (F.S. 196.24, not limited to the homestead), and for combat-related disabilities at age 65+, a discount equal to your disability percentage (F.S. 196.082).
- Income test
- None. The exemption does not depend on your income.
- Surviving spouses
- All three benefits can carry over to the surviving spouse under conditions; the 65+ combat discount carries to an unremarried spouse who holds title and stays in the home.
- How to apply
- File form DR-501 with your county property appraiser, generally by March 1. You can apply before your VA paperwork arrives; once it comes through, the exemption is effective from your original application date.
- Worth knowing
- Two extras worth knowing: deployed service members can claim an exemption for time deployed on designated operations (F.S. 196.173), and renting out your homestead on service orders does not forfeit the homestead exemption (F.S. 196.061).
Before you count on this: exemption law changes by legislative session, and counties administer the details. Confirm current amounts and deadlines with your county assessor or the official source below. Figures on this page were checked July 16, 2026.
Official source: Florida DOR — property tax benefits for veterans (PT-109)
A property-tax exemption lowers the monthly payment a lender counts in your file, which can raise what you qualify for. Run your numbers with the exemption’s effect via the buying-power calculator (use the property-tax override in advanced options), and see the funding fee guide for the other big disability-related saving.
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