Tax
Florida Save Our Homes Portability Calculator
Calculate how much of your accumulated Florida Save Our Homes property tax savings you can port to a new home — and see your annual savings under current law vs. the proposed unlimited portability ballot measure.
Florida's Save Our Homes cap limits annual assessment increases to 3% per year (or CPI, whichever is less) for homesteaded properties, creating a growing gap between market value and assessed value over time. When you sell and buy a new Florida home, you can "port" up to $500,000 of that accumulated savings to your new assessed value — and a November 2026 ballot measure could remove that cap entirely. This calculator shows your portable benefit, new assessed value, annual tax savings, and 10-year cumulative savings.
How Florida SOH Portability Works
The Save Our Homes Cap
Florida's Save Our Homes amendment (Article VII, §4, Florida Constitution) limits annual assessment increases for homesteaded properties to the lesser of 3% or CPI. Over time, homes that have appreciated significantly accumulate a "cap savings" — the difference between market value and assessed value.
Example: You bought a home in 2010 for $300,000. It's now worth $700,000 (just value), but the SOH cap has kept your assessed value at $380,000. Your accumulated SOH benefit is $320,000.
Transferring the Benefit
When you sell and buy a new Florida home within 3 years:
| Scenario | Portable Benefit Formula | |----------|------------------------| | Upsizing (new ≥ prior value) | Full SOH benefit (up to cap) | | Downsizing (new < prior value) | (New just value ÷ Prior just value) × SOH benefit |
The portable benefit reduces your new home's assessed value, not its market value — so you start below market value and the 3% SOH cap begins accumulating again from there.
The $500,000 Cap
Under current law, the maximum portable SOH benefit is $500,000. Homeowners with accumulated savings above $500,000 — common in South Florida's high-value markets — forfeit the excess.
When to Use This Calculator
If you're considering selling your Florida homestead to upsize or move to a different area, use this to understand how much of your accumulated property tax savings follows you — and whether the move makes financial sense.
If you have a large accumulated SOH benefit (home has appreciated dramatically since purchase), this calculator shows how much you'd forfeit under the current $500,000 cap vs. unlimited portability.
If you're comparing the November 2026 ballot measure's impact on your decision — long-time Florida homeowners in high-appreciation markets should see a potentially large difference between the two portability scenarios.
For real estate agents and financial planners advising clients on when and where to move within Florida — the portability timing (3-year window) and proration formula affect the optimal move strategy.
Related Calculators
- Texas Homestead Exemption Calculator — compare Florida's SOH cap approach to Texas's $140,000 exemption model
- Retirement State Tax Comparison Calculator — see how Florida stacks up against other no-income-tax states for overall tax burden
Understanding the Inputs
- Prior Home Just Value
- The "just value" (market value) of the home you sold or are leaving, as shown on the property appraiser's records — not the assessed value. In Florida, just value and assessed value are different: just value is the full market estimate, while assessed value is the capped amount used for taxes. You can find both values on your county property appraiser's website under your parcel record.
- Prior Home Assessed Value
- The assessed value from your most recent property tax bill for the prior home. This is lower than just value due to the 3% SOH cap accumulating over the years. The difference between just value and assessed value is your accumulated SOH benefit — and this is what you're transferring to the new home (up to the applicable cap).
- New Home Just Value
- The market value (just value) of the Florida home you are purchasing. This determines whether you are upsizing (new home ≥ prior home value, full benefit transfers), downsizing (new home < prior, benefit is prorated), or moving to a same-value home. For upsizing, the portable benefit is subtracted directly from the new home's just value to arrive at the new assessed value.
- Combined Property Tax Rate
- The total millage rate for all taxing units on the new home: county, school district, city, and special districts. Expressed as a percentage. Florida's average effective property tax rate is approximately 0.91% statewide, but it varies significantly by county (Miami-Dade ~0.97%, Broward ~1.08%, Palm Beach ~0.93%, Pinellas ~0.78%). Find your specific rate on your county's property appraiser or tax collector website.
- Unlimited Portability Toggle
- Under current Florida law (since 2021), the maximum portable SOH benefit is $500,000. A November 2026 Florida ballot measure (HJR 211) proposes removing this cap entirely — allowing property owners with very large accumulated savings (homes that have appreciated dramatically) to transfer the full benefit. Toggle this to see how the unlimited portability scenario would affect your taxes if the measure passes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Calculators
The FinCalc Team
Personal Finance Experts
The FinCalc team is a group of personal finance writers, analysts, and engineers dedicated to building accurate, transparent financial calculators. Every formula is verified against industry standards and explained in plain language.
Last reviewed and updated: