Canadian snowbirds who own property in Florida could find themselves carrying a larger share of local property taxes if voters approve a constitutional amendment in November that would dramatically increase tax exemptions for permanent Florida residents.
Amendment 3, which will appear on the November 3 ballot, would increase Florida’s non-school homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. Beginning in 2029, the exemption would be adjusted for inflation.
The expanded exemption would apply to properties that qualify as an owner’s permanent Florida residence. Most Canadians who spend their winters in Florida while maintaining their principal residence in Canada would not qualify.
Canadian-owned condominiums and homes used as seasonal residences are generally considered non-homestead properties under Florida law and would continue to be taxed on substantially more of their assessed value than comparable properties owned by permanent Florida residents.
The amendment does contain one provision that would benefit snowbirds and other non-homestead owners. The maximum annual increase in the assessed value of non-homestead property, for taxes subject to the cap, would be reduced from 10 percent to five percent.
That could provide significant protection in years when Florida property values rise rapidly, particularly for Canadians who have owned the same property for several years. It would have little effect, however, in years when assessments increase by less than five percent.
The larger concern for non-homestead owners is how Florida municipalities and counties respond to the loss of taxable property created by the expanded exemption.
Local governments rely heavily on property taxes to fund police, fire departments, road maintenance and other municipal services. With permanent residents receiving substantially larger exemptions, municipalities could respond by reducing spending, increasing other fees or raising property tax rates within existing legal limits.
Any increase in the local millage rate would also apply to non-homestead properties. That could create a considerable difference between the tax treatment of a permanent Florida resident and a Canadian snowbird who owns an identical property.
A condominium assessed at $600,000 and owned by a permanent resident could eventually have as much as $250,000 removed from the portion of its value subject to affected non-school property taxes. A similar unit owned by a Canadian seasonal resident would not receive the expanded homestead exemption.
If the local government subsequently increased its property tax rate to recover some of the lost revenue, the Canadian owner would pay that higher rate against a significantly larger taxable assessment.
The amendment does not impose a special tax on Canadians or other foreign property owners. The potential impact comes from the difference between homestead and non-homestead property and from decisions local governments may make after the amendment takes effect. The issue could be particularly significant in South Florida, where Canadian seasonal residents own large numbers of condominiums and homes.
According to Florida Realtors data reported by Global News, Canadians accounted for 37.8 percent of international buyer demand in Florida during the first three months of 2026. Communities including Hallandale Beach, Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, Sunny Isles Beach, Aventura and Boca Raton have traditionally attracted large numbers of Canadian snowbirds, making the treatment of non-homestead property particularly relevant in those areas.
The financial impact on local governments is expected to be substantial. Florida TaxWatch has estimated that the amendment could reduce local government property tax revenues by billions of dollars over its first several years. Separate local estimates in South Florida have also projected significant reductions in taxable revenue once the expanded homestead exemption is fully implemented.
Palm Beach Gardens has estimated that the $250,000 exemption could eventually reduce its annual property tax revenue by approximately $24 million. The city calculated that replacing the entire loss through property taxes alone could require increasing its millage rate from 5.0537 to 6.5152 mills, an increase of approximately 29 percent.
That calculation is a financial scenario rather than a proposed tax increase, and local governments could choose to respond to the revenue loss in other ways.
The amendment is part of a broader effort by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and state lawmakers to reduce property taxes on permanent Florida homeowners. Earlier proposals included much larger reductions and possible elimination of some homestead property taxes. The measure ultimately placed before voters preserves property taxation while sharply increasing the exemption available to homestead properties.
For non-homestead owners, including Canadian snowbirds, the result would be mixed. The lower five percent assessment cap would provide additional protection against rapid increases in property values, while the expanded homestead exemption could leave non-resident property owners representing a larger portion of the remaining municipal tax base.
Amendment 3 requires approval from at least 60 percent of Florida voters. If approved on November 3, the first increase in the homestead exemption would take effect in 2027.
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