What Does Florida Amendment 3 Mean If You're Moving to Merritt Island?

Florida voters approved Amendment 3 with about 62% Yes. If you are moving to Merritt Island as a primary resident, the nonschool homestead exemption rises to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, then adjusts for inflation. People who become Florida residents after December 31, 2026 start on the smaller exemption until their fifth homestead year. Education-millage exemptions, Save Our Homes and portability stay the same. Changes begin January 1, 2027.

Last updated November 6, 2026.

Most people shopping Merritt Island from out of state ask about insurance and flood zones first. After the November 2026 election, the next question is often property tax: what did Amendment 3 change, and does a 2027 move-in date change how much homestead relief you get? This post is written for relocators and newcomers, not as a parcel-by-parcel tax estimate. Official statewide results and the Florida Department of Revenue set the rules; your Brevard County parcel record and TRIM notice set the numbers for a specific address.

Did Amendment 3 pass, and when does it affect a Merritt Island move?

Yes. It passed, and it first applies to the 2027 tax roll. Florida Election Watch reports 4,917,796 Yes votes (61.98%) and 3,016,195 No votes (38.02%), above the 60% threshold for Florida constitutional amendments. The Florida Department of Revenue's Property Tax Oversight bulletin PTO 26-21 (November 5, 2026) states the amendment takes effect January 1, 2027 and first applies to the 2027 tax roll.

Florida Realtors also summarized the measure after the election: larger nonschool homestead relief, a lower non-homestead assessment cap, and no change to education-millage exemptions, Save Our Homes or portability.

What homestead change should a relocator budget around?

Plan around a larger nonschool homestead exemption starting in 2027, not around a fixed dollar cut on every Merritt Island bill. Per the Department of Revenue bulletin and the Florida Division of Elections amendment text, the homestead exemption for nonschool taxes rises to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, then adjusts for inflation. Education-millage exemptions stay on today's structure.

Tax year	Nonschool homestead exemption	Education millages
2026	Current law (existing exemption)	Unchanged by Amendment 3
2027	Up to $150,000	Unchanged by Amendment 3
2028 and after	Up to $250,000, then inflation-indexed	Unchanged by Amendment 3

That exemption reduces assessed value used for nonschool millages. It is not a cash payment of $150,000 or $250,000. Your future bill still depends on assessed value, millage for that address, and non-ad valorem charges. Look up the parcel on the Brevard County Property Appraiser site rather than guessing from a headline or an island-wide average.

What if I become a Florida resident after December 31, 2026?

You still can homestead a Merritt Island primary residence, but the larger Amendment 3 exemption may wait until your fifth year. The amendment and the Department of Revenue bulletin state that people who are not Florida residents as of December 31, 2026 receive the existing homestead exemption when they first qualify, with eligibility for the increased exemption beginning with their fifth year of exemption, to the extent permitted by the U.S. Constitution.

That timing question comes up constantly with buyers transferring for Kennedy Space Center work, Blue Origin related moves, or a PCS to Patrick Space Force Base. Homestead still requires the home to be your permanent residence on January 1 and a timely filing with the Property Appraiser. Keep driver license, voter registration and utility records that show when Florida residency began, then confirm the filing calendar with the Brevard County Property Appraiser before you close.

Do Save Our Homes and portability still work when I relocate?

Yes. Amendment 3 does not rewrite Save Our Homes or portability. Florida Realtors and the Department of Revenue both treat those protections as unchanged. Portability still matters if you already own a Florida homestead and are selling it to buy on Merritt Island; the new amendment is a separate layer on nonschool homestead exemption amounts.

If you are coming from another state with no Florida homestead history, portability does not apply until you build Florida homestead history here. Focus first on residency dates, homestead filing after you close, and a lender escrow estimate based on your projected assessed value, not the seller's current tax bill.

What about buying a Merritt Island rental or second home instead?

Non-homestead property does not receive the homestead exemption. What changes under Amendment 3 is the annual assessment-increase cap for nonschool taxes: it drops from 10% to 5% beginning January 1, 2027. That can matter if you hold a rental, a seasonal place or vacant land while you decide whether Merritt Island becomes your primary address.

The cap still resets after a change of ownership or control. A buyer should not assume the seller's capped assessed value carries over. Pair any tax model with flood zone, wind insurance and dock or canal costs that exemptions do not erase. The Merritt Island property tax calculator is a planning tool only; verify figures with the Property Appraiser and your lender.

How should I plan a Merritt Island move around these tax rules?

Treat Amendment 3 as one line on a longer relocation checklist, then verify the parcel before you write an offer. Practical steps I walk relocating clients through:

1. Confirm whether you will be a Florida resident on December 31, 2026, because that date controls the larger exemption path.
2. Look up the specific address on the Brevard County Property Appraiser site and ask how your move-in and residency dates affect homestead filing for the 2027 roll.
3. Ask your lender for an escrow estimate on your projected assessed value and exemption path, not on the seller's current bill.
4. Compare inland, canal and riverfront options with insurance and ownership costs in mind, using the Merritt Island neighborhoods guide and South vs North Merritt Island pages.
5. Use the Merritt Island relocation page for utilities, commute and move logistics while tax rules settle into 2027 guidance.

Military relocators can also start with the Military Relocation Professional page. For a countywide Amendment 3 overview written for Brevard buyers and sellers, see the companion post on my Space Coast Realtor site.

My take for people moving here

I work with a lot of buyers who are still packing in another state while they tour Merritt Island homes. Amendment 3 can help qualifying homestead owners on nonschool taxes, but the December 31, 2026 residency cutoff and unchanged education-millage exemptions mean two buyers looking at the same street can have different first-year tax stories. The useful next step is a parcel look-up and a residency calendar, not a savings promise from a statewide headline.

Questions about a specific Merritt Island address or move timeline? Email [email protected], call 256.479.2800, or book a 30 minute call. When you are ready to browse inventory, search homes for sale on Merritt Island.

Frequently asked questions

When does Amendment 3 start if I am moving to Merritt Island in 2027?

January 1, 2027. The Florida Department of Revenue says it first applies to the 2027 tax roll. The nonschool homestead exemption is $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028 for qualifying homestead owners on the larger exemption path.

I am establishing Florida residency in 2027. Do I get the higher homestead exemption right away?

If you were not a Florida resident on December 31, 2026, you receive the existing homestead exemption when you first qualify, and the increased exemption begins with your fifth year of exemption, to the extent permitted by the U.S. Constitution. Confirm dates with the Brevard County Property Appraiser.

Does Amendment 3 change education millages on Merritt Island?

No. The increased homestead exemption applies to nonschool taxes. Education-millage exemptions, Save Our Homes and portability stay unchanged under the amendment as summarized by Florida Realtors and the Department of Revenue.

Should I budget from the seller's current Merritt Island tax bill?

No. A change of ownership can reset assessment protections, and your exemption path depends on residency and homestead filing. Ask your lender for an escrow estimate based on your projected assessed value.

Where do relocators check Merritt Island exemptions after closing?

Look up the parcel on the Brevard County Property Appraiser website at bcpao.us, file homestead on time if you qualify, and review your annual TRIM notice for millage and exemptions on that address.

Sources

• Florida Election Watch, Amendment 3 statewide results (Yes 61.98%)
• Florida Department of Revenue, Property Tax Oversight Informational Bulletin PTO 26-21 (November 5, 2026)
• Florida Division of Elections, Amendment 3 ballot summary and full text
• Florida Realtors, "Florida voters approve Amendment 3"
• Brevard County Property Appraiser