Can You Take Your Save Our Homes Savings to a New Florida Home? (2026)
Quick answer
Yes. As of November 2026, Florida portability lets you move up to $500,000 of Save Our Homes benefit to a new Florida homestead. You must establish the new homestead within 3 years of January 1 of the year you left the old one, and file Form DR-501T by March 1.
| Fact | Figure |
|---|---|
| Maximum transferable Save Our Homes benefit | $500,000 |
| Window to establish the new homestead | Within 3 years of January 1 of the year you left the old homestead |
| Form to file | DR-501T, with homestead application DR-501 |
| Filing deadline | March 1 |
| Save Our Homes annual cap | Lesser of 3% or the CPI change |
| Downsizing | Benefit transfers in proportion to the new home’s just value |
Sources: Florida Department of Revenue, Save Our Homes Assessment Limitation and Portability Transfer (PT-112; checked Nov 6, 2026); Orange County Property Appraiser, exemption filing packet (checked Nov 6, 2026).
What is Save Our Homes portability?
Save Our Homes caps how much the assessed value of a homestead can rise each year, at the lesser of 3% or the change in the Consumer Price Index. Over time, the gap between market value and assessed value becomes your Save Our Homes benefit.
Portability lets most Florida homestead owners transfer, or port, all or part of that benefit from the old homestead to a new Florida homestead, which lowers the assessed value and the taxes on the new home.
How much can you transfer?
Up to $500,000 of benefit. If the new home’s just value is equal to or higher than the old home’s, you can carry the full benefit up to that cap.
If you downsize, the benefit transfers in proportion. Property appraisers use this example: moving from a home with a $300,000 just value to one at $180,000 lets you carry 60% of the benefit, since $180,000 divided by $300,000 is 60%.
How long do you have to use it?
The Florida Department of Revenue says you must establish the new homestead within three years of January 1 of the year you abandoned the old one, not three years from the closing date. Selling late in a year can shorten the real window.
For example, if you give up a homestead in 2026, the clock starts January 1, 2026, so the new homestead must be in place by January 1, 2029.
How do you apply in Orange County?
File Form DR-501T, Transfer of Homestead Assessment Difference, together with the homestead exemption application, Form DR-501, with the Orange County Property Appraiser. The deadline is March 1.
If the property appraiser denies the transfer, the Department of Revenue says you can petition the county’s value adjustment board.
Does portability work for buyers moving from another state?
No. Portability only moves a benefit earned on a Florida homestead. A buyer arriving from another state starts a new Save Our Homes cap the year after the home first receives the homestead exemption.
Have questions about buying or selling here? Call or text 407-706-5000 or visit jaredjones.com.
Jared Jones Team, Brokered by eXp Realty.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum Save Our Homes benefit you can port in Florida?
The maximum transfer is $500,000 of Save Our Homes benefit, which is the difference between the old homestead’s just value and assessed value. If the new home costs the same or more, you can carry the full benefit up to that cap. If it costs less, a proportional share transfers.
How long do I have to use homestead portability?
You must establish a homestead exemption on the new Florida home within three years of January 1 of the year you abandoned the old homestead. The Department of Revenue stresses this is not three years from the sale date, so a sale late in the year can shorten the window you actually have.
What form do I file for portability in Orange County?
File Form DR-501T, Transfer of Homestead Assessment Difference, together with Form DR-501, the homestead exemption application, with the Orange County Property Appraiser. Both are due by March 1 of the year you want the new homestead and the transferred benefit to apply.
How does portability work if I downsize?
If the new home’s just value is lower than the old home’s, you transfer a percentage of the benefit. Property appraisers give this example: going from a $300,000 just value home to a $180,000 home lets you port 60% of the benefit, still subject to the $500,000 cap.
Can I port my homestead benefit from another state?
No. Portability only applies when moving from one Florida homestead to another. New residents from other states start fresh: the home is assessed at just value the first year, then the Save Our Homes cap limits increases beginning the year after the homestead exemption is granted.
What if my portability application is denied?
If the property appraiser denies your transfer, the Florida Department of Revenue says you may file a petition with the county value adjustment board. Keep your closing documents and prior homestead details handy, and contact the Orange County Property Appraiser first to see whether something was simply missing.
Sources
- Florida Department of Revenue: Save Our Homes Assessment Limitation and Portability Transfer (PT-112) (3-year rule, DR-501T, March 1 deadline, VAB petition; checked Nov 6, 2026)
- Orange County Property Appraiser: Exemption Filing by Email or Mail (Save Our Homes cap and portability note; checked Nov 6, 2026)
- Pinellas County Property Appraiser: Portability ($500,000 cap, downsizing example and 2026 timing example; checked Nov 6, 2026)
- Jared Jones on TV (YouTube): Florida Amendment 3: The Truth About Your Property Tax Bill (published Oct 11, 2026)
Related guides
- Winter Garden & Horizon West Real Estate (2026): Buy, Sell and Invest Hub
- How Do You Read a Florida TRIM Notice and Lower Your Tax Bill? (2026)
- Winter Garden Property Taxes Explained: Millage, Homestead, Save Our Homes and Portability
- What Does Florida Amendment 3 Mean for Rentals, Second Homes and New Residents?