Broward County · Florida
What Out-of-State Buyers
Need to Know About
Florida Property Taxes
The tax bill you see on a listing most likely will not be your tax bill moving forward. Here's how Florida's system actually works — and how to estimate what you'll really pay.
Start Here
Watch: Florida Property Taxes Explained
This short video breaks down assessed value, millage rates, exemptions, and why a home's current tax bill almost never reflects what you'll owe as the new owner.
The Core Problem
Why the Seller's Tax Bill Misleads You
Florida caps how fast a primary homeowner's taxable value can rise. When a home sells, that cap resets — and your assessed value jumps to full market value. The current owner's tax bill can be dramatically lower than yours will be.
Save Our Homes Cap
Florida limits annual increases in a homesteaded property's assessed value to 3% or the CPI, whichever is less. Long-term owners can have taxable values far below market — a gap you inherit nothing of.
Assessment Resets on Sale
The moment you close, the county reassesses the property. Your taxable value typically resets to the purchase price or just-value — erasing decades of cap protection the seller built up.
Exemptions Don't Transfer
The seller's homestead exemption disappears at closing. You must apply for your own — and you won't qualify until January 1 of the following year after you establish Florida primary residency.
Millage Rates Vary
Your final tax bill depends on which city you're in, which school district, whether there's a CDD, and other levies. Two houses at the same price in different neighborhoods can have materially different tax bills.
The Homestead Exemption — What It Is & What It's Worth
Florida's Homestead Exemption is one of the most valuable perks of making Broward County your primary home. It removes $50,000 from your assessed value for tax purposes — $25,000 applied to all taxing authorities, and an additional $25,000 applied to non-school levies.
In plain terms: in 2025, the basic homestead exemption saved Broward homeowners anywhere from $659 to $1,009 per year, depending on your city's millage rate. That savings repeats every year you're eligible.
To qualify, the property must be your permanent primary residence as of January 1 of the tax year. You'll need a Florida driver's license, and either a Florida voter registration or a utility bill in your name at the property. Out-of-state buyers who close in the fall can apply for the following year's exemption starting in early January.
Important: If you own a homesteaded property anywhere else — another Florida county, another state — you must cancel that exemption before qualifying here.
Step by Step
How to Estimate Your Real Tax Bill
Start with the purchase price
The county will assess the property at or near market value — your purchase price is the best proxy for what your taxable value will reset to after closing.
Subtract the homestead exemption (if you'll qualify)
If this will be your primary Florida residence, subtract $50,000 from your assessed value before calculating. If you're buying as an investment or second home, no exemption applies.
Multiply by the millage rate
The combined millage rate for your specific location — county, city, school board, and any special districts — is applied to your taxable value. One mill = $1 per $1,000 of taxable value.
Use the official BCPA estimator
The Broward County Property Appraiser provides a free, accurate tax estimator specific to your property's location and millage code. It takes about 60 seconds and gives you a real number, not a Zillow guess.
A note for investors and second-home buyers: If you're purchasing as a rental property or second home, you won't qualify for the homestead exemption, and there's no Save Our Homes cap to protect you from future value increases. Budget conservatively — use the full assessed value with no exemption when running your numbers.
Run Your Numbers Before You Make an Offer
The BCPA's Home Buyer's Tax Estimator uses actual millage rates for every address in Broward County. Enter the purchase price, your exemption status, and get a real annual tax estimate in under a minute.