Florida Combat-Related Homestead Discount at Age 65

A homestead discount equal to the permanent service-connected disability percentage, for an honorably discharged veteran age 65 or older whose disability is at least partly combat-related.

Also called: property tax, combat-related, age 65, 196.082, homestead discount.

For: Veteran or service member, survivor.

Where it applies

Written for the jurisdictions listed here.

FloridaState

Section 196.082 discounts the ad valorem tax on homestead property the veteran owns and lives in. The veteran has to be 65 or older and partially or totally permanently disabled. The disability has to be combat-related, and the discharge has to be honorable. The discount percentage equals the percentage of the veterans permanent service-connected disability, as VA determines it. A 40% permanent combat-related rating is a 40% discount of the homestead tax. It is not a full exemption. File with the county property appraiser by March 1. The application needs an official VA letter stating the percentage, evidence that reasonably identifies the disability as combat-related, and a copy of the honorable discharge. If the veteran dies first, the spouse can carry the discount forward while holding title and living on the homestead, until remarriage or a sale. A sale allows a transfer capped at the dollar amount on the most recent roll. Age and the combat-related finding are not rating-filter tests. A veteran who already has the full exemption under section 196.081 does not need this discount on that same homestead. The discount is also written into the Constitution, Article VII, section 6(e), which says it is self-executing. Amendment 3 on the November 3, 2026 ballot reprints that paragraph unchanged; if the amendment passes, the discount is taken from a tax bill that no longer includes non-school levies on the first $250,000 of value. See the total and permanent exemption entry for the amendment's terms.

Thresholds

Thresholds for Florida Combat-Related Homestead Discount at Age 65
Gate	Rule
Age 65 and a combat-related permanent disability	The discount equals the permanent service-connected percentage. The veteran has to be 65 or older, honorably discharged, and at least part of the disability has to be combat-related. The rating filter cannot test age or combat-related status.

Sources

Florida Statutes section 196.082Official
Florida Department of Veterans Affairs, housing and property taxOfficial

Legislation

Law the tracker is watching for this entry. See the legislation tracker for every jurisdiction.

CS/HJR 1-F (2026F), Amendment 3 Would exempt the first $250,000 of every homestead from non-school property tax from January 1, 2027

Catalog reconciledAwaiting a voteScope changed

Passed 2026-06-02

Introduced Done, 2026-06-01, step 1 of 7
In committee Done, 2026-06-01, step 2 of 7
Passed one chamber Done, 2026-06-02, step 3 of 7
Passed the legislature Done, 2026-06-02, step 4 of 7
On the ballot Done, 2026-06-16, step 5 of 7
Approved by voters Next, step 6 of 7
In effect Not yet, step 7 of 7

Expands and restricts Would exempt the first $250,000 of a homestead from non-school levies, but make new residents wait five years.

Not yet law. A joint resolution passed in the June 1 to 3, 2026 special session and placed on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot as Amendment 3; it needs 60 percent of the vote. It would exempt the first $250,000 of a homestead’s value from all levies other than school district levies, require a general law scheduling full elimination, limit how local governments use the remaining property tax, cap non-homestead assessment growth, and make anyone who establishes residency after January 1, 2027 wait five years for the increased exemption. It reprints the combat-related disabled veteran discount in Article VII, section 6(e) unchanged. A veteran fully exempt under section 196.081 gains nothing; the $5,000 exemption and the combat discount would apply to a smaller bill.

Updated

Last updated 2026-09-30.

Request an update

Out of date, a broken link, or something else wrong? Say what you found, and an editor checks it against the official source.

Disclaimer

VetTOC is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense. Information is for reference only and is not an eligibility determination. Verify with VA, the relevant state or territory, or an accredited VSO.