Homestead exemption

If you own your Brevard home and it is your permanent residence on January 1, you can get a homestead exemption. File with the Brevard County Property Appraiser by March 1 of the year you want it; it renews automatically while ownership and residence stay the same.

• $25,000 off the taxable value for all taxes, including school taxes.
• An additional exemption applies to non-school taxes; statewide, the combined maximum for the 2026 tax year is $51,411.
• You can apply online, by mail or in person.

Source: Brevard County Property Appraiser: Exemptions · BCPAO online homestead filing · Volusia County Property Appraiser: 2026 exemption amounts

Save Our Homes cap and portability

Once a home has the homestead exemption, its assessed value can rise no more than 3% a year or the change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower. The cap limits assessed value, not your tax bill, and it resets when the home sells.

• New owners start over at market value on January 1 after the sale.
• Portability lets you move up to $500,000 of your Save Our Homes savings to a new Florida homestead; apply by March 1.
• Non-homestead property has a separate 10% cap on non-school taxes.

Source: BCPAO: Assessment caps · BCPAO: Save Our Homes

Amendment 3 (Nov. 3, 2026): bigger homestead exemption

Florida voters decide Amendment 3 on November 3, 2026. It needs 60% to pass. If approved, the homestead exemption for non-school taxes would rise to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, with inflation adjustments after that, and the cap on non-homestead assessment increases would drop from 10% to 5%. It would take effect January 1, 2027.

• People who are not Florida residents on December 31, 2026 would get the current exemption at first and the larger one starting in their fifth year.
• It also limits what counties and cities can spend property taxes on.

Source: Florida Division of Elections: Amendment 3 · 2026 amendment booklet (Florida Dept. of State)

When Brevard tax bills are due

The Brevard County Tax Collector mails property tax bills on or about November 1. Paying early earns a discount: 4% in the first 30 days, then 3% in December, 2% in January and 1% in February. The full amount is due by March 31, and unpaid taxes become delinquent April 1.

• Mailed payments get the discount by postmark.
• A quarterly installment plan is available if you apply by April 30.

Source: Brevard County Tax Collector: Important dates and discounts

Check a property's flood zone

Look up any address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center to see its flood zone and print an official map (FIRMette). Brevard County's Floodplain Administration keeps the county's FEMA flood maps and can help with flood zone and elevation questions.

• Zones starting with A or V are FEMA high-risk areas, where federally backed mortgages require flood insurance.
• Flooding can happen outside high-risk zones too.

Source: FEMA Flood Map Service Center · Brevard County Floodplain Administration

Citizens now requires flood coverage for most homes

Citizens Property Insurance policies that include wind coverage must also carry flood insurance under a phase-in set by state law. Homes in a FEMA high-risk flood zone already need it. Outside those zones, homes with a dwelling value of $400,000 or more need it now, and starting January 1, 2027 every Citizens personal residential policy with wind coverage needs it.

• Condo unit-owner policies and policies without wind coverage are not covered by the requirement.
• New NFIP flood policies usually have a 30-day waiting period, so don't wait until a storm is coming.

Source: Citizens Property Insurance: Flood requirements · FloodSmart (National Flood Insurance Program)

Sellers must disclose flood history

Florida law requires sellers of residential property to give buyers a flood disclosure at or before signing the contract. It covers flood insurance claims and federal flood-damage help, and since October 1, 2025 it also covers flooding the seller knows damaged the home and flood-damage help from any source.

Source: Florida Statutes 689.302 · Florida Realtors: Flood disclosures expand

HOA and condo basics

Florida homeowners' associations are governed by Chapter 720 of state law, and buyers in an HOA community must get the association's disclosure summary before signing the sales contract. Condo buildings three or more habitable stories tall must have milestone structural inspections and structural integrity reserve studies (SIRS) under state law.

• Ask for the HOA or condo budget, reserves, rules and any special assessments before you buy.
• Check the state DBPR condo inspections page for current deadlines.

Source: Florida Statutes 720.401 (HOA disclosure summary) · Florida DBPR: Condo inspections and SIRS

Who issues building permits

In unincorporated Brevard, including Merritt Island and Viera, building permits come from Brevard County's Building Code office, and anyone can search permit records online. Melbourne, Palm Bay, Titusville, Cocoa, Cocoa Beach and the other cities run their own building departments.

• Before you buy, search for open or expired permits on the property.
• Owner-builders apply in person with the county; licensed contractors can apply online.

Source: Brevard County Permit Assist portal · Brevard County: Types of permits

Look up any property

The Brevard County Property Appraiser's free property search shows a parcel's owner of record, assessed and market values, exemptions and recent sales.

Source: BCPAO property search