Is there an income limit for the Florida disabled veteran exemption?

No income limit for the §196.081 total exemption.

How do I apply for the Florida disabled veteran exemption, and what is the deadline?

File Form DR-501 — Original Application for Homestead and Related Tax Exemptions with your county Property Appraiser. March 1 of the tax year. Late applications are generally accepted through ~25 days after the August TRIM (Notice of Proposed Property Taxes) mailing — roughly early September.

Florida Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption

Florida fully exempts the homestead of a veteran with a service-connected total & permanent disability — 100% of the property tax bill.

Key information

100% / total & permanent rating: Full exemption (bill → $0)
Income limit: No income limit for the §196.081 total exemption.
File with: your county Property Appraiser
Deadline: March 1 of the tax year. Late applications are generally accepted through ~25 days after the August TRIM (Notice of Proposed Property Taxes) mailing — roughly early September.
Governing law: Fla. Stat. §196.081, §196.082, §196.091, §196.24

What you qualify for

Service-connected total & permanent disability (permanent FL resident, honorably discharged)

Full exemption from all ad valorem taxes on your homestead (§196.081).

Totally disabled (service-connected), holds a VA Specially Adapted Housing grant, confined to a wheelchair

Full exemption (§196.091). Note: statute says "total," not "total and permanent."

Age 65+ with a combat-related disability (partial or total)

A discount equal to your VA disability percentage — e.g., a 40% rating = 40% off your tax (§196.082).

Service-connected disability of 10% or more

$5,000 off assessed value (§196.24).

Surviving spouses

The §196.081 total exemption carries over to a surviving spouse who holds title and has not remarried, and can transfer to a new homestead (capped). The §196.082 age-65+ combat discount also carries to the surviving spouse. The §196.091 wheelchair exemption has NO surviving-spouse portability.

How to claim it

1Get the form: Form DR-501 — Original Application for Homestead and Related Tax Exemptions · or Form DR-501DV — Homestead Tax Discount, Veterans Age 65+ with a Combat-Related DisabilityNot sure which form fits your situation, or want it filled in for your county? Email support@taxedfairly.com and we'll send you the right form with your details pre-filled.
2A VA letter certifying the service-connected total & permanent disability (or the combat-related rating for the 65+ discount), proof of honorable discharge, and Florida residency. File with your county Property Appraiser.
3File with your county Property Appraiser before the deadline: March 1 of the tax year. Late applications are generally accepted through ~25 days after the August TRIM (Notice of Proposed Property Taxes) mailing — roughly early September.

Residency: You must be a permanent Florida resident with a homestead (primary residence) on the property.

Commonly missed

The §196.081 total exemption is the big one for 100% permanent & total vets. The $5,000 §196.24 exemption is separate and much smaller.
The age-65+ combat-related discount (§196.082) is a percentage discount, not a full exemption, and is one of the most under-claimed Florida benefits — and it carries to the surviving spouse.

Want it handled for you?

This exemption is free to file yourself with your county Property Appraiser — the form and steps are right above, and your local County Veterans Service Officer can also help at no cost.

If you'd rather not deal with the paperwork, we'll prepare and file it for you as an optional done-for-you service — a flat fee, and you only pay if your exemption is approved. We pull and organize your VA documents, complete the correct form, and submit it, then send you a copy.

Have us file it →

We are a private filing-assistance service, not the VA or a government agency, and not a law firm. We do not charge for VA disability claims — this is help with a state/county property tax exemption that uses your existing VA rating.

Frequently asked questions

Who qualifies for the Florida disabled veteran property tax exemption?: Service-connected total & permanent disability (permanent FL resident, honorably discharged): Full exemption from all ad valorem taxes on your homestead (§196.081). You must be a permanent Florida resident with a homestead (primary residence) on the property.
Does a 100% VA disability rating fully exempt my property in Florida?: Yes. Full exemption from all ad valorem taxes on your homestead (§196.081).
Is there an income limit for the Florida disabled veteran exemption?: No income limit for the §196.081 total exemption.
Can a surviving spouse keep the Florida disabled veteran exemption?: The §196.081 total exemption carries over to a surviving spouse who holds title and has not remarried, and can transfer to a new homestead (capped). The §196.082 age-65+ combat discount also carries to the surviving spouse. The §196.091 wheelchair exemption has NO surviving-spouse portability.
How do I apply for the Florida disabled veteran exemption, and what is the deadline?: File Form DR-501 — Original Application for Homestead and Related Tax Exemptions with your county Property Appraiser. March 1 of the tax year. Late applications are generally accepted through ~25 days after the August TRIM (Notice of Proposed Property Taxes) mailing — roughly early September.

Not a disabled veteran, or think your home is simply over-assessed? See our Florida property tax appeal guide.

Information is believed accurate as of the last review; verify details with your county Property Appraiser, as rules can change.