Snowbird or second home in Port St. Lucie? What Amendment 3 on the Nov. 3 ballot would change for you

If you spend the winter in Port St. Lucie, or you own a second home here, the November 3 ballot has a question about your property taxes. It is called Amendment 3. It would change the Florida Constitution. This article explains what it says, who it affects, and the dates you need. It does not tell you how to vote. That choice is yours.

First, know which kind of owner you are

Florida taxes homes in two main groups. A “homestead” is a home that is the owner’s permanent Florida residence and has a homestead exemption on file with the Property Appraiser. Everything else is “non-homestead.” That includes rentals, businesses and second homes.

So the big question for a seasonal owner is simple. Is this Port St. Lucie house your permanent home, with a homestead exemption? Or is your permanent home somewhere else? Your answer decides which part of Amendment 3 matters most to you.

What changes for second homes: the 10% cap would become 5%

Today, the assessed value of a non-homestead property can go up by no more than 10% a year for most taxes. Amendment 3 would lower that limit to 5% a year. The assessed value is the number your taxes are figured from before any exemptions. It can be lower than the market value, which is what the home might sell for.

• The cap limits how fast your assessed value can grow. It does not set tax rates. Local boards still set those each year.
• The cap applies to non-school taxes. School taxes stay based on full market value.
• If your market value rises less than 5% in a year, a 5% cap would not change your number that year.

What changes for full-time residents with homestead

Under current law for 2026, a homestead gets $25,000 off for all taxes plus another $26,411 off for non-school taxes. That is $51,411 in total. Amendment 3 would leave the $25,000 school part the same. It would raise the non-school exemption to up to $150,000 starting January 1, 2027, and up to $250,000 starting January 1, 2028. Starting in 2029, the larger amount would be adjusted each year for inflation.

The amendment would also let the Legislature, by law, phase out homestead property taxes over time. The City of Port St. Lucie notes there is no deadline for that and no named source to replace the money.

Some things would not change. The Save Our Homes cap on homestead value growth, portability, and the senior, veteran, widow or widower, and disability exemptions would stay in place.

What it would mean for city services

The amendment would limit what cities and counties can spend property tax money on. Allowed uses include public safety, schools, roads and other infrastructure, natural resources, bond debt, employee retirement and operations. Other uses would need a vote of local elected officials.

The City of Port St. Lucie estimates it would lose $26.3 million in the first year and $22.1 million in the second year. That is $48.4 million over two years. The city says its General Fund is expected to collect $105 million in the 2026–27 budget year, so the loss would be close to one-quarter of that fund.

How it passes and when it would start

Because it changes the state constitution, Amendment 3 needs at least 60% of the people voting on it to say yes. If it passes, it takes effect January 1, 2027. You would first see it on the August 2027 proposed tax notice, often called the TRIM notice, and on the November 2027 tax bill.

What to do

1. Look up your own numbers. Go to paslc.gov and use the “Search By Real Estate” tool. Open your Record Card and click the Value tab. You will see market value, assessed value and taxable value side by side. Questions go to the St. Lucie County Property Appraiser at 772-462-1000.
2. Check your exemption status. Your August TRIM notice lists any exemptions and the 3% or 10% capped benefit. The Property Appraiser has offices at 2300 Virginia Ave., Fort Pierce, and 250 NW Country Club Drive in St. Lucie West. The filing deadline for exemptions is March 1 each year.
3. If you vote in St. Lucie County and want a mail ballot, request it by Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 5 p.m. at stlucievotes.gov or by calling the Supervisor of Elections at 772-462-1500.
4. Early voting runs Monday, October 19, through Saturday, October 31, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day, including Sunday, October 25. Sites in Port St. Lucie include the Port St. Lucie Community Center, 2195 SE Airoso Blvd., and the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Event Center, 9221 SE Event Center Place. The full list of eight sites is at stlucievotes.gov.
5. On Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. If you are registered to vote in another state, follow that state’s rules instead.
6. Read the city’s plain-language page, “Amendment 3: What Florida Voters Should Know,” at cityofpsl.com, or call the city at 772-871-1775.