Understanding Broward County Property Taxes: A Buyer's Guide
Property taxes are one of the biggest ongoing costs of owning a home in Broward County, and they trip up more buyers than almost anything else. The most common mistake is assuming your tax bill will match the seller's. It usually will not. Here is a plain-English look at how Broward property taxes work, what the homestead exemption saves you, and the first-year surprise to plan for.
How your tax bill is calculated
Florida property tax is based on your home's taxable value, which is the assessed value minus any exemptions, multiplied by the combined millage rate for your exact location. A mill equals one dollar of tax for every $1,000 of taxable value. Broward layers several millages together: county, school district, city and special districts. For the 2026 fiscal year the countywide portion is about 5.67 mills, and once the other layers are added the total often lands near 19 to 20 mills on average. That works out to a combined effective rate roughly in the 1.0 to 1.5 percent range of market value for many homeowners. Your exact rate depends on your city and any special districts, so confirm the number for a specific address with the Broward County Property Appraiser at bcpa.net.
The homestead exemption
If the home is your permanent residence, Florida's homestead exemption removes up to about $50,000 from your assessed value. The first $25,000 applies to all taxes including schools, and a second portion applies only to non-school taxes on value between $50,000 and $75,000. Thanks to a 2024 constitutional amendment that adjusts the second tier for inflation, the total for 2026 sits a little above $50,000. In Broward, the exemption typically saves a homeowner somewhere between several hundred and around a thousand dollars a year, depending on local millage. The filing deadline is March 1, and you apply through the Broward County Property Appraiser.
Save Our Homes and portability
The bigger long-term benefit is the Save Our Homes cap, which limits how much your assessed value can rise each year to 3 percent or the change in inflation, whichever is lower, for as long as you hold the homestead. Over several years, the gap between your capped assessed value and rising market value can grow substantial. If you sell and buy another Florida home, portability lets you carry up to $500,000 of that accumulated benefit to the new property, as long as you do it within the state's time window.
The first-year tax trap for buyers
Here is the part that catches buyers. When a home sells, the Save Our Homes cap resets, and the new assessed value is based on current market value rather than the seller's long-capped figure. If you price your monthly carrying cost off the previous owner's tax bill, your first real bill can come in far higher than expected. Always estimate your taxes as a new buyer using current value, and treat any exemption savings as upside rather than something to bank on.
Key dates
TRIM (Truth in Millage) notices go out in August, tax bills are mailed in late October and are payable from November 1, with the full amount due by March 31 and delinquent on April 1. Paying early usually earns a small discount.
The bottom line
Broward's homestead exemption and Save Our Homes cap are two of the most valuable homeowner protections in the country, but they reward permanent residents and reset for new buyers. Budget on current value, file your homestead by March 1, and confirm your specific numbers with the Broward County Property Appraiser. If you are buying for the first time, our first-time buyer guide puts this in context. This is general information, not tax advice.
Frequently asked questions
How much are property taxes in Broward County? Most Broward homeowners pay a combined rate that works out to roughly 1.0 to 1.5 percent of market value, based on a total millage that averages near 19 to 20 mills. Your exact bill depends on your city and any special districts, so check with the Broward County Property Appraiser.
What is the homestead exemption and how much does it save? It removes up to about $50,000 from the taxable value of your primary residence and can save a Broward homeowner from several hundred to around a thousand dollars a year, plus the long-term Save Our Homes assessment cap. The deadline to file is March 1.
Why is my tax bill higher than the seller's? Because the Save Our Homes cap resets when a home sells. Your assessed value is set from current market value, so a long-time owner's low, capped bill does not carry over to you.
When are Broward County property taxes due? Bills are mailed in late October and payable from November 1, with the full amount due by March 31. They become delinquent on April 1, and paying early usually earns a discount.
