Brevard County Property Appraiser Shares Key Updates About Tax Changes, Incorporation Proposals

recent legislation impacting property taxation

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA — Brevard County Property Appraiser Dana Blickley recently presented a comprehensive overview to the Space Coast Patriots, providing an insightful look at the county’s property assessment practices, recent legislative changes, and vital homeowner information.

Brevard County, known as Florida’s Space Coast, spans more than 1,500 square miles, with nearly 35 percent comprised of water, and boasts 72 miles of pristine beaches.

With a 2024 population of approximately 653,703 residents and about 347,607 taxable parcels, Brevard ranks as the tenth-largest county in Florida by both population and parcel count.

The presentation addressed property owners renting out their homes. Under Florida law, if a homesteaded property is rented for more than 30 days per year for two consecutive years, it is considered abandoned for homestead purposes, which may result in the loss of exemption benefits.

Additionally, Ms. Blickley highlighted necessary assessment caps designed to limit increases in taxable property values.

The “Save Our Homes” cap, in place since 1992, restricts annual assessment increases for homesteaded property to either three percent or the change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower.

Meanwhile, a 10 percent annual cap protects non-homesteaded properties, though it does not apply to school tax levies.

Blickley explained portability options, which allow homestead property owners to transfer up to $500,000 of their SOH benefit to a new home within Florida, helping them relocate without losing their assessment cap advantage.

Practical examples demonstrated how portability applies when purchasing a home of higher or lower value than one’s previous homestead.

She also discussed how ownership changes, such as marriage, divorce, or changes through trusts, can impact homestead status and may require reapplication.

The presentation further touched on rules protecting property owners who rebuild after calamities such as hurricanes, noting that specific reconstruction projects will not raise a home’s assessed value if size limitations are followed.

Finally, Blickley reviewed recent legislation impacting property taxation. Among the changes is a constitutional amendment to adjust the $25,000 annual additional homestead exemption for inflation, effective in 2025.

Another change extends the timeframe for repairing or rebuilding homesteaded property after damage from three to five years before risking the loss of the homestead exemption.

The session concluded with an open question-and-answer period, during which Blickley encouraged residents to reach out to her office for further assistance with exemptions, portability, or assessment inquiries.

For more information, property owners can visit the Brevard County Property Appraiser’s website at BCPAO.us or email appraiser@bcpao.us.

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