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                                                                                                                      DR-501 
                                                                                                            Rule 12D-16.002, 
                         ORIGINAL APPLICATION FOR HOMESTEAD                                                           F.A.C. 
                                                                                                                      Effective 11/23 
                                   AND RELATED TAX EXEMPTIONS                                                         Page 1 of 4 

                                 Permanent Florida residency required on January 1. 
                                 Application due to property appraiser by March 1. 

County Select County                                          Tax Year 
I am applying for homestead exemption                                    New             Change  
Do you claim residency in another county or state?    Applicant?         Yes    No      Co-applicant?        Yes       No 
                                      Applicant                                    Co-applicant/Spouse 
Name 
*Social Security #
Immigration # 
Date of birth 
% of ownership 
Date of permanent 
residency 
Marital status            Single       Married    Divorced    Widowed 
Homestead address                                                       Mailing address, if different 

Parcel identification number or legal description                       Applicant Phone       
                                                                        Co-applicant Phone 
Type of deed                         Date of deed 
Recorded:     Book          Page        Date           or Instrument number 
Did any applicant receive or file for exemptions last year?              Yes    No 
Previous address: 
Please provide as much information as possible. Your county property appraiser will make the final determination. 
Proof of Residence                                Applicant                        Co-applicant/Spouse 
Previous residency outside Florida 
                                                                   date                                date 
and date terminated 
FL driver license or ID card number                                date                                date 
Evidence of relinquishing driver 
license from other state 
Florida vehicle tag number 
Florida voter registration number (if 
                                                               date                                     date 
US citizen) 
Declaration of domicile, enter date                            date                                     date 
Current employer 
Address on your last IRS return 

School location of dependent children 
Bank statement and checking 
account mailing address 
Proof of payment of utilities at 
                                       Yes         No                               Yes        No 
homestead address 
Name and address of any owners not residing on the property 

*Disclosure of your social security number is mandatory. It is required by section 196.011(1)(b), Florida Statutes. The social security
number will be used to verify taxpayer identity and homestead exemption information submitted to property appraisers. 

                                                      Continued on page 2 



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                                                                                                               DR-501 
                                                                                                               Eff. 11/23 
                                                                                                               Page 2 of 4 

      In addition to homestead exemption, I am applying for the following benefits. 
                             See page 4 for qualification and required documents. 

  By local ordinance only: 
       Age 65 and older with limited income (amount determined by ordinance) 
       Age 65 and older with limited income and permanent residency for 25 years or more 
    $5,000 widowed          $5,000 blind      $5,000 totally and permanently disabled 
    Total and permanent disability - quadriplegic 
  Certain total and permanent disabilities - limited income and hemiplegic, paraplegic, wheelchair required, 
  or legally blind 
     First responder totally and permanently disabled in the line of duty or surviving spouse 
    Surviving spouse of first responder who died in the line of duty 
    Disabled veteran discount, 65 or older which carries over to the surviving spouse 
    Veteran disabled 10% or more 
    Disabled veteran confined to wheelchair, service-connected 
  Service-connected totally and permanently disabled veteran or veteran’s surviving spouse. Applicants for 
  this exemption qualify for a prorated refund of previous year’s taxes if in the previous year they acquired 
  this parcel between January 1 and November 1 and provide proof of the disability as of January 1 of that 
  tax year*. If you received the same exemption   on another parcel in the previous year, enter the  rp evious 
  parcel information in the space provided.  
  Parcel number            ___________ County Select County_______. 
    Surviving spouse of veteran who died while on active duty. Applicants for this exemption qualify for a 
  prorated refund of previous year’s taxes if in the previous year they acquired this parcel between January 1 
  and November 1 and provide an official letter*. If you received the same exemption on another parcel in 
  the previous year, enter the previous parcel information in the space provided.  
  Parcel number            ___________County      Select County___________. 

   Other, specify: 

I authorize this agency to obtain information to determine my eligibility for the exemptions applied for.  I qualify for 
these exemptions under Florida Statutes.  I own the property above and it is my permanent residence or the 
permanent residence of my legal or natural dependent(s). (See s. 196.031, Florida Statutes.) 
I understand that under section 196.131(2), F.S., any person who knowingly and willfully gives false information to 
claim homestead exemption is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable by imprisonment up to one 
year, a fine up to $5,000, or both.  
I have read, or have had someone read to me, the contents of this form. 
I certify all information on this form and any attachments are true, correct, and in effect on January 1 of this year. 

Signature, applicant                           Date            Signature, co-applicant                  Date 

      Contact your local property appraiser if you have questions about your exemption. 
      File the signed application for exemption with the county property appraiser. 

  Signature, property appraiser or deputy Date        Entered by                                Date 

                           *See page 4 Forms and Documents for acceptable forms of proof.



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                                                                                                     DR-501 
                                                                                                     Eff.11/23 
                                                                                                Page 3 of 4 

                    PENALTIES 

The property appraiser has a duty to put a tax lien on your property if you received a homestead 
exemption during the past 10 years that you were not entitled to. The property appraiser will notify 
you that taxes with penalties and interest are due.  You will have 30 days to pay before a lien is 
recorded. If this was not an error by the property appraiser, you will be subject to a penalty of 50 
percent of the unpaid taxes and 15 percent interest each year (see s. 196.011(9)(a), F.S.). For 
special requirements for estates probated or administered outside Florida, see s. 196.161(1), F.S. 
The information in this application will be given to the Department of Revenue. Under s. 196.121, 
F.S., the Department and property appraisers can give this information to any state where the 
applicant has resided. Social security numbers will remain confidential under s.193.114(5), F.S. 

              EXEMPTION AND DISCOUNT REQUIREMENTS
Homestead   Every person who owns real property in Florida on January 1, makes the property 
his or her permanent residence or the permanent residence of a legal or natural dependent, and 
files an application may receive a property tax exemption up to $50,000. The first $25,000 applies 
to all property taxes. The added $25,000 applies to assessed value over $50,000 and only to non-
school taxes. 
Your local property appraiser will determine whether you are eligible. The appraiser may consider 
information such as the items requested on the bottom of page 1. 
Save our Homes (SOH) Beginning the year after you receive homestead exemption, the 
assessment on your home cannot increase by more than the lesser of the change in the Consumer 
Price Index or 3 percent each year, no matter how much the just value increases. If you have 
moved from one Florida homestead to another within the last three years, you may be eligible to 
take some of your SOH savings with you. See your property appraiser for more information. 

File the signed application for exemption with the county property appraiser. 



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                                                                                                                               DR-501 
                                                                                                                               Eff. 11/23 
                 This page does not contain all the requirements that determine your eligibility for an exemption.             Page 4 of 4 
                 Consult your local property appraiser and Chapter 196, Florida Statutes, for details. 

                            Added Benefits Available for Qualified Homestead Properties 
                                    Amount                Qualifications         Forms and Documents*                          Statute 
Exemptions 
                                    Determined by   Local ordinance, limited     Proof of age 
                                    local ordinance income                       DR-501SC, household income 
Local option, age 65 and older                      Local ordinance, just value                                                196.075 
                                    The amount of the  under $250,000, permanent 
                                    assessed value  residency for 25 years or    DR-501SC, household income 
                                                    more. 
Widowed                             $5,000                                       Death certificate of spouse                   196.202 
Blind                               $5,000                                       Florida physician, DVA*, or SSA**             196.202 
Totally and Permanently Disabled    $5,000          Disabled                     Florida physician, DVA*, or SSA**             196.202 
                                    All taxes       Quadriplegic                 2 Florida physicians or DVA*                  196.101 
                                                                                 DR-416, DR-416B, or  
                                                    Hemiplegic, paraplegic,      letters from 2 FL physicians  
                                                    wheelchair required for      (For the legally blind, one can be an 
                                    All taxes                                                                                  196.101 
                                                    mobility, or legally blind   optometrist.)  
                                                    Limited income               Letter from DVA*, and  
                                                                                 DR-501A, household income 
Veterans and First Responders Exemptions and Discount 
Disabled veteran discount, age 65                                                Proof of age, DR-501DV 
and older which carries over to the % of disability Combat-related disability    Proof of disability, DVA*, or                 196.082 
surviving spouse                                                                 US government 
Veteran, disabled 10% or more 
                                                                                 Proof of disability, DVA*, or 
by misfortune or during wartime     Up to $5,000    Veteran or surviving spouse                                                196.24 
                                                                                 US government 
service 
Veteran confined to wheelchair,                                                  Proof of disability, DVA*, or 
                                    All taxes       Veteran or surviving spouse                                                196.091 
service-connected, totally disabled                                              US government 
Service-connected, totally and 
                                                                                 Proof of disability, DVA*, or 
permanently disabled veteran or     All taxes       Veteran or surviving spouse                                                196.081 
                                                                                 US government  
surviving spouse 
                                                                                 US Government or DVA letter 
Surviving spouse of veteran who 
                                    All taxes       Surviving spouse             attesting to the veteran’s death              196.081 
died while on active duty 
                                                                                 while on active duty 
                                                                                 Proof of Disability, employer 
First responder totally and 
                                                    First responder or surviving certificate, physician’s certificate 
permanently disabled in the line    All Taxes                                                                                  196.102 
                                                    spouse                       and SSA** (or additional physician 
of duty or surviving spouse 
                                                                                 certificate) 
Surviving spouse of first 
                                                                                 Letter attesting to the first 
responder who died in the line of   All taxes       Surviving spouse                                                           196.081 
                                                                                 responder’s death in the line of duty 
duty 
                 *DVA is the US Department of Veterans Affairs or its predecessor. **SSA is the Social Security Administration.

                                                    References 
        This form mentions the following documents, which are incorporated by reference in Rule 12D-16.002, F.A.C. 
                            The forms may be available on your county property appraiser’s website  
                          or the Department of Revenue’s website at floridarevenue.com/property/forms  

        Form                        Form Title 
        DR-416                      Physician’s Certification of Total and Permanent Disability 
        DR-416B                     Optometrist’s Certification of Total and Permanent Disability 
        DR-501A                     Statement of Gross Income 
        DR-501DV                    Application and Return for Homestead Tax Discount, Veterans Age 65 and Older 
                                    with a Combat-Related Disability and Surviving Spouse 
        DR-501SC                    Adjusted Gross Household Income, Sworn Statement and Return 






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