Complete the Homestead Declaration form. The form must be printed legibly in black ink.Complete the Application: Provide personal information, property details, and proof of residency (e.g. Permanent Florida residency required on January 1. You may visit one of our locations, or fill out and sign an Assessor's Exemption Application Form in front of a Notary Public and mail that application to the. In order to qualify for homestead exemption: You must be a Florida resident. Meet the March 1 filing deadline. The new owner must apply for the exemption no later than March 1 of the next year. Homestead Fraud Report Form (Please fill out form and click Submit). The Homestead Exemption saves property owners thousands of dollars each year.