Permanent Florida residency required on January 1. All legal Florida residents are eligible for a Homestead Exemption on their homes, condominiums, co-op apartments, and certain mobile home lots if they qualify.The deadline to file for homestead exemption is March 1st of the current tax year. Overview for Qualifying and Applying for a Homestead Exemption. There are two deadlines which must be met in order to benefit from the Homestead Exemption. To apply for the Florida Homestead Property Tax Exemption, the property owner must complete Form DR501 and submit it to the property appraiser. Applicants must file a Form CC-501 – Original Application for Homestead and Related Tax Exemptions, to apply for the homestead exemption on the new homestead. You may file anytime during the year, but before the state's deadline of March 1 for the tax year in which you wish to qualify. If you own your home, reside there permanently and are a Florida resident as of January 1, you may qualify for homestead exemption.
