To qualify for a Homestead Exemption, you must own the property and it must be your permanent residence to the exclusion of all others as of January 1st. You should complete all required forms and applica ons for the exemp on and file them with your county property appraiser.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. Certified Death Certificate filed? When to file: Application for all exemptions must be made between January 1 and March 1 of the tax year. The deadline to file for homestead exemption is March 1st of the current tax year. The protection attaches the day of occupancy with the intent to make it the permanent Florida homestead. There are no papers to file, no forms to fill out. Cases filed in the civil division of the Clerk's Office fall either under the jurisdiction of County Court or Circuit Court. The deadline for filing for exemptions is March 1st.