Filing for Florida's Homestead Exemption can offer you tax savings when you own real estate in Florida. Permanent Florida residency required on January 1.It is FREE to apply for the General Homestead Exemption. Visit the Travis Central Appraisal District website to complete the application online. When to file: Application for all exemptions must be made between January 1 and March 1 of the tax year. How long does it take to process a homestead exemption application? It can take up to 90 days to process a homestead exemption application. Mayor Norton clarified that property taxes have not been raised in the City of Smyrna since 1993. Under the measure, assessments would be indexed to the percent change in the CPI. It's one of the first things to add to your housing budget if you're planning on buying a home in the state.