Brevard County, FL: homestead & property-tax exemptions

How to claim property-tax exemptions in Brevard County (Titusville area): who qualifies, the deadline, where to file, documents, re-filing and appeals.

Last checked 2026-11-02 · 28 official sources

Exemptions available

• Homestead: the first $25,000 of assessed value is exempt from all property taxes, including school taxes. A second, additional exemption applies to the part of assessed value above $50,000, and only to non-school taxes. Florida adjusts that second exemption for inflation every year. The Property Appraiser's 2026 TRIM insert gives it as up to $26,411 (a $51,411 total): if your assessed value is $76,411 or more you get the full $26,411, between $50,001 and $76,411 you get a partial amount, and at $50,000 or less you get none. The Department of Revenue's 2026 figure is also $26,411. ^[1][2][3][4]
• Save Our Homes: once you have homestead, yearly increases in assessed value are capped at 3% or the change in CPI, whichever is lower. The cap ends and the home is reassessed at market value when it's sold (a new base year). The Property Appraiser also notes that the cap can leave your assessed value below market value, and assessed value can't exceed market value. ^[5][6]
• Limited-income senior exemption: an additional homestead exemption for owners 65 or older on January 1 whose household adjusted gross income is at or below the state limit. The limit for the 2026 application (based on 2025 income) is $38,686. You must already have a homestead exemption. The Property Appraiser says the Board of County Commissioners adopted this exemption (it applies to the county's general fund levy) and that state law lets the benefit go up to $50,000. Twelve cities are listed as offering up to $25,000 more on city taxes: Cape Canaveral, Cocoa, Cocoa Beach, Grant-Valkaria, Indian Harbour Beach, Malabar, Melbourne, Melbourne Beach, Melbourne Village, Satellite Beach, Titusville and West Melbourne. ^{[7][8][2][9][10]}
• $5,000 exemptions for permanent Florida residents who are widows or widowers (widowed before January 1 and not remarried; death certificate required), blind (certificate from an optometrist, the Division of Blind Services, the VA or Social Security), or totally and permanently disabled (certificate from one Florida physician or Social Security documentation). The homestead exemption isn't required for these. ^[2][6][1]
• Veterans: a $5,000 exemption for Florida-resident veterans with a service-connected disability rated 10% to 100% (can carry over to an unremarried surviving spouse in some cases); full exemption from all property taxes on the homestead for veterans who are totally and permanently disabled due to a service-connected cause, and for unremarried surviving spouses of qualifying veterans (VA letter or federal certificate plus proof of discharge such as a DD-214). Veterans 65 or older with a combat-related disability of at least 10% can get a tax discount on the homestead based on the disability percentage (Form DR-501DV, DD-214 and a VA letter showing the combat-related share); it can extend to an unremarried surviving spouse. ^[2][1]
• Total and permanent disability for civilians: full exemption from all property taxes on the homestead for owners who are quadriplegic, paraplegic, hemiplegic or otherwise totally and permanently disabled and need a wheelchair, or who are legally blind, if gross household income is under an annual state limit. It requires certificates from two unaffiliated Florida physicians and a yearly income affirmation. First responders who are totally and permanently disabled from an injury in the line of duty can also get a full homestead exemption (Florida Statute 196.102, with two physician certificates and an employer certificate). ^[2]
• Surviving spouses of a veteran who died from service-connected causes on active duty, or of a first responder who died in the line of duty, can receive a full exemption from ad valorem taxes (special assessments such as solid waste and stormwater still apply). Other benefits listed by the Property Appraiser: an exemption for deployed military equal to the share of the prior year spent deployed (apply by March 1 of the following year), a refund of prorated taxes on a newly acquired home for totally and permanently disabled veterans, and an assessment reduction for living quarters built for a parent or grandparent (62 or older, up to 20% of assessed value, with permits and a yearly affirmation). ^[2]

Statewide exemption details: Florida guide.

Who qualifies

• You must own the home (legal or equitable title) and make it your permanent residence on or before January 1 of the year you apply. Only one homestead exemption is allowed per individual or family unit, and you can be granted only a percentage if you own less than 100%. ^[2][11]
• Married couples with an intact marriage can't claim two homesteads. The Property Appraiser decides whether a couple living apart counts as 'separate family units' based on social relationships, financial interdependence, tax returns and similar records. ^[6]
• The Property Appraiser lists these ways to lose homestead: receiving a residency-based exemption on property in another county or state; renting the home more than 30 days in two consecutive years; and having a driver license in another state or voting outside Brevard County. You must report a marriage, divorce, rental, permanent move or deed change. A change to the title, such as moving the home into a trust or life estate, means you must re-apply. ^[1][6]
• For the senior exemption: age 65 or older on January 1, a current homestead exemption, and household adjusted gross income (everyone living in the home, not counting renters or boarders) within the state limit, $38,686 for 2026. The form says Social Security benefits may not be included in adjusted gross income (check IRS rules for any taxable portion), but you still must submit your Social Security 1099 for verification. ^[8][2][10]

Deadline

• March 1 for the current tax year: you must qualify by January 1 and file with the Property Appraiser by March 1. Online homestead filing is open all year. The Property Appraiser's contact page listed the 2026 deadline as midnight Monday, March 2, because March 1, 2026 fell on a Sunday. In 2027, March 1 is a Monday. ^[2][12][1]
• Senior exemption: apply by March 1. The 2026 application said household income documents (federal return and all 1099s, including Social Security) were due by May 1, 2026. ^[8][2]
• Missed March 1? Under Florida law you can still file late, through the 25th day after TRIM notices are mailed, if you show extenuating circumstances. After that, a denied late application can be appealed to the Value Adjustment Board. ^[13][14]
• Key dates on the Property Appraiser's calendar: January 1 assessment date; March 1 filing deadline; July 1, when denial notices are mailed; TRIM notices mailed in August; VAB petitions due 25 days after TRIM (usually the third week of September) or 30 days after a denial notice; tax bills mailed by the Tax Collector about November 1. ^[5]
• Paying the tax: Brevard bills carry discounts of 4% for payment by November 30 (the first 30 days after the mailing date), 3% in December, 2% in January and 1% in February; March has no discount. The full amount is due March 31 and discounts are based on postmark. Taxes become delinquent April 1 with a 3% minimum charge. Delinquent accounts not paid by April 30 are advertised, and the tax certificate sale begins on or before June 1. ^[15][16]

Where and how to file

• Online: most owners can file for homestead, and for the widow/er, blind, $5,000 disability, civilian and service-connected total and permanent disability, first responder, disabled veteran and surviving spouse exemptions, on the Property Appraiser's website (bcpao.us). You can also mail an application or file at an office. The senior, combat-related veteran discount, deployed military, parent/grandparent and non-profit exemptions are listed as mail-in or in-person only. ^[2][11]
• In person at any of four offices (Monday-Friday 8:00-5:00, closed on listed holidays): Titusville, 400 South St., 5th Floor, (321) 264-6700; Viera, 2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Building C, 1st Floor, (321) 690-6880; Melbourne, 1515 Sarno Rd., (321) 255-4440; Palm Bay, 450 Cogan Dr. SE, (321) 952-4574. Mailing address: Brevard County Property Appraiser, P.O. Box 429, Titusville, FL 32781-0429. Email: [email protected]. The office recommends certified mail with a return receipt, or enclosing a self-addressed stamped envelope for a signed copy of your application. ^[12][11][8]
• The senior exemption (application CSC_06, revised 02/23/2026) is mail-in or in-person only; the Property Appraiser lists no online option for it. Send or bring it with proof of age and the income documents. Under Florida law, failing to file by March 1 waives the exemption for the year. ^[8]
• Approved exemptions appear in the 'exemptions' box at the bottom left of your August TRIM notice. If you buy a new home, homestead is not applied automatically. The Property Appraiser says failing to apply can cost hundreds of dollars a year. ^[1]
• Help paying the bill: the Tax Collector offers a quarterly installment plan if the estimated tax is more than $100 (apply on Form DR-534 before May 1; first payment due June 30). Discounts on the form are 6% (June 30), 4.5% (September 30), 3% (December 31) and 0% (March 31). Installments in June and September are based on last year's tax, with adjustments in December and March. Don't use installments if a mortgage company pays your taxes from escrow. Mail: Lisa Cullen, Tax Collector, P.O. Box 2500, Titusville, FL 32781-2500. ^[17][18][16]
• Homestead tax deferral: if you have homestead, you can defer part of the tax. Deferral is available if last year's adjusted gross income for all household members was under $10,000, or if taxes and assessments are more than 5% of household income (more than 3% if you're 65 or older; the Property Appraiser says the 3% calculation excludes Social Security). The deferred tax carries interest of no more than 7% and is a lien on the home, and you must keep fire and extended insurance with the Tax Collector as loss payee. The application (Form DR-570) is available starting November 1 and is due March 31, every year. Call (321) 264-6969. ^[19][20][16]
• Pay at the Tax Collector's online portal, by mail, in person, or by wire. E-checks are free. Cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay carry a 2.75% fee with a $2.75 minimum (3.95% for international cards), charged by a third-party vendor. A mailed payment gets the discount if postmarked in the discount period. Returned checks cost $25 to $40, or 5% of checks of $800 or more. ^[21][22]
• Tax Collector offices: Titusville Government Complex North, 400 South St., 6th Floor (8:30-5:00), (321) 264-6969; Titusville branch, 800 South Park Ave.; Merritt Island, 1605 N. Courtenay Pkwy; Viera, 2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Building A108; Melbourne, 1515 Sarno Rd.; Palm Bay, 450 Cogan Dr. SE (all other offices 9:00-5:00). South Brevard tax services: (321) 633-2199. Mailing address: P.O. Box 2500, Titusville, FL 32781-2500. ^[23]

Documents needed

• For each owner living in the home: a Florida driver license (or a Florida ID card plus a declaration of domicile recorded before January 1, if you don't drive); Florida registration for every vehicle you own or lease; your Brevard County voter registration card if registered; and a Social Security card or other document showing the number (also required for a spouse with no ownership interest). ^[2][11]
• Also, as applicable: a green card if you aren't a U.S. citizen; a copy of the trust agreement or a recorded memorandum of trust if the home is in a trust; a letter from the other government agency if you own property elsewhere, showing you get no residency-based benefit there; manufactured home registration or title; and a copy of your recorded deed or tax bill. ^[2][11]
• Senior exemption: proof of age (driver license, Florida ID, military ID or birth certificate), and for everyone in the household a copy of last year's federal return with all W-2s and 1099s, or, for people who don't file, every 1099 and other income statement (Social Security, pensions, interest and so on). ^[8][7]
• Disability and veterans exemptions: a physician certificate or Social Security documentation for disability (two unaffiliated Florida physicians for the total and permanent civilian exemption); an optometrist or Division of Blind Services certificate for blindness; a VA letter or federal certificate, plus a DD-214, for veterans; a death certificate for widows, widowers and surviving spouses. ^[2]

Do you need to re-file?

• No yearly re-filing for homestead: the exemption renews automatically each year as long as ownership and residence conditions stay the same. Some exemptions need a yearly affirmation (the total and permanent civilian disability exemption, which needs a yearly income affirmation, and the parent/grandparent reduction). ^[2]
• If you change the title on your home (a trust, a life estate, or a change in marital status), you must apply again for homestead and update your senior exemption. Contact the office if you move or another qualifying condition changes, and you can request homestead removal when you no longer qualify. ^[1][2]
• Senior exemption: the Property Appraiser describes it as an initial application, but says some exemptions require yearly affirmation. Tell the office about any change in household or income. ^[2][6]
• Tax deferral must be re-filed every year by March 31. The installment plan doesn't need to be re-filed as long as the June installment is paid by June 30. ^[19][17]

Appeal deadline

• To appeal your assessed value, a denied exemption or a portability decision, file a petition with the Brevard County Value Adjustment Board, run by the Clerk of Court & Comptroller. Value and portability petitions must be received by the 25th day after TRIM notices are mailed (the 2026 deadline was September 14, 2026). An exemption or classification denial can be appealed within 30 days after the Property Appraiser mails the denial letter, and a tax deferral denial within 30 days after the Tax Collector mails it. The filing date is the day the Clerk receives the completed petition and fee, not the postmark. ^[14][24][5]
• Late petitions aren't automatically rejected: the VAB Attorney reviews them and decides whether you've shown good cause (a crisis or emergency, illness or disability, misinformation from the Clerk or Property Appraiser, or another cause beyond your control). Send a letter and supporting documents with it. ^[14][24]
• Fees: the Clerk's petition page lists $50 per parcel (non-refundable), $15 for a portability petition, and $5 for each additional parcel on a joint petition (joint petitions must be pre-approved by the Property Appraiser). Only one fee is due for several appeals on the same parcel, but each appeal needs its own petition. There's no fee for the denial of a timely-filed homestead application or tax deferral, for a deployed military denial, or for people receiving DCF temporary assistance (with documentation). Fee waivers don't apply online, where cards add a 3.5% processor fee and a convenience fee. ^[25][24][14]
• File online (the 2026 petition site), by mail to Brevard Clerk of Courts, Value Adjustment Board, P.O. Box 999, Titusville, FL 32781-0999 (checks payable to Brevard Clerk of Courts), or in person at Titusville (400 South St., 2nd Floor), Merritt Island (2575 N. Courtenay Pkwy), Viera (Moore Justice Center, 2825 Judge Fran Jamieson Way), Melbourne (51 Nieman Ave.) or Palm Bay (450 Cogan Dr. SE). VAB clerk: (321) 637-6523, [email protected]. You can ask the Property Appraiser for a review before you file. ^{[25][14][24][26]}
• Hearings are held Monday-Thursday between 9:00 and 3:00 at the North Brevard Government Center, 400 South St., Suite 1A, Titusville, and can be attended by phone if you tell the Clerk in advance (call (321) 637-6523 at your hearing time). A 2025 board resolution also covers video appearances. The Clerk gives at least 25 days' notice. A special magistrate hears your case and makes a recommendation, and the five-member VAB makes the final decision. You may reschedule once for good cause, and you may represent yourself. Evidence is exchanged through the Axia system, or sent to the Property Appraiser and the Clerk at least 15 days before the hearing. You can ask for reconsideration within 10 days of the recommendation, and go to circuit court afterward. ^[14][26][27]
• Partial payment: to keep a petition alive you must pay the Tax Collector by March 31. For a value or portability petition, that's all non-ad valorem assessments plus at least 75% of the ad valorem tax (less discounts). For an exemption denial, it's all non-ad valorem assessments plus the tax you admit in good faith you owe. If you don't, the VAB denies the petition. ^[14][24]

Population: 658,447 (July 1, 2024 estimate) ^[28]

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