{"id":372574,"date":"2016-03-31T21:34:54","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:34:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/florida-law\/florida-homestead-laws.html"},"modified":"2016-06-20T19:51:08","modified_gmt":"2016-06-21T00:51:08","slug":"florida-homestead-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/florida-law\/florida-homestead-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Florida Homestead Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Florida Homestead Laws<\/h1>\n
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Created by FindLaw’s team<\/a> of legal writers and editors<\/i><\/p>\n\n | Last updated\n

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Florida has one of the most generous homestead exemptions found in any state. Laws providing homestead protection<\/a> help prevent people from becoming homeless in the event of a disclosure or change in economic stature. Specifically, these laws allow individuals to register a limited portion of their property as "homestead" and generally off-limits to creditors.<\/p>\n

Homestead Laws in Florida<\/h2>\n

Unlike laws in many other states, Florida homestead laws don’t state a maximum value that may be designated. Indeed, with Florida’s homestead exemption, you can protect the entire value of your home if you file for bankruptcy, although there are some limits on total acreage. Homeowners may exempt an unlimited amount of value in their home or other property covered by the homestead exemption. However, the property cannot be larger than half an acre in a municipality or 160 acres elsewhere. You can get homestead filing forms and more informational material from the Florida Department of Revenue<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Florida Homestead Statutes<\/h2>\n\n

Code Section<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a7196.031; Const. Art. X, \u00a74<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>

Max. Property Value That May Be Designated ‘Homestead’<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

Maximum value, with acreage limits<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>

Maximum Acreage (Urban)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

1\/2 acre<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>

Maximum Acreage (Rural)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

160 acres<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n

Even under Florida homestead protections, there are four types of creditors who can still force the sale of a homestead to collect debts owed to them:<\/p>\n