Beginning February 1, 2027, Florida residential real estate listing websites will face new requirements for displaying estimated property taxes. Under House Bill 7031-E, online platforms such as Zillow and other property listing services must follow new rules designed to give prospective homebuyers a more realistic picture of property taxes after a purchase, rather than relying on the current owner's potentially lower tax bill.
The change is part of Florida's 2026 tax legislation, enacted as Chapter 2026-239, and adds requirements to Florida Statutes Section 689.261 . Although the legislation contains many other tax provisions, this article focuses exclusively on the new residential property tax disclosure requirements for real estate listings.
A home's advertised price is only part of the cost of ownership. Property taxes can affect monthly mortgage payments, escrow requirements, and a buyer's overall housing budget. The seller's existing tax bill may not accurately represent what a new owner will owe.
February 1, 2027. Beginning on that date, online residential property listing platforms must follow the new requirements for estimated ad valorem property taxes.
Not necessarily. The law establishes methods for estimating taxes, but the final amount can differ based on the property's assessed value, applicable millage rates, exemptions, special assessments, and other factors.
Florida property taxes are based on taxable value and applicable tax rates. A homeowner who has owned a property for many years may have a substantially lower assessed value than the property's current market value.
One reason is Florida's Save Our Homes assessment limitation, which generally limits annual increases in the assessed value of qualifying homestead property.
When ownership changes, the property's assessed value is generally reassessed under Florida law. The new owner may also qualify for different exemptions or tax benefits than the previous owner.
Consider this hypothetical example:
A homeowner has lived in a property for 20 years and pays $2,200 annually in property taxes.
The property is now listed for $450,000. Because of changes in market value, reassessment, and the buyer's individual tax circumstances, the new owner's property taxes could be considerably higher than $2,200.
Important: These figures are illustrative only. They are not an estimate for a particular property.
A buyer who bases a housing budget solely on the seller's existing tax bill may underestimate the actual cost of ownership.
The new law applies to public-facing online residential real estate listing services, including websites, web applications, and mobile applications. The statutory definition excludes social media platforms as defined under the referenced Florida law.
When a listing platform uses a property tax estimator or buyer payment calculator, it cannot calculate the estimate using the current owner's tax assessment or existing tax bill.
Instead, the platform must use one of the methods authorized by the statute. These methods use the property's listing price and applicable millage information published by the Florida Department of Revenue.
One method uses current millage rates and the state-published formula. Another uses a countywide aggregate average millage rate.
Platforms displaying these estimates must also provide the disclosures required by the selected method, including warnings about variations in tax rates and items the estimate may not include.
If a listing platform does not use a qualifying tax estimator or buyer payment calculator, it must not display the current owner's ad valorem taxes and must provide a link to the county property appraiser's tax estimator, if available, or the property appraiser's homepage.
When a platform displays a qualifying estimate under the statute, the current owner's and previous years' ad valorem taxes may appear only as historical tax information.
When a platform follows the alternative property-appraiser-link provision, additional restrictions apply to displaying prior-year tax information.
The law also addresses printed property listings. Beginning February 1, 2027, printed listing materials concerning a residential property may not include the current owner's ad valorem taxes.
Florida's Department of Revenue is responsible for publishing the data and formulas used under the new law.
The legislation requires the department to publish the applicable formula, county information, and countywide aggregate average millage rates beginning December 15, 2026, and annually thereafter.
Listing platforms can use the approved calculation methods to provide a reasonable estimate based on the listing price and tax-rate information.
Even with standardized calculations, a property's actual future taxes may be different.
For these reasons, the estimate should be treated as a planning tool rather than a final determination of taxes.
Prospective buyers should review estimated property taxes as part of their overall purchase budget.
In addition to the listing information, buyers can consult the county property appraiser's office to better understand how reassessment, homestead exemptions, portability, and applicable millage rates may affect a particular property.
Buyers should also account for homeowners insurance, mortgage payments, escrow requirements, homeowners association fees where applicable, and other recurring ownership expenses.
Sellers should be aware that prospective buyers may see estimated property taxes that differ significantly from the taxes currently paid on the home.
This difference does not necessarily mean a listing is incorrect. It may reflect the loss of the seller's assessment limitations or exemptions following a sale.
Real estate professionals can help explain why historical property taxes and a buyer's projected taxes are different, while directing buyers to the appropriate county property appraiser for property-specific assessment information.
Beginning February 1, 2027, Florida's new property tax listing requirements are intended to make online residential real estate tax information more useful to prospective buyers.
The change does not create a new property tax or alter the underlying reassessment rules. It changes how listing platforms must present estimated taxes and historical tax information.
For buyers, the central message is straightforward: the taxes paid by today's homeowner may not be the taxes paid by tomorrow's homeowner.
Readers can review the Florida Senate's official summary of HB 7031-E and Section 689.261 of the Florida Statutes for the applicable legal language.
February 1, 2027. The new requirements apply to public-facing online residential real estate listing platforms and also restrict the use of the current owner's ad valorem taxes in printed listing materials.
Covered platforms must comply with the statute's estimated-tax disclosure requirements. They may use a qualifying calculation method or follow the alternative requirement to link buyers to the county property appraiser's estimator or homepage without displaying the seller's current tax bill.
The seller may benefit from a lower assessed value under Florida's Save Our Homes limitation or from exemptions that do not automatically transfer to the buyer. A change in ownership generally triggers reassessment under applicable Florida law.
Not necessarily. The statutory estimate may exclude exemptions, discounts, portability benefits, and certain non-ad valorem assessments. Buyers should consult the county property appraiser for information specific to their circumstances.
Buyers can visit the property appraiser's website for the county where the home is located. Many county property appraisers provide tax estimators or information about assessed values, exemptions, and reassessment after a sale. A real estate professional can also help buyers locate these resources.
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Contact Christeen Haney