Property Tax Exemption for the Surviving Spouse of a Servicemember Who Died on Active Duty
A full homestead exemption for the surviving spouse of a servicemember who died from service-connected causes while on active duty.
Verified August 15, 2026
What this benefit is
A full homestead exemption for the surviving spouse of a servicemember who died from service-connected causes while on active duty. This is a separate route from the carryover exemption and does not require the servicemember to have held any exemption during their life.
What it's worth: 100% of your property tax bill
- Capped at the amount on the most recent tax roll when carried to a new residence.
Who is entitled to it
- The surviving spouse of a servicemember who died from service-connected causes.
- Where the death occurred while the servicemember was on active duty — both conditions are required.
- Who holds title to the property and lives in it, and has not remarried.
Exceptions
Remarriage ends the surviving-spouse exemption permanently. It does not transfer if you remarry — the FDVA guide states the opposite, and it is wrong. Fla. Stat. §196.081(3)
Not sure whether that describes you?
Answer a few questions about this benefit specifically — we only ask what this one actually depends on, and we stop as soon as we know.
How to claim it
Deadline: March 1- 1File Form DR-501 with your county property appraiser before March 1.
- Form
- DR-501
- File with
- Your county property appraiser
- Documents you will need
- death certificate · dd1300 or va letter · proof of title
- Confirm this every year
- Some counties describe this as automatic. For a surviving spouse that is a trap — the renewal eventually stops after the veteran dies, and by then March 1 may have passed.
Common mistakes that cost people this benefit
- Confusing this with the carryover exemption. If your spouse died after separating from service, the carryover route under §196.081(3) is the one that applies to you.
- Missing March 1. The deadline is the same as every other chapter 196 exemption.
Questions people ask
- My spouse died of a service-connected condition, but years after leaving the service. Does this apply?
- Not this one — it requires death while on active duty. Look at the surviving spouse carryover instead.
Sources
- authority · statuteFla. Stat. §196.081(4)(b)
Why only one source type: The statute is the authority; the operating process is the same DR-501 filing captured on record 1.
This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.