My rating is 70% but my letter says permanent and total. Do I qualify?

On the plain text of the statute, yes — it keys on permanence, not percentage. In practice some counties read it differently, and no statute, rule, DOR bulletin or Attorney General opinion addresses TDIU directly. Apply, take the letter, and if you are refused ask for the denial in writing citing the specific statutory requirement, which §196.193(5) requires them to give you.

Does this cover my school district taxes?

Yes. That is what makes it unusually valuable — most exemptions carve school taxes out. This one does not.

What happens to it when I die?

It can carry over to your surviving spouse, capped at the amount granted on the most recent tax roll. It is not automatic, and it ends permanently on remarriage. The window is within 60 days of death and before the next March 1.

Should I ask the VA for a permanence determination if I am rated TDIU?

We will not advise you to do that. Requesting one can trigger a reduction review of your rating. Talk to an accredited County Veteran Service Officer before taking any step that touches your federal claim.

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property taxstate

Florida Property Tax Exemption for Totally and Permanently Disabled Veterans

Exempts your home from all property taxes, including school district taxes. There is no cap.

Verified August 15, 2026

What this benefit is

This is the largest property tax benefit Florida offers a veteran. It exempts your homestead from every ad valorem property tax — including school district taxes, which most other exemptions do not touch. There is no cap and no maximum property value.

It is not a discount or a reduction in taxable value. For an eligible veteran the ad valorem portion of the property tax bill goes to zero.

What it's worth: 100% of your property tax bill

Exempts all ad valorem taxes including school district taxes. There is no cap.
Your actual saving depends on your county millage and your specific taxing districts.

Who is entitled to it

An honorably discharged veteran who owns and lives in a Florida home as their homestead.
Who was a permanent Florida resident on January 1 of the tax year — there is no minimum length of residency.
And who holds a letter from the VA or the US Government certifying total and permanent disability.

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.

The thing most people get wrong

The test is the letter, not the percentage

This is the single most misunderstood rule in Florida veteran benefits. §196.081 does not set a percentage threshold. It asks whether a VA letter certifies you as totally and permanently disabled. A veteran rated 70% who is paid at the 100% rate under TDIU, and who has a permanent determination, is statutorily eligible — and is routinely turned away by a clerk who sees a number below 100. Okaloosa County has rejected a valid permanent and total letter that noted payment "at the 100% rate".

How to claim it

Deadline: March 1

1Get a VA Benefit Summary Letter from VA.gov with "totally and permanently disabled" checked.
2File Form DR-501 with your county property appraiser.
3Renews automatically — re-file if you sell or move.

Form: DR-501
File with: Your county property appraiser
Documents you will need: va letter certifying tp · dd214 · proof of fl residency · ssn
Renews automatically: A renewal card mails by February 1. You must re-file when you sell, change ownership, or your status changes. Staying silent can cost up to 10 years of back taxes plus 15%/yr interest and a 50% penalty.; Staying silent after a change can cost 10 years of back taxes plus 15%/yr interest and a 50% penalty.

You can file before your VA letter arrives.

File before your VA letter arrives. The exemption is granted as of your original application date, with refunds up to 4 years back under §197.182(1)(e).

Walk me through it

Common mistakes that cost people this benefit

Waiting for your VA letter before applying. You do not have to. File before March 1 with nothing attached — your effective date is preserved and refunds run up to four years back.
Assuming a percentage below 100 disqualifies you. It does not. A VA certification of total and permanent disability is what decides it.
Letting the automatic renewal lull you. It renews on its own, but you must re-file when you sell, change ownership, or your status changes. Failing to can cost 10 years of back taxes plus 15%/yr interest and a 50% penalty.
Accepting a county's demand for VAFL 27-333 as final. An Attorney General opinion from 2012 says it is not the only acceptable document.

Your county may differTDIU is not addressed by any statute, rule, DOR bulletin or AG opinion. Counties decide it differently in practice — Okaloosa has rejected a valid P&T letter that noted payment "at the 100% rate". If your letter says permanent, apply anyway.

Questions people ask

My rating is 70% but my letter says permanent and total. Do I qualify?: On the plain text of the statute, yes — it keys on permanence, not percentage. In practice some counties read it differently, and no statute, rule, DOR bulletin or Attorney General opinion addresses TDIU directly. Apply, take the letter, and if you are refused ask for the denial in writing citing the specific statutory requirement, which §196.193(5) requires them to give you.
Does this cover my school district taxes?: Yes. That is what makes it unusually valuable — most exemptions carve school taxes out. This one does not.
What happens to it when I die?: It can carry over to your surviving spouse, capped at the amount granted on the most recent tax roll. It is not automatic, and it ends permanently on remarriage. The window is within 60 days of death and before the next March 1.
Should I ask the VA for a permanence determination if I am rated TDIU?: We will not advise you to do that. Requesting one can trigger a reduction review of your rating. Talk to an accredited County Veteran Service Officer before taking any step that touches your federal claim.

Sources

authority · statuteFla. Stat. §196.081
authority · regulationF.A.C. 12D-7.004
operating · published policyFlorida DOR — Taxpayer Exemptions

This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.