Homestead fraud occurs when someone claims homestead exemption, but has a permanent, legal residence elsewhere; is not a Florida resident; is renting the home; or when the individual or spouse receives a residency based tax benefit elsewhere.

Florida Statute 196.131(2) provides that "any person who knowingly and willfully gives false information for the purpose of claiming Homestead Exemption shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable by a term of imprisonment not exceeding 1 (one) year or a fine not exceeding $5,000 or both."

Florida Statute 196.161(1)(b) further states that "upon determination by the Property Appraiser that for any year or years within the prior 10 years a person who was not entitled to a Homestead Exemption was granted a Homestead Exemption from ad valorem taxes, it shall be the duty of the Property Appraiser making such determination to serve upon the owner a notice of intent to record in the public records of the county a notice of tax lien against any property owned by that person in the county, and such property shall be identified in the notice of tax lien. Such property which is situated in this state shall be subject to the taxes exempted thereby, plus a penalty of 50 percent of the unpaid taxes for each year and 15 percent interest per annum."

The penalties may appear stiff, but it's important to remember that anyone who claims an exemption to which he or she is not entitled forces the rest of St. Lucie County's taxpayers to make up the difference in taxes. This is a serious matter, especially since the inception of Amendment 10 and its Homestead Exemption-linked Assessment Cap.

If you know of anyone who is committing Homestead Fraud, you can notify the St. Lucie County Property Appraiser's Office CONFIDENTIALLY by filling out the following form that will be submitted to our office for review. Each report received will be investigated.