Retirement communities near Tampa: what changes in Pasco, Pinellas and Hernando

Retirement communities near Tampa span four counties

Hillsborough County is home base for this site, but a search for retirement communities near Tampa quickly reaches Pasco to the north, Pinellas to the west and Hernando beyond Pasco. Each county has its own Property Appraiser, who sets the assessed value and handles exemptions, and its own Tax Collector, who sends the bill and takes payment. Moving across a county line means a new pair of offices, with their own websites, forms and local options. For a closer look at one part of Pasco, our guide to Wesley Chapel 55+ communities covers the age rules, HOA papers and Pasco taxes there.

The homestead exemption is statewide

The base benefit is the same in every county. The Florida Department of Revenue says a homestead exemption can reduce a home's taxable value by as much as $50,000, and it qualifies the home for the Save Our Homes assessment limitation. The counties describe the same timing. Pasco says the home must be your primary residence on January 1 and the deadline to file for the current year is March 1. Hillsborough says the owner must hold title by January 1, with a statutory deadline of March 1. Hernando says its office is accepting applications for the 2027 tax year until March 1, 2027. Pasco and Hernando both accept homestead applications online. If you are leaving a Florida homestead, our guide to Florida homestead portability explains what can carry over to the new home.

Sources: Florida Department of Revenue, property tax exemptions; Pasco County Property Appraiser, Homestead Exemption; Hillsborough County Property Appraiser, Homestead and other exemptions; Hernando County Property Appraiser, Homestead Exemption.

Senior property tax exemptions differ by county and by city

The extra exemption for owners 65 and older is where the counties part ways. Section 196.075 of the Florida Statutes lets the board of county commissioners of any county, or the governing authority of any city, adopt an ordinance allowing an additional homestead exemption of up to $50,000 for an owner who has reached 65 and whose household income is within the limit. The ordinance must say that the exemption applies only to taxes levied by the government that grants it. So a county exemption does not reduce school taxes or a city's taxes, and a city exemption does not reduce the county's.

The same statute allows a second local option: an exemption equal to the assessed value for an owner 65 or older with household income within the limit, a home with a just value less than $250,000 and at least 25 years of permanent residence there. Household income means adjusted gross income, as defined in the Internal Revenue Code, of everyone in the household.

Pasco's Property Appraiser says its senior exemption does not apply to MSTUs, general obligation bonds or other taxing authorities, and its homestead page says applications for the income-qualified senior exemption must be submitted in person. Pinellas says first-time applicants need proof of age and documentation of the prior year's income, and that the exemption renews automatically for most people who received it the year before. In Pasco and Pinellas the application deadline is March 1 and income information is due by June 1. Hernando's Property Appraiser says applicants must be 65 or older as of January 1 of the tax year and must receive the homestead exemption, and that household adjusted gross income must not exceed the limit set by the Department of Revenue. It asks for proof of age and a copy of the federal tax return, or a sworn statement of income if you are not required to file, and income documentation must be submitted each year. The deadline is March 1 of the tax year, and you can file with the homestead application or separately. The office can be reached at (352) 754-4190. Hillsborough asks first-time applicants to apply by March 1 even if they do not know the household's total income yet.

Our guide to Florida property tax exemptions for seniors covers the other benefits, such as the disability and veterans' exemptions, in more depth.

Sources: s. 196.075, F.S.; Florida Department of Revenue, PT-110, Property Tax Benefits for Persons 65 or Older (R. 08/24); Hillsborough County Property Appraiser; Pasco County Property Appraiser, Senior (Aged 65+); Pinellas County Property Appraiser, Personal Exemptions; Hernando County Property Appraiser, Low-Income Senior Exemption.

How to look up a parcel before you make an offer

The parcel record shows which county and city a home is in and which exemptions the current owner receives. Pasco's Property Appraiser says approved exemptions renew automatically each year unless a change in status occurs, such as the property being sold or the owner relocating. The seller's exemption does not carry over to you, so do not treat the seller's bill as a guide to yours. Each Property Appraiser in the region runs a public search.

1. Search by address. Use the county's search from the table above. The Pasco County Property Appraiser site has a Records Search page for parcel lookups.
2. Note the parcel number and the jurisdiction. The record tells you whether the home is inside a city or in the unincorporated county, which decides which local senior exemption could apply.
3. Read the exemptions and values. The seller's exemptions are personal to the seller. A new owner applies for their own.
4. Open the tax bill at the Tax Collector. Pasco's Tax Collector explains that each taxing authority's millage is applied to assessed value less exemptions, and all special assessments are then added. Look for any district charge on the bill.
5. Call the office with questions. The Pinellas exemptions department is at (727) 464-3207 and Pasco's customer service team at (727) 847-8151.

Sources: Pasco County Property Appraiser; Pasco County Tax Collector, Understanding Your Tax Notice; Pinellas County Property Appraiser, Personal Exemptions; Pasco County Property Appraiser, Homestead Exemption.

The property tax bill and its calendar in every county

The calendar is set by state law, so it is the same in all four counties. Section 197.333 says taxes are due and payable on November 1, or as soon after as the certified roll reaches the Tax Collector, and become delinquent on April 1 of the following year or 60 days after the original notice is mailed, whichever is later. Section 197.162 sets early payment discounts of 4 percent in November, 3 percent in December, 2 percent in January and 1 percent in February, with no discount in March.

Because the seller's exemptions end with the sale, the next year's bill can look different from the one in the listing. Ask the closing agent how the year's taxes and any district assessments will be split between buyer and seller.

Sources: s. 197.333, F.S.; s. 197.162, F.S..

What "retirement community" means: 55+ housing, assisted living or an ordinary neighborhood

"Retirement community" is a marketing phrase, not a legal category. A listing that uses it could describe three quite different things, and each has its own rules.

How 55+ housing is defined

HUD's rule says at least 80 percent of occupied units must be occupied by at least one person 55 or older. The community must publish and follow policies that show it intends to operate as housing for people 55 or older, and the rule says phrases such as "adult living" or "adult community" in advertising are not consistent with that intent. Ages must be verified through reliable surveys and affidavits, updated at least once every two years. Florida's section 760.29(4) uses the same three tests and also recognizes housing intended for, and solely occupied by, persons 62 or older, which is a separate test. Our guide to 55+ apartments in Tampa shows how to check these age rules for a rental community.

How assisted living is defined

Section 429.02 defines an assisted living facility as a residential facility that provides housing, meals and one or more personal services for a period exceeding 24 hours to one or more adults who are not relatives of the owner or administrator. Personal services means direct physical assistance with or supervision of daily activities or the self-administration of medication, not medical or nursing care. Section 429.04 requires these facilities to be licensed by the agency, and section 429.08 makes maintaining a property used as an unlicensed assisted living facility a felony. A community that offers housing and amenities without personal services is not an assisted living facility. For the full range of options, see our guide to senior living options and who regulates each type.

Sources: 24 CFR 100.305 (eCFR); 24 CFR 100.306 (eCFR); 24 CFR 100.307 (eCFR); s. 760.29, F.S.; s. 429.02, F.S.; s. 429.04, F.S.; s. 429.08, F.S..

HOA and CDD paperwork for a retirement community home

A home in a planned community may belong to one or more associations and may sit inside a community development district. These are state laws, so the papers to ask for do not change with the county line.

The HOA disclosure summary

Under section 720.401, a buyer of a home in a homeowners' association community must be given a disclosure summary before signing the contract. It says you must join the association, that recorded covenants govern use and occupancy, that assessments may change and that unpaid assessments could result in a lien. If you do not get it before signing, you can void the contract by written notice within 3 days after you receive it or before closing, whichever comes first. The section does not apply to condominiums, which fall under Chapter 718.

The estoppel certificate

Section 720.30851 requires the association to issue an estoppel certificate within 10 business days after a written or electronic request from the owner, the lender or their designee. The statutory form lists what is owed, any capital contribution, resale or transfer fee due and all other associations the parcel belongs to. A certificate delivered by hand or electronically is effective for 30 days, and one sent by regular mail for 35 days.

Community development district charges

Section 190.048 requires each contract for the initial sale of a parcel in a community development district to carry a bold disclosure that the district may levy taxes or assessments, set each year by its board and in addition to county and other local taxes. On a resale, the parcel's tax bill at the Tax Collector shows these charges. Our guide to condo and HOA fees in Florida explains budgets, reserves and special assessments.

Sources: s. 720.401, F.S.; s. 720.30851, F.S.; s. 190.048, F.S..

The November 2026 property tax amendment

Exemption figures may change soon. The Pinellas County Property Appraiser explains that Amendment 3 (CS/HJR 1F) appears on the November 3, 2026 General Election ballot. It would increase the homestead exemption for qualifying properties, reduce the assessment limitation for non-homestead properties and establish additional residency-related provisions for certain homestead benefits. Check the result and your Property Appraiser's explanation of it before you rely on any exemption figure.

Source: Pinellas County Property Appraiser, Proposed 2026 Florida Property Tax Amendment 3.

Questions to ask about any retirement community near Tampa

• Which county is the home in, and is it inside a city or in the unincorporated county?
• Does that county or city offer a senior exemption, how much is it and which taxes does it reduce?
• Is the community legally 55+ housing, and may I see the written age policy and the latest survey summary?
• Does any part of the campus provide personal services, and which license does it hold?
• Is the association governed by Chapter 720 or Chapter 718, and how many associations does the home belong to?
• Is the home in a community development district, and what do the district charges on the latest tax bill show?
• What fees are due at closing, according to the estoppel certificate?
• What will insurance cost for a home in a coastal or flood-prone county? See our guide to hurricane and flood insurance when downsizing.

Selling first and buying in a neighboring county

Moving from a Tampa home to Pasco, Pinellas or Hernando means timing a sale in one county against a purchase in another. Our guide to whether to buy first or sell first walks through that timing choice. If you would like an introduction to an agent on the operating team at eXp Realty, you can get matched.