Report Exemption or Homestead Fraud

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.”