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Property & exemptions

Florida bankruptcy exemptions

Selected key Florida exemptions — the homestead, vehicle, wildcard categories below are quoted from the statute that states them. This is not a complete list of everything Florida protects.

Which exemption list applies in Florida

Florida law only. Florida has opted out of the federal exemption set, so a filer who uses Florida exemptions cannot instead choose the list in 11 U.S.C. § 522(d).

Fla. Stat. §§ 222.20–.201

This page is still being completed

No completeness decision has been recorded for Florida. We show what has been verified rather than filling the gap with something we have not checked — but treat what follows as partial.

Homestead — your home

  • Florida constitutional homesteadNo dollar limit stated

    No state-law dollar ceiling is stated. The parcel limit is 160 contiguous acres outside a municipality or one-half contiguous acre within a municipality, subject to the constitutional creditor exceptions and federal bankruptcy caps.

    Fla. Const. art. X, § 4(a)(1)

Motor vehicle

  • Florida single motor vehicle$5,000

    Applies to the debtor's interest in one motor vehicle as defined by Fla. Stat. § 320.01(1).

    Fla. Stat. § 222.25(1)

Wildcard and general personal property

  • Florida no-homestead personal-property exemption$4,000

    Unavailable for child-support or spousal-support debt.

    Fla. Stat. § 222.25(4)

What these amounts do and do not mean

  • An exemption protects your EQUITY — what the property is worth beyond what you still owe on it — not the item’s sticker price.
  • More than one amount can apply in the same category. Where that is true the entries below are listed separately with the condition that selects each one; we do not pick for you.
  • Federal limits can still apply on top of state law. 11 U.S.C. § 522(p) and (q) can cap a homestead claim for someone who moved recently or in specific circumstances.
  • Which set of exemptions you may use depends on where you were domiciled during the period 11 U.S.C. § 522(b)(3)(A) measures, which is not always the state you live in today.

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