Mortgage Refinance in Florida
A Florida refinance has two costs most states do not: documentary stamps on the new note and an intangible tax on the new mortgage, about $1,925 on a $350,000 loan. We put both in the break-even before you commit, price every refinance type side by side, and are licensed statewide, in all 67 counties, closing at a title company near you or by remote online notarization.
Florida Mortgage Broker License MBR3694 and Mortgage Lender License MLD2100. NMLS #1925352.
Refinancing in Florida, 2026
State taxes on the new loan
Documentary stamps $0.35 per $100 plus 0.2% intangible tax
Deed stamps
None on a refinance
Cash-out
Up to 80% on FHA and most conventional (primary residence); VA higher
Streamlines
FHA Streamline and VA IRRRL, usually no appraisal
Closing
Title company, mobile notary or remote online notarization
0.2%
Florida intangible tax on a new mortgage
80%
Maximum cash-out loan-to-value, conventional and FHA
67
Florida counties, licensed statewide
4.9
Average of 5,300+ Google reviews
Why the break-even is the whole question in Florida.
A refinance pays for itself when the monthly saving has covered the closing costs, and Florida’s closing costs are higher than most states’ because the state taxes the new mortgage. The buyer-side costs on a purchase, documentary stamps at $0.35 per $100 and the intangible tax at 0.2 percent, apply again on a refinance, on top of the lender’s and title company’s fees and a new lender’s title policy. There are no deed stamps, because no deed changes hands. We show you the month your refinance breaks even, and if it is further out than you plan to keep the home, we say so.
Three things make a Florida refinance worth running the numbers on anyway. Prices rose fast enough that many owners who bought with FHA now have the 20 percent equity to refinance into a conventional loan and drop mortgage insurance for good. Insurance premiums climbed, and a cash-out refinance that pays for a new roof or impact windows can lower the premium enough to offset part of the new payment. And a homeowner with a VA or FHA loan has a streamline option that skips the appraisal and most of the paperwork.
This page covers refinancing in Florida. For the state as a whole, see our Florida page; for the refinance process itself, see the refinance hub and the cash-out hub. If you are buying rather than refinancing, buying in Florida is the page you want, and FHA in Florida and VA in Florida cover the streamlines in depth.
Three kinds of Florida refinance, and when each makes sense.
Lower the rate or the term, pull equity out, or replace an FHA or VA loan with less paperwork. The state taxes apply to all three.
Lower payment
Rate-and-term refinance
Replace your loan with a lower rate, a shorter term or a fixed payment, with as little as 5 percent equity on a conventional loan. The usual Florida reason is dropping FHA mortgage insurance once you reach 20 percent equity; we show the new payment beside the old one with the state taxes in the costs.
Use equity
Cash-out refinance
Borrow up to 80 percent of the home’s value on a conventional or FHA loan, more on VA, and take the difference in cash. Common uses in Florida: a new roof or impact windows that cut the insurance bill, a pool, debt consolidation. The doc stamps and intangible tax are figured on the whole new loan.
Less paperwork
FHA Streamline and VA IRRRL
If you already have an FHA or VA loan, the streamline replaces it at a lower rate with no appraisal and, in most cases, no income verification, as long as the new loan gives you a real benefit. The state taxes still apply, so the break-even is a little longer here than in a no-tax state.
What each refinance needs, and what Florida adds.
Program rules are federal; the last column is what changes in Florida. Your pro tells you which fits your file.
| Refinance | Equity, credit and appraisal | In Florida |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional rate-and-term | From 5% equity, 620 score, appraisal usually required; mortgage insurance you can ask to cancel at 80% of the original value | Documentary stamps and intangible tax on the new loan; a bound homeowners and, where mapped, flood policy must be verified before funding |
| Conventional or FHA cash-out | Keep 20% equity on a primary residence (lower caps on second homes and rentals); 620 conventional, 580 FHA; appraisal required | Taxes figured on the whole new loan amount, so a larger cash-out costs more at closing |
| FHA Streamline | Existing FHA loan at least 210 days old with six payments; no appraisal; net tangible benefit test | Taxes apply; part of the original upfront premium is refunded toward the new one |
| VA IRRRL | Existing VA loan; 0.5% funding fee; no appraisal or income verification in most cases | Taxes apply unless the seller of the original purchase paid them; the funding fee is exempt if you receive VA disability compensation |
| VA cash-out | Up to 100% of value under VA rules, most lenders cap at 90%; full underwriting | Can replace a non-VA loan; the funding fee is 2.15% on first use or 3.3% after, exempt if you receive VA disability compensation |
The intangible tax is 0.2 percent of the new loan and the documentary stamps are $0.35 per $100, on every refinance type. There are no deed stamps on a refinance because no deed is recorded.
Dropping FHA mortgage insurance is the most common Florida refinance.
Many Florida owners bought with FHA in the last few years, and with less than 10 percent down FHA’s annual mortgage insurance never goes away on its own. Price growth has pushed a large share of them past 20 percent equity, which is the point where a conventional refinance removes the premium for good. On a $350,000 loan that is roughly $160 a month, before any rate change.
The arithmetic has to include Florida’s costs: about $1,925 in state taxes on a $350,000 loan plus the lender’s and title fees. If the premium saving alone covers that in two or three years and you plan to stay, it works. If rates are higher than your current one, we show you whether the premium saving still wins. Either way you see the break-even month before anything is ordered.
Pensacola to Key West
Refinances closed at a Florida title company near you, with a mobile notary, or by remote online notarization.
Six Florida details on a refinance file.
These decide what a Florida refinance costs and whether it funds. All of them are on your Loan Estimate from the start.
01
Documentary stamps and intangible tax
$0.35 per $100 of the new loan plus 0.2 percent of it, paid by the borrower. Together about $1,925 on a $350,000 refinance.
02
No deed stamps
A refinance records a new mortgage, not a new deed, so the $0.70 per $100 deed stamps from your purchase do not come back.
03
Insurance re-verified
The lender needs a current bound homeowners policy and flood insurance in a mapped zone. If your premium has jumped, a cash-out that funds a roof or windows can lower it.
04
The appraisal
Required on most refinances except streamlines. Florida values moved quickly, so a recent sale on your street can change what you qualify for.
05
Homestead stays
Refinancing does not reset your homestead exemption or the 3 percent cap on assessment increases; only a sale does.
06
Remote closing
Florida allows remote online notarization, so you can sign from anywhere, or at a title company near you or with a mobile notary at home.
When does a Florida refinance pay for itself?
Enter your current loan and the new rate. Add about 0.55 percent of the loan for Florida’s documentary stamps and intangible tax on top of the lender and title fees, and the calculator shows the break-even month.
The U.S. mortgage market right now.
National average rates from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis FRED database: the Freddie Mac survey for conventional and the Optimal Blue indices for FHA and VA, shown as third-party market benchmarks, not MortgagePros pricing. Your refinance rate and APR depend on your credit, equity, loan type and the day you lock.
Conventional 30-year fixed, U.S. average
7.40%
FHA 30-year fixed, U.S. average
7.18%
VA 30-year fixed, U.S. average
7.09%
Sources: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (conventional, 30-year national average, week of Oct 8, 2026) and Optimal Blue Mortgage Market Indices (FHA and VA, 30-year national averages as of Oct 8, 2026), distributed through FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; the figures and dates refresh automatically from the source. These are third-party market benchmarks, not MortgagePros rates and not an offer of credit. Your rate and APR depend on your credit, loan type, property and lock date.
How a Florida refinance works with us.
Four steps, one licensed pro, and a Florida closing near you or online.
1
The break-even first
Your current loan, the new rate and every closing cost, including the state taxes, in one estimate with the month the refinance pays for itself.
2
The right refinance, priced side by side
Rate-and-term, cash-out, FHA Streamline or VA IRRRL compared for your file.
3
Appraisal and insurance
Appraisal ordered early where one is needed, the insurance policy verified, and any condo review started.
4
Close in Florida
At a title company near you, with a mobile notary, or by remote online notarization. The documentary stamps and intangible tax are on the closing statement exactly as quoted.
Ready to see your Florida break-even?
A Florida-licensed pro shows you the new payment, every cost including the state taxes, and the month the refinance pays for itself. Free, and it starts without a hard credit pull.
Refinancing in Florida, answered.
The questions Florida homeowners ask us most. If yours is not here, a licensed pro will answer it directly, with no obligation.
What does a Florida refinance cost?
The lender’s fees, a new lender’s title policy and the title company’s closing fee, an appraisal where one is required, prepaid interest and escrow, plus Florida’s documentary stamps at $0.35 per $100 of the new loan and the intangible tax at 0.2 percent of it. On a $350,000 refinance plan on roughly $5,000 to $7,000 in total, of which about $1,925 is the state taxes. Your actual costs are itemized on the Loan Estimate before you commit.
Does Florida charge doc stamps on a refinance?
On the note, yes: $0.35 per $100 of the new loan, plus the 0.2 percent intangible tax on the mortgage. There are no deed stamps, because a refinance does not record a new deed. Both taxes apply to streamlines as well.
How much equity do I need?
About 5 percent for a conventional rate-and-term refinance, and on a primary residence you generally keep 20 percent equity after an FHA or conventional cash-out; second homes and rentals are capped lower. VA cash-out can go higher under VA rules, though most lenders cap it at 90 percent. FHA Streamlines and VA IRRRLs usually need no appraisal at all.
Will refinancing reset my homestead exemption?
No. The homestead exemption and the 3 percent cap on assessment increases stay with you as long as you own and live in the home; only a sale resets them.
Can I refinance to get rid of FHA mortgage insurance?
Yes, and it is the most common Florida refinance. Once you have about 20 percent equity, a conventional refinance removes the premium for good. We show you the saving beside the closing costs, including the state taxes, so you can see the break-even before anything is ordered.
Do I have to come to Michigan?
No. Your licensed pro handles the refinance by phone, email and e-signature, and the closing is at a Florida title company near you, with a mobile notary, or by remote online notarization.
Talk to a Florida-licensed pro about refinancing.
Tell us what you are looking to do and where in Florida. A licensed pro will call back, usually the same business day. Asking does not start a loan or require a hard credit pull.
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880 W. Long Lake Rd, Suite 300
Troy, Michigan 48098, just off I-75. Free parking.
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Florida Mortgage Broker License MBR3694 and Mortgage Lender License MLD2100. NMLS #1925352. Rated 4.9 across 5,300+ Google reviews.