If you’ve been on the news or scrolling social media lately, you may have seen headlines about Florida’s new “one-cent law”. You may be wondering: What does this actually mean for me as a homeowner, buyer, or seller in Orlando?
Good question. Let me break it down for you!
So, What Did Florida Just Do?
On May 12, 2026, Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 1074, also known as the “One-cent Piece Bill”, into law. It takes effect immediately.
Here’s the backstory: In late 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury stopped producing the penny. The reason was straightforward, it cost about 3.69 cents to make each one-cent coin, which the U.S. Mint said was wasteful. With pennies no longer being manufactured, businesses across the country started wondering: What do we do when a cash transaction doesn’t come out to an even nickel?
Florida’s answer is SB 1074.
The short version? If you pay cash at a store and the total ends in a cent or two, the cashier can now round to the nearest nickel. That’s really all this is.
How Does the Florida Penny Rounding Law Actually Work?
The rounding rules are simple and fair. Here’s exactly how it works after your sales tax is already calculated:
A few things worth knowing:
This only applies to cash purchases. If you pay with a credit card, debit card, check, gift card, or any other electronic method, nothing changes. The law does not alter the actual price of anything you’re buying. It does not change how sales tax is calculated. It simply affects how much change you get back in a cash transaction when pennies aren’t available.
Florida joins Arizona, Indiana, New Mexico, Tennessee, and Utah in establishing this kind of framework, so we’re not alone in figuring this out.
Does This Affect Your Real Estate Transaction?
This is probably the question most of you are really wondering about, and the answer is no.
Real estate transactions in Florida have always been handled electronically. Whether it’s your earnest money deposit, your down payment, your closing costs, or your mortgage payment, all of that goes through wire transfers, ACH transactions, certified funds, or bank checks. None of that is a “cash transaction” under this law.
SB 1074 was written specifically for in-person, over-the-counter cash sales. Think: buying groceries, getting a coffee, picking up hardware supplies. A home sale is an entirely different kind of transaction and is not affected by this legislation.
So if you’re in the middle of buying or selling a home right now, you can take a breath.
Nothing about your transaction changes because of this law.
The Bottom Line for Orlando Buyers and Sellers
I always say the best thing I can do for you is make sure you have good information. So when something like this makes headlines, I want you to know exactly what it means, and what it doesn’t.
Florida’s new penny rounding law is really just common sense housekeeping. With the U.S. Mint no longer producing pennies, businesses needed a clear framework for how to handle cash transactions. This law gives them that. It’s consumer-friendly, it’s straightforward, and it has no impact on your home purchase, sale, or mortgage.
If you’re buying or selling a home in the Greater Orlando area and have questions, about this or anything else, I’m always happy to chat. That’s what I’m here for!
Ray Lopez Team | Keller Williams Advantage II Realty
📞 407-697-8298 | ✉️ closings@raylopezteam.com | 🌐 www.orlandofreehomeinfo.com
