How to Move to Florida From Tennessee (Sun City Center Retiree Guide)

Direct answer

You move to Florida from Tennessee for the winter, not the tax bill. The tax bill is already zero on both sides. Drive I-24 southeast to I-75 south, establish Florida domicile, and file homestead. Nashville to Sun City Center is about 750 miles and 11 hours, a true one day drive for most retirees.

The tax swap, Tennessee versus Florida

The biggest single dollar difference for most Tennessee retirees is not on the tax return, it is on the utility bill and the calendar. Nashville January highs sit in the 40s and freeze events are routine. Sun City Center January highs run in the 60s and 70s, and winter heating disappears.

Tax disclaimer

Tax information is general and for educational purposes only. It is not tax advice. Rates, exemptions, and thresholds change and vary by county and by individual circumstance. Verify current figures with the Tennessee Department of Revenue and consult a licensed CPA or tax attorney before making relocation decisions. Tax data verified July 2026.

The seven step move

• ◆Decide snowbird or outright move. Most Tennessee retirees start with one winter rental in Sun City Center before buying.
• ◆Line up Florida financing before you list at home. Get fully underwritten so you can write a non contingent offer once you are ready.
• ◆Pick your neighborhood category: Sun City Center Proper for detached single family, Kings Point for gated condo and villa living, or Renaissance for the higher end.
• ◆Sequence the sale and purchase. Options include buy first with bridge or asset based financing, sell first with rent back, or overlap with a short term rental.
• ◆Establish Florida domicile and document it. See the checklist below.
• ◆Move the household. Full service movers, container pods, or auto transport for one vehicle plus a fly down are the three common patterns. This is a true one day drive of about 750 miles from Nashville. Many Tennessee retirees drive the household in a rental truck.
• ◆File Florida homestead by March 1 of the year after you close. Miss that date and you lose the exemption for a full year.

Establishing Florida domicile from Tennessee

Tennessee does not audit departures because there is no income tax to protect. Standard domicile documentation is administrative. The Florida homestead filing is the meaningful step.

• ◆File a Declaration of Domicile with the Hillsborough County Clerk of Court.
• ◆Get a Florida driver license and surrender the license from your former state.
• ◆Register vehicles in Florida and cancel the old state registration.
• ◆Register to vote in Hillsborough County.
• ◆Update your address on federal tax returns, Social Security, and Medicare.
• ◆Move primary banking and brokerage relationships to Florida addresses.
• ◆Transfer primary physicians and specialists to Tampa Bay providers.
• ◆Update wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and health directives to Florida law.
• ◆File Florida homestead by March 1 to lock the exemption and the Save Our Homes 3 percent cap.
• ◆Count and document days present. Keep flight receipts, EZ Pass records, and credit card geolocation.

Logistics: drive, flights, and moving

The drive from Nashville is about 750 miles and 11 hours on I-24 southeast to I-75 south, a true one day trip for most retirees. Nonstop flights BNA to Tampa International run multiple times daily. Household moves for a full three bedroom band 4,000 to 8,000 dollars, and auto transport Tennessee to Tampa runs roughly 700 to 1,100 dollars per car.

Financing from out of state

Get fully underwritten before you list at home. That means income, assets, and credit verified so your Florida offer can go in without a financing contingency. Travis works multiple retiree friendly programs. Asset depletion qualifies buyers on brokerage and retirement balances instead of monthly income. Social Security and pension income qualification gets you the gross up boost most lenders miss. Kings Point condos need non warrantable condo programs, and Travis has relationships that lend where big banks decline. See the full financing overview. Travis Penny is a licensed mortgage broker, NMLS 1649161, and this is not an offer to lend. Loans are subject to underwriting approval.

Why Tennessee retirees pick Sun City Center

Tennessee retirees pick Sun City Center to finish the winter trip and land in a 55 plus community with amenity depth. Sun City Center is cart legal, walkable in the core, and has HCA Florida South Bay inside the community. Tampa International is 45 minutes north, Gulf beaches 30 minutes west.

Call Rex

Ready to plan the move? Call Rex, your 24/7 concierge, (813) 576.3131. Rex hands warm calls to Dewey for real estate and Travis for financing during business hours, and takes messages the rest of the time.