As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 21, 2010

Registration No. 333-            

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

MERITAGE HOMES CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

MERITAGE HOMES CORPORATION 2006 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

(Full title of the plan)

Larry W. Seay

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

17851 North 85th Street

Suite 300

Scottsdale, Arizona 85255

480-515-8100

(Name, address and telephone number (including area code) of agent for service)

With a copy to:

Jeffrey E. Beck

Snell & Wilmer L.L.P.

One Arizona Center

400 East Van Buren

Phoenix, Arizona 85004

(602) 382-6000

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

This Registration Statement relates to:

the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 333-134637) that Meritage Homes Corporation, a Maryland corporation (the “Registrant”), filed on June 1, 2006, pursuant to which the Registrant registered 1,201,350 shares of common stock for issuance under the Meritage Homes Corporation 2006 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”); and

the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 333-151261) filed on May 29, 2008, pursuant to which the Registrant registered an additional 900,000 shares of common stock for issuance under the Plan.

The contents of the above-referenced registration statements are incorporated by reference herein pursuant to General Instruction E to Form S-8. This Registration Statement relates to the amendment of the Plan to, among other things, increase the number of shares of common stock authorized to be issued thereunder from 1,600,000 shares to 1,850,000 shares (excluding the shares that were rolled into the Plan from a former incentive plan). The previously paid filing fees associated with the referenced securities under the registration statements were $6,890, which includes an amount of $2,149 related to securities that were carried forward from a registration statement on Form S-8 that was filed for securities registered under a former incentive plan.

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Scottsdale, State of Arizona, on this 21st day of May, 2010.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Steven J. Hilton and Larry W. Seay, and each of them, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this registration statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

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