As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 25, 2012

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)

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 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 1,850,000 shares to 3,050,000 shares (excluding the shares that were rolled into the Plan from the Meritage Homes Corporation Stock Option Plan (the “Former Plan”), including the Carried Forward Shares (as defined below)). 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 the Former Plan.

In addition, this Registration Statement registers 1,362,482 shares of the Registrant’s common stock (the “Carried Forward Shares”) that were not issued under the Former Plan and that may be offered or sold under the Plan. The Carried Forward Shares, which have been adjusted to reflect a 2-for-1 stock split in January 2005, were previously registered for issuance under the Former Plan on a Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed on June 7, 2004 (No. 333-116243), but have not yet been registered for issuance under the Plan. The Registrant is concurrently filing a Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 333-116243), as well as Post-Effective Amendments to certain other previously filed Registration Statements on Form S-8 (Nos. 333-37859, 333-75629, 333-39036 and 333-91960), to deregister the Carried Forward Shares under the Former Plan.

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 8. Exhibits.

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 25th day of May, 2012.

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.

EXHIBIT INDEX