FAQs

At least once every five (5) years the Property Appraiser’s office is required by Florida Statutes to visit and review every property in the county. However, property values may change each year due to market activity and other factors which affect value. The sales comparison is one method of determining value. Other methods include the cost approach and the income approach.

Each August you will receive a Notice of Proposed Property Taxes as required by law. This is an important piece of information. When you receive it in the mail it will say “DO NOT PAY – This is not a bill.” Please review this information carefully. It will give you the assessed value of your property, any exemptions, and the taxable value of your property for the upcoming year. It will also show you the proposed taxes for the upcoming year as set by the taxing authorities as well as the dates for their public hearings to discuss their budgets.

If you believe the assessed value of your property is too high or if you believe you should have received an exemption that does not show, you should contact the Property Appraiser’s office at once. The matter can be discussed and probably be resolved at that time. If you still feel your value is too high, you can file a petition with the Value Adjustment Board.

No. you must own the property on which you make an application. If you own a mobile home, but not the land on which it sits, you would not qualify for the homestead exemption. The mobile home would not be assessed on the tax roll. You would be required to purchase an annual mobile home tag through the Tax Collector’s office.

You could then qualify for homestead exemption. Even if you did not qualify for homestead exemption, you are required by Florida Statutes to purchase real property (RP) stickers for the mobile home. The mobile home would then be assessed as part of the real estate on the tax rolls.

Once the property has been conveyed to the new owner (and the homestead exemption is interrupted), it is raised to full market value (just value) January 1 of the following year. The new owner must qualify and apply to receive homestead exemption. Even if the property received a homestead exemption under the previous owner, the limitation, just like the exemption, expires January 1 of the year following a change of ownership

In 1992, voters approved Amendment 10 a/k/a The Save Our Homes (SOH) Amendment to the State Constitution. Prior to its 1994 effective date, Governor Chiles and his Cabinet approved implementing rule 12D8.0062 that became part of the Florida Administrative Code and later became known as The Recapture Rule. The rule requires property appraisers to annually increase assessed values on homestead properties whose market values are greater than last year’s assessed value by 3% or the Consumer Price Index (CPI), whichever is less. Therefore, if you have previously-accrued SOH benefits, your assessed value will increase even though your market value decreased.

All exemption applications must be made in the office of the property appraiser. If you have a reason for not being able to come in to the office please contact our office where we can try to assist you. We do not currently offer an online application for exemption filing.

• Drivers License
• Permanent Residency Card (if not a US citizen)
• Social Security Card
• Voter registration card (If you are a registered voter)
• Vehicle Tag Number
• Proof of Utility Payment at the Homestead Address.