If you purchase a home in Florida, you will pay ad valorem or “property” tax based on the taxable value of the property. Ad valorem taxes are assessed by the county property appraiser that your property is located and collected annually by the county tax collector’s office.
Non-ad valorem assessments are also made on real property for essential services, such as fire protection and garbage collection. These taxes are similar to Property taxes in the U.K.
The Tax Collector consolidates the certified ad valorem and non-ad valorem tax rolls and mails tax notices to property owners. Ad valorem and non-ad valorem assessments are due beginning November 1st or soon after the tax roll is certified. Tax notices are mailed October 31st based on current addresses maintained by the Property Appraiser’s office. Florida law makes taxpayers responsible for knowing that their property taxes are due each year. Ad valorem and non-ad valorem assessments become delinquent on April 1st.
Your tax bill is discounted for early payment; options are located near the end of each invoice. The following discounts are applied for early payment:
- 4% discount if paid in November
- 3% discount if paid in December
- 2% discount if paid in January
- 1% discount if paid in February
- Gross amount paid in March, no discount applied.
Taxes become delinquent April 1st of each year.
- If you have a US mortgage and also pay into an escrow account as part of your monthly mortgage payment then your lender will pay your Property Tax bill from these funds. However, if you do not have a mortgage or if you have a mortgage from a lender outside the US, then you should receive your Property Real Estate Tax invoice directly from the Tax Collector’s office and payment should be made directly to the Tax Collector by March 31st of the following year.
Each year as of January 1st every property is reassessed to keep up with current market values as required by Florida Statutes, Chapter 193. Approximately every three years each property may be individually reviewed to insure the accuracy of current building and site data.