Any assessment for tax purposes that is less than the property's just value is a classified use assessment. An appraiser may assess property at lower than just value if it meets the statutory requirements of one of the following uses.

• Agricultural land, s. 193.461, F.S.
• Pollution control devices, s. 193.621, F.S.
• High-water recharge, s. 193.625, F.S.
• Historic property, s. 193.503, F.S.
• New construction for parents or grandparents, s. 193.703, F.S.
• Conservation easements, s. 193.501, F.S.

Assessed Value = Just Value - Assessment Limits

Taxable Value = Assessed Value - Exemptions

Total Tax Liability = Taxable Value x Millage Rate 

Example: Assume a homestead has a just value of $300,000, an accumulated $40,000 in Save Our Homes (SOH) protections, and a homestead exemption of $25,000 plus the additional $25,000 on non-school taxes.

The millage is seven mills for county schools and 11 mills for all non-school taxing authorities combined (city, county, and special districts).

$300,000 (Just Value) - $40,000 (Accumulated SOH) = $260,000 (Assessed Value)

School Taxes

$260,000 (Assessed Value) - $25,000 (Exemption) = $235,000 (Taxable Value) x .007 (Millage) = $1,645 (Tax Liability)

Non-School Taxes

$260,000 (Assessed Value) - $50,000 (Exemption) = $210,000 (Taxable Value) x .011 (Millage) = $2,310 (Tax Liability)

Total Taxes (School Tax Liability + Non-School Tax Liability) = $3,955 ($1,645 + $2,310)

More information is available on our Exemptions page.

​Several types of local governments, called taxing authorities, can levy property taxes to support the services they provide to people in a county, city, or other specific area. These taxing authorities include counties, municipalities, school districts, and special districts, such as water management, fire protection, mosquito protection, or other special districts.

Before adopting a budget and setting a millage (tax) rate, taxing authorities must hold public hearings and follow the statewide Truth in Millage (TRIM) requirements. These hearings are the best opportunity for property owners to comment on taxing authorities' budgets and millages. Taxing authorities advertise hearings in local newspapers and usually post notices on local government websites.

The growth in revenue from property taxes that taxing authorities assess is capped at a rate equal to the growth in Florida's per capita personal income plus new construction, unless the taxing authority’s governing board overrides the cap with a super-majority, unanimous vote or referendum.

Contact your local taxing authority for more information, or visit our TRIM page.

Local governments (counties, municipalities, or special districts) can levy property for non-ad valorem assessments. These assessments are calculated on a unit basis, rather than on value. Proposed non-ad valorem assessments are based on an improvement or service to the property, such as drainage, lighting, or paving.

Your Notice of Proposed Property Taxes, Form DR-474, usually includes proposed non-ad valorem assessments at the bottom, but the taxing authorities can send them separately. They must go through the Truth in Millage (TRIM) hearing process if the assessment:

• Is being levied for the first time.
• Increases beyond the maximum rate set when it was first levied.
• Changes boundaries, unless all newly affected property owners have given written consent.
• Changes the purpose or use of the revenue.

See section 197.3632, F.S., for the statutory requirements.

Standard Payment

Generally, tax collectors send tax bills (Form DR-528) in November. Follow the instructions on the tax bill and send the payment to your county tax collector.

If your property has a mortgage and the mortgagee is the trustee for a tax escrow account, the tax collector will send the tax bill to the mortgagee and a copy to you. Your mortgagee will pay the taxes from the escrow account.

If you pay your taxes early, you will receive a discount - 4 percent in November, 3 percent in December, 2 percent in January, and 1 percent in February. The amounts are calculated for you on your bill.

If you don’t pay your taxes, they become delinquent on April 1 and tax certificates will be sold on all unpaid items by June 1.​

See section 197.343, F.S., or contact your tax collector.

Homestead Tax Deferral

A person who is entitled to claim the homestead tax exemption may choose to defer payment of part of the combined total taxes, including non-ad valorem assessments. You must file an annual application for tax deferral, Form DR-570, with your county tax collector by March 31 following the year when the taxes and non-ad valorem assessments were assessed. Approval for tax deferral will defer taxes that are more than 5 percent of last year’s household income. If last year’s household income was less than $10,000, all ad valorem taxes and non-ad valorem assessments will be deferred.

A permanent resident of Florida who is 65 years old or older may defer that portion of the tax that is more than 3 percent of the household income for the previous year. If the household income for the last calendar year was less than the current income limit and the applicant is 65 or older, approval of the application can defer all ad valorem taxes and non-ad valorem assessments. However, the amount that can be deferred may be limited, depending on the amount of mortgages and other unsatisfied liens on the home.

See section 197.252, F.S. For local information, contact your county tax collector.

If the tax collector denies your application for a deferral and you don’t agree with the denial, you may appeal to the county value adjustment board within 30 days after the tax collector sent the denial. 

Partial Payment

At the tax collector’s discretion, he or she may accept one or more partial payments for current taxes and assessments on real property or tangible personal property as long as the payment is made before the delinquency date, which is usually April 1.

The taxpayer is responsible for paying the remaining amount due. Any remaining balance not paid before April 1 becomes delinquent and is handled the same way as other delinquent taxes.

See section 197.374, F.S., or contact your county tax collector.

Installment Payment of Property Taxes

Taxpayers who want to prepay property taxes on the installment plan should file an application with the tax collector by May 1 of the year the taxes are assessed. After submitting an initial application, a taxpayer is not required to submit annual applications as long as the taxpayer continues choosing to prepay taxes by installment.

See section 197.222, F.S. For local information, contact your county tax collector.

Are you interested in knowing your rights as a taxpayer?​ See the document below for more information.

Document	Description	Format
PT Bill of Rights	The Taxpayer's Bill of Rights for property owners in the state of Florida	PDF (1022 KB)

The property appraiser assesses all property at just value each year on January 1. When you acquire new real property, your assessed value is equal to the just (market) value.

If the property is your homestead and the just value increases, the assessed value in the next year cannot increase more than 3 percent or the percent change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), whichever is less. This is true for each following year until you move or make improvements to your home. If the property is not a homestead, the assessed value increase is limited to 10 percent each year.

If your just value declines, your assessed value can increase each year until the assessed value is the same amount as the just value. However, the assessed value can never be more than the just value. (See section 193.155, F.S., and Rule 12D-8.0062, F.A.C.​).

For more information on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), please visit our Consumer Price Index page.