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How to appeal your property tax assessment in Florida

In Florida, if the value on your notice is too high, you can ask to have it lowered. You don't need a lawyer.

Checked against official sources: Oct 21, 2026

Can I still appeal?

Closed for 2026 — opens in August 2027

Closed for 2026: the deadline was 25 days after the August notice of proposed taxes (TRIM notice). The next window opens with TRIM notices in August 2027.

Get your letter ↓ What you can do now ↓

0.76%Median effective tax rate
$2,730Median yearly tax on a home
25 days after TRIM notice (mid-Sep)Deadline to appeal
County Value Adjustment Board (VAB)First level of appeal

Florida homeowners pay a median of $2,730 a year in property tax, an effective rate of 0.76%, the 28th highest of the 51 states we cover.

Deadline: 25 days after TRIM notice (mid-Sep)

File a petition with the county Value Adjustment Board (VAB) clerk on or before the 25th day after the property appraiser mails the TRIM notice. The exact date is printed on the notice. Example: in Miami-Dade County the 2026 deadline was September 18, 2026. Denied exemptions or classifications have a 30-day deadline from the denial notice. The board cannot extend the deadline; late petitions are accepted only for good cause (verifiable extraordinary circumstances).

The Notice of Proposed Property Taxes (TRIM notice) is mailed in August, usually mid-to-late August. It shows the value, exemptions, proposed taxes and the deadline to file a petition.

Missed the deadline? What you can do now

  • Late petition: the Value Adjustment Board accepts a late petition only for good cause (verifiable extraordinary circumstances). If that is your case, file now and explain why.
  • Check your notice: is your homestead exemption on it and was the Save Our Homes cap applied? If an exemption is missing, ask the office that sets your value. Exemptions have their own deadlines.
  • Pay early and save: Florida takes 4% off your bill if you pay in November, 3% in December, 2% in January and 1% in February. (Source: Florida Statutes s. 197.162)
  • Set a reminder for August 2027, when the next notice usually arrives. Then check the value and the deadline right away. Add to my calendar

Find your Florida county

Where you file depends on your county. Pick yours for the office contacts, local tax figures and a step-by-step guide.

How much could you save?

Enter the market value on your assessment notice and what you think the home would really sell for. We estimate the yearly saving if the board agrees with you.

Use the full market value, not the assessed value, if your notice shows both. The estimate uses your bill or your state's median effective tax rate.

Some states cap how fast the taxable value of a home can rise (California, Florida, Michigan and Texas homesteads, for example). If your taxable value is already held below market value by a cap, a lower market value may not lower this year's bill.

How to appeal in Florida, step by step

  1. Understand your assessment

    The elected Property Appraiser in each of the 67 counties. The Florida Department of Revenue oversees the process. Property is valued at 'market value (“just value”)' (market value) as of January 1 each year. For a homestead, the taxable assessed value can rise no more than 3% or inflation (CPI), whichever is less, under the Save Our Homes cap. Other property has a 10% cap on non-school taxes. Every year, as of January 1.

  2. Check the record and talk to the assessor

    You can ask for an informal conference with the property appraiser's office, often by phone, online or in person, after the TRIM notice arrives. It is optional and does not extend the 25-day petition deadline, so file the VAB petition at the same time if you are not sure you will settle.

  3. Gather your evidence

    What works in Florida:

    • Sales of similar homes close to January 1 of the tax year
    • An appraisal valuing the home as of January 1
    • The property record card with any errors marked
    • Photos and repair estimates for damage or defects as of January 1
    • Proof that the Save Our Homes cap or an exemption was applied wrongly
    More detail
    • Sales of similar homes close to January 1 of the tax year
    • An appraisal valuing the home as of January 1
    • The property record card with any errors marked (size, pool, quality, condition)
    • Photos and repair estimates for damage or defects as of January 1
    • Proof that the Save Our Homes cap or an exemption was applied wrongly

  4. File your appeal DR-486 DR-501

    First level: County Value Adjustment Board (VAB). File Form DR-486 with the VAB clerk, online in most large counties or on paper, and pay the fee. You get a hearing notice at least 25 days ahead. In counties over 75,000 people, an appraiser or lawyer who runs the hearing (a “special magistrate”) hears the case and recommends a decision to the board. At least 15 days before the hearing, you must give the property appraiser your evidence list and copies; the appraiser must give you theirs at least 15 days before too. Each side can reschedule once for good cause. Before taxes become delinquent (April 1), you must pay at least 75% of the taxes (less discount) or the petition is denied. Cost: Set by each county's VAB, now up to $50 per parcel (the cap was raised from $15 effective July 1, 2025). Example: Miami-Dade charged $15 per parcel in 2026. No fee to appeal a timely homestead exemption denial; waived for people on temporary assistance.

  5. Prove your case at the hearing

    Bring copies of your evidence for each board member. Keep to the value of your home, not the size of the bill.

    More detail

    The property appraiser's value is presumed correct. You must show by the more convincing evidence (“a preponderance of the evidence”: more likely true than not) that it is above just value, ignores the Save Our Homes cap, or was done differently from similar homes in the county. If you do, the board can set a new value based on the evidence. For exemption and classification disputes there is no presumption, but you still must prove your case.

  6. If you lose: Circuit Court

    Within 60 days after the tax roll is certified for collection, or 60 days after the VAB decision if the decision came after the roll was certified. File a lawsuit in circuit court in the county. Before filing you must pay the tax you admit is owed and file the receipt with the complaint, and keep paying later years' admitted tax. You can also go straight to circuit court without using the VAB. A lawyer is strongly recommended.

  7. After you win

    The VAB decision changes the value on the tax roll. If you already paid, the tax collector refunds the overpayment with interest at the July 1 bank prime rate. There is no multi-year freeze, but a lower homestead value carries forward because Save Our Homes caps future increases.

Official forms

DR-486 Petition to the Value Adjustment Board – Request for Hearing

Open the official form page

DR-501 Original Application for Homestead and Related Tax Exemptions

Open the official form page

Rules that are different in Florida

  • The value date is January 1. Damage or market changes after that date do not count for this year's appeal.
  • Save Our Homes: a homestead's assessed value can rise at most 3% or CPI each year, whichever is less; the benefit is portable to a new Florida homestead if you apply in time.
  • You must pay at least 75% of the taxes before they become delinquent while the petition is pending, or the VAB will deny it.
  • Evidence must be exchanged at least 15 days before the hearing; documents not shared on time can be excluded.
  • Informal conferences never extend the 25-day deadline.
  • On November 3, 2026, voters decide on CS/HJR 1-F. For people who have their Florida homestead by December 31, 2026, it would exempt up to $150,000 of assessed value from non-school taxes in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028 (then indexed to inflation). People who establish a homestead in 2027 or later would start at a $50,000 non-school exemption and move up to the full amount in the fifth year. It would also cut the yearly assessment cap on non-homestead property from 10% to 5%. It needs 60% approval and would take effect January 1, 2027.

Most wins start with a mistake in the assessor's record of your home. Check it line by line.

Record card checklist

Exemptions that lower your bill without an appeal

An exemption is separate from an appeal: you apply once and it cuts your taxable value every year. Check you have every one you qualify for.

Homestead Exemption

For your permanent Florida residence owned on January 1: $25,000 off all property taxes, plus an additional exemption on assessed value above $50,000 for non-school taxes ($26,411 for 2026, indexed to inflation since 2025). Apply with the property appraiser by March 1.

Official details

Save Our Homes cap and portability

Once you have a homestead, its assessed value can grow no more than 3% or CPI a year. You can carry the built-up savings to a new Florida homestead if you establish it within three years.

Official details

Do you need a lawyer or a tax consultant?

You can represent yourself. A licensed Florida attorney, real estate appraiser, real estate broker or CPA, or your employee, can represent you. A paid agent who is not one of these must file a power of attorney (Form DR-486POA) with the petition, valid for one taxpayer and one year. An unpaid helper needs your written authorization (Form DR-486A). No state cap on contingency fees was found.

Free property tax appeal letter

Fill in your details and download a written appeal statement as a PDF. Most boards also require their own appeal form: file the form and attach this letter and your evidence to it.

The 2026 deadline in Florida has passed. We set this letter to the 2027 tax year: send it after your 2027 notice arrives. Late petition: the Value Adjustment Board accepts a late petition only for good cause (verifiable extraordinary circumstances). If that is your case, file now and explain why.

In Florida, file Form DR-486 with your county Value Adjustment Board (VAB) clerk and attach this letter. Form DR-486 (PDF)

About you

Where should the board send its decision?

The property

The year printed on your notice.

Who gets the letter

Write: Value Adjustment Board clerk, and your county.

Your appeal
Reasons (tick all that apply)
Other formats

Sign the letter. Send it by certified mail with a return receipt, or file it online or in person, before your deadline. Keep a copy and your receipt.

RobinClaim is a free information site, not a law firm or appraiser. The letter is a template, not legal advice.

Florida property tax appeal FAQ

What is the deadline to appeal property taxes in Florida?

File a petition with the county Value Adjustment Board (VAB) clerk on or before the 25th day after the property appraiser mails the TRIM notice. The exact date is printed on the notice. Example: in Miami-Dade County the 2026 deadline was September 18, 2026. Denied exemptions or classifications have a 30-day deadline from the denial notice. The board cannot extend the deadline; late petitions are accepted only for good cause (verifiable extraordinary circumstances).

Where do I file a property tax appeal in Florida?

First level of appeal in Florida: County Value Adjustment Board (VAB). File Form DR-486 with the VAB clerk, online in most large counties or on paper, and pay the fee. You get a hearing notice at least 25 days ahead. In counties over 75,000 people, a special magistrate (an appraiser or lawyer) hears the case and recommends a decision to the board. At least 15 days before the hearing, you must give the property appraiser your evidence list and copies; the appraiser must give you theirs at least 15 days before too. Each side can reschedule once for good cause. Before taxes become delinquent (April 1), you must pay at least 75% of the taxes (less discount) or the petition is denied.

How much does it cost to appeal in Florida?

Set by each county's VAB, now up to $50 per parcel (the cap was raised from $15 effective July 1, 2025). Example: Miami-Dade charged $15 per parcel in 2026. No fee to appeal a timely homestead exemption denial; waived for people on temporary assistance.

Can I talk to the assessor before filing?

Yes. You can ask for an informal conference with the property appraiser's office, often by phone, online or in person, after the TRIM notice arrives. It is optional and does not extend the 25-day petition deadline, so file the VAB petition at the same time if you are not sure you will settle.

What if the board turns me down?

Next level: Circuit Court. Within 60 days after the tax roll is certified for collection, or 60 days after the VAB decision if the decision came after the roll was certified. File a lawsuit in circuit court in the county. Before filing you must pay the tax you admit is owed and file the receipt with the complaint, and keep paying later years' admitted tax. You can also go straight to circuit court without using the VAB. A lawyer is strongly recommended.

What happens if I win?

The VAB decision changes the value on the tax roll. If you already paid, the tax collector refunds the overpayment with interest at the July 1 bank prime rate. There is no multi-year freeze, but a lower homestead value carries forward because Save Our Homes caps future increases.

Sources

Checked Oct 21, 2026 against official Florida sources. Local deadlines and fees can differ; confirm with your assessor or board.

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