Florida property tax appeals
The Florida appeal rule is ~25 days after the mid-august trim notice. VAB petitions are due about 25 days after the August TRIM notice — most counties close mid-September. Effectively closing now; a prime target for August 2027.
Appeal form / venue: VAB Petition (DR-486).
Every Florida county
Pick your county for its deadline, assessor lookup, and a free check.
Beyond the appeal
Three ways to lower your Florida property taxes
Appealing an over-assessment is the biggest lever, but it isn't the only one. These stack — you can do all three.
Fix the record
Assessors work from data that's often wrong — square footage, bed/bath count, lot size, condition, a finished basement that isn't finished. One wrong number inflates your value every year. Pull your property record card from the assessor and check every line.
Appeal the value
If similar homes near you recently sold for less than the county's value, you're taxed on money that isn't there. That gap is your appeal — and removing it cuts your bill at the local tax rate, often for years. We check this against real comparable sales for free.
Claim every exemption
Exemptions cut your taxable value directly, on top of any appeal. Most are a one-time application with your assessor and renew automatically — many owners never file them.
- Homestead
- Most states exempt part of a primary residence's value from tax. Usually the single biggest exemption — and the one people forget when they move.
- Senior / over-65
- Many states add a reduction or freeze your assessed value once you reach a set age and income, so rising values stop raising your bill.
- 100% disabled veteran
- A total service-connected disability often means a full or very large property-tax exemption for the veteran or surviving spouse.
- Disability, widow(er), ag/conservation use
- Additional relief for permanent disability, surviving spouses, and land kept in agricultural or conservation use — varies by state.
Exact exemptions, amounts, and filing deadlines vary by state and county — confirm what Florida offers with your assessor. Exemptions are not legal or tax advice.