Collier County Property Appraiser

Table of Contents:

How much will Collier County pay for properties?

In Collier County, property price is determined by various factors, and property tax is determined by using a millage rate. The millage rate is the amount per every $1,000 of a property’s value. In Collier County, millage rates are used with the taxable value of your property to calculate your property tax amount.

The Collier County property appraiser determines the taxable value of each property in Collier County by examining various aspects such as the market value of the property, geographic location, building, cost, property usage, and other such factors. Therefore, it is essential to distinguish between the assessed value of a property and the taxable value since those two values will usually be decidedly different. The reason for these differences is that after the Property appraiser has determined what they believe is a fair deal for your property, they will need to apply all of the exemptions you are eligible for. These exemptions will help the taxable value of your property over the assessed value of your property.

If you look at your real estate tax bill, you will notice a “non-ad Valorem” assessment. This is not applicable in every district. Your area will determine this.

When paying off your tax bill, pay attention to the eleven-digit property ID number. This number will help you to ensure the money you paid has been appropriately credited and that your property taxes are paid in full. Usually, this number will be above the pink box on your tax bill.

It is also important to remember the tax period that the taxes you are paying are covering. Typically, your bill will cover the entire year starting from January 1. After that, the bills go out on November 1 of each year, covering the previous year’s taxes. After the tax bill is out, the property owner will have five months to pay off the tax in full. If those five months have passed and payment has not been made, the tax bill will become delinquent.

• The property tax always covers the year that has passed
• Your property tax bill will be sent around November
• You have about five months to pay your bills off
• The assessed value and taxable value for your property can be significantly different
• The taxable value of your property will also include all of the exemptions that you are eligible for

Where do I get information about exemptions or the value of my property in Collier County?

If you live in Collier County, the chances are that you are aware of the many different exemptions that are available. There are many different exemptions that you may be eligible for. The only way to determine which ones you can truly take advantage of is by thoroughly looking at the Collier County Property Appraiser website. Some of the most common exemptions include:

• Homestead exemption
• Senior Citizen exemption
• Veteran disability exemption
• Civilian disability exemption
• Widow/ Widower’s exemption
• Non-Profit Wholly Exemption

Apart from the different exemptions, your home may also fall under the Save our Home amendment, which reduces tax increases and property prices for taxation purposes.

Out of all of the different exemptions, the most common one is the Homestead exemption. The homestead exemption allows people who own and live in their property to benefit from a reduction of up to $50,000 in their property assessed value. This can be a significant reduction in taxation each year. For people to be eligible for the Homestead exemption, they would need to fit the following requirements:

1. Own the home that is on either the legal or beneficial title in equity as of January 1
2. The property must be their permanent residency
3. The applicant must be a permanent Florida resident as of January 1 of the year

The Homestead exemption is only given once per “Family unit” this means that a married couple is living together would only be able to get the Homestead exemption once.

To apply for the homestead exemption, you must provide the following documents:

• Evidence that you own the property in question
• The Social Security numbers of all applicants
• Your Voter registration for Collier County
• Your Florida Driver’s License
• A resident alien “green” card for those who are not U.S. citizens
• A copy of the trust agreement, if the property is part of a trust

If you want more information on your property’s value, you can contact the Collier County Property appraiser directly. The appraiser can provide you with details regarding the exact value of your property, how they determined the value, and guide you through all of the different exemptions available.

I don’t understand my tax notice, what amount do I pay?

Your tax notice will often have many different sections. Most commonly, there are about 14 different sections that you will be able to find on your property tax notice. Understanding what each section means will make it easier for you to know what you are paying for and better understand your property value and taxes.

1. Amount Due

The first few boxes, typically five boxes, on the top of the page will note all of the amounts due as of November 1. Usually, these will become delinquent by April 1 if left unpaid. The earlier you can pay your taxes, the more likely you will benefit from the early payment discount.

2. Parcel ID #

The first box on the left-hand side is the Parcel ID #. This number should be in every communication regarding your property taxes. Knowing this number can ensure that your payments are completed and processed on time.

3. Millage code

This is used to identify your district. It also says Mill Code right above it, making it easy to tell which box it is.

4. Escrow code

It will help you identify the agency to which the taxes are paid.

5. Message Area

It will help you take note of important information that you should pay attention to swiftly

6. Legal description

This is a description of your property as it is described in your property deed

7. Owner’s record

This section will typically include the owner’s name, contact details, mailing address, and certification date.

8. Value

The section noted with Assessed value, Exempt Amt, and Taxable value on the top will help you understand your assessed value, market value, and exemptions. This value noted determines how much you will pay in taxes, so you will always want to ensure there are no errors in this section.

9. Taxing Authority Type

This authority is responsible for establishing your Ad Valorem millage rate

10. Millage rate

The millage rate used by the taxing authority to determine your property taxes

11. Millage total

The millage rate after it was applied to your property’s taxable value

12. Ad Valorem Taxes

13. Non-AD Valorem assessments

Independent special districts typically determine these, and they are different from the ones in section 12.

14. Total

This section will show the combined total of the Ad Valorem taxes and non-Ad Valorem Assessments.

If you want to see only the amount you owe on your bill, you only need to look at the top boxes. The top portion will usually let you know the amount you need to pay in property taxes. The combined total will also show how much you need to bear in taxes.

Why haven’t I received my tax notice in Collier County?

If you didn’t receive your tax notice, you should first check if it has been sent. For example, if you recently moved or have not updated your address after a move, you may find that your tax notice will not reach you on time. To avoid missing your tax notice, you will always need to provide sufficient information to the Property Appraiser to ensure that you can receive your tax notice on time.

Why haven’t I received my paid receipt yet?

Collier County no longer sends out paid receipts, which is probably why you have not received such a receipt. However, all of the information regarding your previous payments can be found online or by visiting the Collier County offices. In the offices, they may also be able to provide you with further information about the payments that you have made.

Collier County: When do tax bills come out?

In Collier County, the tax notices are usually sent out on the last business day of October. All taxes become payable on November 1 and can become delinquent if they have not been paid off by April 1. If you do not receive your bill for any reason, you should inform the Collier County offices.

I sold my property in Collier County, what should I do with my bill?

If you have sold a property in Collier County, the bill is no longer your responsibility. Typically, you should have already provided whatever amount you would be responsible for in terms of taxes. If you receive an accidental tax notice, your best option is to forward it to the new owner. If that is not possible, you should contact the Collier County office, which can provide you with more information on how you can return the bill to their office.

Summary

Understanding how the tax notice system works in Collier County can make paying your property taxes more manageable. There are many exemptions available that can help reduce your tax amount. You will always want to thoroughly check your tax notice to ensure that everything is in order and that you are overpaying.