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Announcements:

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT


A Message from Marsha Faux, Polk County Property Appraiser


I am pleased to announce that I have been given the opportunity to continue serving as your Property Appraiser for the next four years. It is my honor and privilege to serve the citizens of Polk County and I cannot thank you enough for your support. I also want to take a moment to thank my incredible staff for their hard work and dedication. We will continue to provide excellent customer service and hope that we exceed your expectations in the years to come.

Again, thank you.

Marsha Faux, Polk County Property Appraiser
June 2021

New Northeast Government Center Now Open


The Polk County Property Appraiser is excited to announce that on May 1 we moved our Winter Haven Branch office to better accommodate the growth in Polk County.  Our new home is in the Government Center - 200 Government Center Blvd, Lake Alfred 33850.
Our Winter Haven Branch office permanently closed April 21, 2023, at 4:30pm.   Property appraiser services resumed at the new Lake Alfred location on May 1, 2023.

Our office in the new government center is nearly double the size of former Winter Haven location.  The additional space allows us to serve more customers throughout the year.  This is especially important during our busiest seasons:

•  JAN - MAR 1
Homestead and Exemption Filing
•  MID AUG
Mailing of the Truth-In-Millage (TRIM) Notices
•  EARLY NOV
Mailing of the Tax Bills

Our larger and more modern office not only accommodates an increase in the number of customer service staff, there is room for staff members from other departments to aid and assist our customers as needed.  As always, the programs and services available via a visit to our main Bartow office are and will continue to be available at our Lakeland and new Lake Alfred branch locations.

To contact us, please visit the contact page on our website:  Phone Number and Directions (polkpa.org)

We are grateful for the opportunity to serve the citizens of Polk County and we look forward to providing excellent customer service from our new location!!!

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May 2023

ALERT NOTIFICATION:  DEED FRAUD ON THE RISE


Deed fraud is on the rise state-wide. News Channel 8 recently aired a segment on TV, and posted an article to their website, which highlights this issue: Dunedin man discovers his house stolen through deed fraud (wfla.com).

As a result, we are seeing an increase of incoming calls from homeowners concerned about deed fraud.

Concerned homeowners should subscribe to the Polk County Clerk's Office Property Alert Service. Signing up for this service alerts you to possible fraudulent activity on your property in Polk County, Florida.

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April 2023

*****BEWARE*****   YOU DO NOT NEED TO PAY FOR DEED OR PROPERTY INFORMATION!


A number of Polk County residents received a letter from First Documents, Record Transfer Services, and others stating the need for homeowners to pay for a "Current Grant Deed and Property Assessment Profile". (SAMPLE LETTERS)

The Polk County Property Appraiser's office wants you to know that property records and deeds may be obtained online for little or no cost to you and without having to pay a service.

  • Current Property Deeds and all property/owner information is available on our website; the information is found by using our Property Search feature and locating your property. Once located, you can get a copy of your deed or print a PRC - Property Record Card. See below for additional instructions.

    How to get a copy of your deed
    How to print a PRC

  • You can also visit the Polk County Clerk's Official Records Search to receive certified documents.

If you have any questions, please contact the Clerk of the Courts or the Property Appraiser's Office.

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April 2023

Important Notice:  Change of Ownership can result in the loss of homestead or non-homestead cap


Per Florida Statutes 193.155, 193.1554, 193.1555, a change of ownership or control can result in the loss of homestead or non-homestead cap, with the property being reassessed as of January 1 of the year following the change.  Based on the aforementioned statutes, “a change of ownership or control means any sale, foreclosure, transfer of legal title or beneficial title in equity to any person, or the cumulative transfer of control or of more than 50 percent of the ownership of the legal entity that owned the property when it was most recently assessed at just value”.  Please see the statutes for a list of exceptions.  When considering the preparation of any legal document regarding your property, you may wish to consult with a title company or real estate attorney for assistance.

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April 2023

***REMINDER FOR PRIVATE CITIZENS AND FOR NON-PROFIT / CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS***


January 1 of each year is our assessment date. In order to qualify for exemption it is necessary that the applicant have legal title to the property on January 1. If the closing and the official documents conveying ownership are dated after January 1, the applicant will not qualify for exemption for the upcoming year.

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April 2023

Florida Department of Revenue Hurricane Ian Resource Page


The Florida Department of Revenue has published a Hurricane Ian resource page to keep Florida taxpayers updated and informed of available resources post Hurricane Ian. Information relevant to Florida property owners can be found at the bottom of the page under the Property Tax Oversight accordion. The Florida Department of Revenue will continue to update this page as more information and resources become available.

The Department of Revenue provides a Homeowner's Guide to answer Frequently Asked Questions for homeowners affected by Hurricane Ian.

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February 2023

Florida Public Records Statute (FS 119.071) Amended


The Florida Public Records Exemptions Statute, FS 119.071, has been amended as it relates to the publicly available records maintained by the county property appraiser and tax collector. As a result, exempt (aka confidential) parcels and accounts have been added back to our website and FTP data files. No owner names or Official Records books and pages of recorded documents related to these parcels/accounts, will appear on the Property Appraiser’s website or in FTP data files. In addition, the Polk County Property Appraiser mapping site has been modified to accommodate the statutory change.

See Senate Bill 781, which takes effect on July 1, 2021, for additional information.

To request an exemption from public records click the links below:

Polk County Property Appraiser Request to Block Information from Public Records
This form MUST BE submitted with a current photo ID by the person who is qualified for the confidentiality.
NOTE: The Property Appraiser Form also applies to the Tax bill provided by the Tax Collector's office.

Request for Redaction of Exempt Personal Information From Non-judicial Public Records (polkcountyclerk.net)
NOTE: The Clerk of Court is an independent office that offers separate confidentiality related services for recorded documents available online such as deeds - a separate application is required.

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February 2023

Tax Exemption Application Status


If you have applied for a Tax Exemption and would like to know the status of that application, you can check the parcel detail page of our website. Look for the section titled Exemptions.
  • Tax Exemptions approved for the current tax year will be listed in the Exemptions section of the parcel detail page.
  • If an application has been submitted but is awaiting review, you will see a message that states; A Tax Exemption Application has been filed on this property and is awaiting review by the Exemptions Department.
  • Once your application has been reviewed by the Exemptions department, you will receive an email listing the status of each Tax Exemption for which you applied. The status will be either approved or denied. If the exemption is for the current tax year it will be listed on the parcel detail page of our website. If your exemption was approved for next year, it will show on our website the following year.

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February 2023

Limitations on Homestead Property Tax Assessments


Effective January 1, 2021, the timeframe during which a property owner may transfer accrued save-our-homes benefits from a prior homestead to a new homestead has been increased from two to three years. This law change is the result of the voters’ approval of Constitutional Amendment 5 in the November 3, 2020, general election.

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February 2023

Ad Valorem Tax Discount for Surviving Spouses of Certain Deceased Veterans Who Had Permanent, Combat-Related Disabilities


Effective January 1, 2021, an ad valorem tax discount received by a permanently disabled veteran is eligible to carry over to the veteran’s surviving spouse and can be transferred to a new homestead, if the spouse holds legal or beneficial title to the homestead property, permanently resides on the property and has not remarried. This law change is the result of the voters’ approval of Constitutional Amendment 6 in the November 3, 2020, general election.

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February 2023

Notice of Proposed Property Taxes (TRIM)


The Notice of Proposed Property Taxes, also called the 'Truth in Millage' (TRIM) Notice is mailed annually in mid-August. The TRIM Notice is also available on our website.  

The TRIM notice is not a bill.  It is an estimate of proposed property taxes based on the proposed tax rates, property value, and exemptions. The TRIM Notice includes the date and time of budgetary public hearings for each taxing authority and certain non-ad valorem assessment information.

read more

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June 2021

Property Tax Education Forum Video


On August 31, 2021, The Polk County, Florida Constitutional Officers Presented A Virtual Property Tax Education Forum. The forum was designed to address public interest in Property Tax related issues. Please see Polk County Constitutional Officers Present A Virtual Property Tax Education Forum - Polk County Tax Collector (polktaxes.com) for additional information.

Our very own, Sharhonda Roberts, Assistant Property Appraiser, is the first presenter. She demonstrates how to use the https://www.polkpa.org website.

The above video was produced and is hosted by third parties and may not conform to all of the Polk County Property Appraiser accessibility standards.
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March 2022

Making a difference. Every day, every customer! - Please complete our 5 second survey


Our goal is to gather information from our taxpayers on how we can make a difference every day, every customer. If you have a few seconds to spare, please follow the link below to complete a quick survey on the service you've received from our office. We would love to hear from you. Thank you in advance for taking the time to give us your feedback!



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June 2017

Florida Department of Revenue Notice: Extension for Filing Tangible Personal Property Returns


The Department has received questions from property appraisers regarding the upcoming deadlines for taxpayers and local officials to complete property tax activities.

As a reminder to all property appraisers (PA), section 193.063, Florida Statutes, authorizes PAs to grant a 30-day extension for taxpayers to file a Tangible Personal Property Return (Form DR-405). The PA may grant, at his or her discretion, an additional 15 days for the taxpayer to file the return. Taxpayers must provide the request to the PA before the return’s due date of April 1st, 2024. Taxpayers must provide the name of the taxable entity, tax identification number and the reason for the extension request.

The Department understands that local conditions may change rapidly in the coming days and weeks. Please notify the Property Tax Oversight program of office closures or staff quarantines that impair your ability to serve taxpayers or meet other due dates. The Department will continue to monitor the situation and provide additional guidance on upcoming deadlines as appropriate. Report office closures and send any questions to DORPTO@floridarevenue.com Please provide the date the office will close, the date the office is planning to reopen, and contact name(s) and phone number(s) that can be reached during the office closure. In providing the guidance above, the Department has considered input from your offices, guidance from the Florida Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the need for citizens and local government staff to practice social distancing. We appreciate your cooperation and concern for your employees and Florida’s taxpayers.

The Polk County Property Appraiser accepts requests for a 30 day Extension, to May 1st, via the Tangible Online Filing website or in writing. All requests must be received or post marked on or before the April 1st deadline.

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March 2020

Become part of the PCPA Team!


Our office is always looking to grow and better serve the residents of Polk County and you can help us achieve our goal by becoming part of our team. As an equal opportunity employer, offering a great working environment with competitive pay and substantial benefits; the PCPA office can provide you with new opportunities and the start of a rewarding career.

Please take a moment and browse our Employment page to see the current openings but remember to check back often as we update postings weekly.

June 2021

Notice of Certification of Tax Rolls


2023 Preliminary Tax Roll

Pursuant to section 200.065(1) F.S. and 129.03(1) F.S., notice is hereby given that the Polk County Property Appraiser has certified to each taxing authority the taxable value within the jurisdiction of the taxing authority as of the certification date listed below.

Preliminary tax roll certification date is July 1, 2023.


Value Adjustment Board (VAB) Certifications


VAB 1st CERTIFICATION (2023 FINAL TAX ROLL)

Pursuant to section 193.122(2), F.S., notice is hereby given to all taxpayers and owners of both real and personal property that the 2023 Polk County Tax Rolls have been extended to show the tax attributable to all taxable property and that said tax rolls are certified for collection to the Tax Collector as of the certification date listed below.

The tax roll certification date is October 11, 2023.

VAB 2nd CERTIFICATION (2022 VAB FINAL TAX ROLL)

Pursuant to section 193.122(3), F.S., notice is hereby given to all taxpayers and owners of both real and personal property that the 2022 Polk County Tax Rolls have been extended and reflect all changes made by the value adjustment board together with any adjustments or changes made by the Property Appraiser and that said tax rolls have been recertified to the Tax Collector as of the recertification date listed below.

The tax roll recertification date is April 6, 2023.
Oct. 2021

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Property Tax and Budget Information (Statewide and Local)


Pursuant to section 195.052 F.S. the Florida Department of Revenue (DOR) shall conduct research and maintain accurate tabulations of data and conditions existing as to ad valorem taxation for all county and municipal governments in the state. This law also requires the DOR to annually publish such data to facilitate fiscal policymaking and to make recommendations to ensure property is equitably taxed throughout the state.

Such data shall be published, at a minimum, on the DOR website and on the websites of all Property Appraisers. The links below provide access to budget information and statewide / local property tax data.

DOR Florida Property Tax Data Portal
Polk County Property Tax Overview
Polk County Property Tax Information
Polk County Proposed Millage Rates
Polk County Final Millage Rates
Polk County Tax Roll and Budget Documents
Jan. 2016

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Important Dates

Web site date
Friday, August 9, 2024

Mail out date
Friday, August 16, 2024

File a petition deadline
Tuesday, September 10, 2024

Missed the 2023 VAB deadline of September 11, 2023 and can show good cause? File a GOOD CAUSE PETITION.
2024 filing deadline
Friday, March 1st, 2024

You may file in person, via mail, email, or online.
Office Locations
TPP Tax Return Deadline
4/1/2024

Extension Request Period
3/18/2024 - 4/1/2024

Combine / Split Requests
Deadline for the 2024 Tax Roll
7/1/2024

Good Friday
3/29/2024

Memorial Day
5/27/2024

Independence Day
7/4/2024

Labor Day
9/2/2024

Veteran's Day
11/11/2024

Thanksgiving
11/28/2024 - 11/29/2024

Christmas
12/24/2024 - 12/25/2024

New Year's Day
1/1/2025

Martin Luther King Jr. Day
1/20/2025