Frequently Asked Questions

Any person who wishes to apply for homestead exemption must file with the county where the homestead property is located. Osceola County residents have the option of filing in person or online. In Osceola County, applications are accepted year round during regular business hours, but must be filed by March 1st of the year for which you are applying. There is no fee to file for homestead exemption.

In order to determine your permanent residency in Osceola County, you are required to produce the following documents when you apply. This documentation is required for all persons claiming the exemption, such as both a husband and wife

• A copy of the deed to your property, or a current tax bill in your name.
• Your Florida drivers license. Out-of-state licenses or Florida Only drivers licenses are not accepted. Florida ID cards are accepted only in the case of a non-driver.
• Osceola County voter registration card or, if you cannot or do not wish to register to vote, an Affidavit of Residency can be obtained at our office or through the online filing process.
• Your Florida vehicle registration.
• Your Social Security Number.
• If filing on a mobile home, your mobile home title or registration.

If you are not a citizen of the United States, you must produce your resident alien or green card. You will need to file an affidavit of residency if you are not eligible to vote. Temporary resident cards or visas are not acceptable, since neither establishes your permanent residency.

If you do not produce the required documentation, your application is considered incomplete and will not be granted.

You may file at any time during regular business hours at our office or online by clicking here to go to Homestead Exemption Online. You MUST file by March 1st of the year for which you are applying! For example, if you purchased and moved in to your new home in April, you may file at any time before March 1st of the following year. Occupation of your home on January 1st of the following year meets the residency requirements in the statutes. If you are not living in your home by January 1st, you do not qualify for that year.

Failure to file on or before March 1st , by law is a waiver of your exemption for that year.

Special locations and hours are established during January and February, which are our busiest times for homestead filing.

Osceola County Government Center
2505 East Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy
Kissimmee, Florida
8:00 am -5:00 pm, M – F

Requests to change mailing address may be made in person, by mail, email, or by fax. Please include:

• Person requesting change
• Current ownership name
• Location of property
• New address
• Date of request
• Phone number of person requesting change
• Signature of person requesting change

To change address in person:

Kissimmee Office
Osceola County Government Center
2505 East Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy
Kissimmee, Florida 34744
Phone: (407) 742-5000
Fax: (407) 742-4900

To change address by mail:

Property Appraisers Office
2505 East Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy
Kissimmee, FL 34744

To change address by fax:

Fax: (407) 742-4900

To change address by email:

pafb@property-appraiser.org

Click here to find a sheet with all of our most current Millage Rates.

Florida Law entitles every person, who has legal or equitable title to real estate as of January 1st and maintains it as his / her permanent residence, may apply for up to a $50,000 homestead property tax exemption. A partial exemption may apply if ownership of the applicant is less than 100%.

You must meet the following requirements as of January 1st:

• Have legal or beneficial title to the property, recorded in the Official Records of Osceola County
• Reside on the property
• Be a permanent resident of the State of Florida
• Be a United States citizen or possess a Permanent Residence Card (green card)

The deadline to file an application for exemption is March 1st. Under Florida law, failure to file for any Exemption by March 1st constitutes a waiver of the exemption privilege for the year.

Regular filing is January 2nd- March 1st.

Pre-filing for the coming year is March 2nd- December 31st.

*If you have missed the deadline to file and feel you have met all other qualifications, please contact our office to discuss filing a late application.

All persons seeking homestead exemption must complete an original DR-501 Homestead Exemption application. This application can be completed in person or online.

Yes, anyone who is listed as an owner, or if your property is in trust, may file online.

Before you start the online application process, you need to make sure you have the following information:

• Date of permanent Florida residency
• Date of permanent occupancy in home
• Date of Birth of applicant
• Social Security number of applicant and spouse(if applicable)
• Address listed on your IRS return
• Last year’s address
• Driver’s license number and issue date of applicant
• Vehicle registration tag number(if applicable)
• Voter’s registration (if applicable)
• Permanent resident Alien Card(Green Card), if not a united states citizen.
• Physical address of other property(if applicable)
• All filing members must be present to sign the application.

When you have completed the application process, you will be provided a series of files you will want to print as your receipt for filing for your exemption. After the filing deadline, our office will look at all applications submitted. If you do not receive any correspondence from our office by July 1st, your application has been approved. In August you will receive your Notice of Proposed Taxes (TRIM) which will reflect the exemptions that have been approved.

When you are filing for Homestead exemption, you may also file for:

• Additional Senior Homestead Exemption
• $500 Disability Exemption
• $5000 Veteran’s Disability
• $500 Blind Person’s Exemption
• Total and Permanent Disability Exemption – Quadriplegics
• Service Connected Total Permanent Disability Exemption
• Exemption for Disabled Veterans confined to Wheelchairs
• Total Permanent Disability Exemption
• $500 Widow’s Exemption
• $500 Widower’s Exemption

To learn more, please visit our exemptions page.

• Your recorded deed or tax bill.
• All owners residing on the property and making application for the exemption must provide the following information:
  • Florida Driver’s License with current address
  • Social Security Number (if married and spouse is not on title, spouse’s social must be submitted also)
• Additional Information Needed:
  • Date each applicant became a permanent Florida resident
  • Date of occupancy
  • Date of birth of all applicants
  • Any exemptions filed last year
  • Address of last income tax return
  • If property is titled in a trust, copy of entire trust must be submitted or Certificate of Trust supplied by the Property Appraiser’s office
  • If you are filing on a mobile home, proof of title or registration to mobile home and deed to property must be brought into office to obtain a “Real Property” application.

It is necessary for the applicant to furnish the Property Appraiser’s Office with a copy of the complete trust agreement or Certificate of Trust supplied by our office and other required documentation. Florida Law specifies those situations under which the resident may obtain homestead exemption.

Florida law requires that the homestead applicant have legal title or beneficial title to the property.

Yes, you may if you own the land and the mobile home. When applying, you must provide the title or Registration to the mobile home and other required documentation.

Your exemptions may be automatically renewed each year in January as long as title does not change on property and your residency status remains the same.

Florida Law requires filing a new application when any title change is made.

You are required to inform the Property Appraiser’s Office of any change in use of the property.

No. If you move after January 1st, the exemption will continue for the remainder of the year on the property where you initially filed for exemption.

You must file a new application whenever you move to a new residence, the exemption does not transfer with you.

The assessed value on any homestead property, which is sold or otherwise conveyed to a new owner during a calendar year, is raised to full market value according to law. The limitation will be applied to the assessed value in the first year following the year in which the new owner qualifies the property for homestead exemption.

Even if the property received a homestead exemption under the previous owner, the limitation- just like the exemption- expires with a change in ownership. The new owner(s) must apply for and receive a homestead exemption in order for Amendment 10 (Save Our Homes) to be applicable.

In order to estimate what the assessed value will be for a new owner of previously homesteaded property either obtain the market value from the prior owner’s notice of proposed taxes, your real estate agent or use this web site. Using the web site, select record search, find the subject property and note the appraised (just) value, which would be without Save Our Homes cap and this would be the tax obligation for a new owner.

Save Our Homes, also known as Amendment 10, is an amendment to Article VII, Section 4 of the Constitution of the State of Florida. Adopted in 1992 by a majority of voters in the general election, its intent is to limit the amount of increase in the assessed value of homestead property.

Properties with Homestead Exemption:

If you have homestead exemption on your property, Amendment 10 states that the change in assessed value each year will not exceed the lower of either 3% of the value for the prior year, or the percent change in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers, U.S. City Average, all items 1967=100, or successor reports for the preceding calendar year as initially reported by the United States Department of Labor.

Once you apply and qualify for Homestead Exemption, the limitation will be applied to the assessed value the following year. The cap remains in place until there is an ownership change on the property or until you no longer qualify for homestead exemption. At that time, the cap is removed and the property is reassessed at market value.

The Amendment 10 limit does NOT apply to new construction or additions to your home, or to areas of your property which are not eligible for homestead exemption, such as rented areas, commercial areas or agricultural land. Amendment 10 only applies to the extent of the percentage of your ownership in the property. For instance if you have a 50% interest in your home, by your tenancy in common with another individual who lives elsewhere, only 50% of the assessed value of your home would fall under the limitation, and the remaining 50% would increase at market value every year.

Non-Homestead cap:

The Non-Homestead Cap limits the increase in the assessed value to 10% for all Non-Homestead properties, excluding School Board assessments. This benefit does not require an application.

Constitutional Amendment 1, approved by Florida voters in 2008, authorized property appraisers to limit the increases in the annual assessed value of Non-Homestead properties to no more than 10% as compared to the previous year. It was set to expire on January 1st, 2019, but was permanently extended by more than 60% of Florida voters on November 6th, 2018.

The difference between the market value and the assessed value is the Non-Homestead 10% cap benefit. This value is the amount that is not taxed. Changes in ownership or use will reset the Non-Homestead Cap in the subsequent year.

Amendment 10 and its application can be very complex in some instances, so we encourage you to call our office during regular business hours if you have any questions.

All qualifications would have to be in place as if you have made a timely application. You must file late exemption applications in person at our office.

Each application is reviewed before an exemption is granted. Among the more common reasons for a denial of homestead exemption are:

• Not living in the home on January 1st.
• Application filed after the March 1st deadline.
• Out of state driver’s license.
• No resident alien card for a non-citizen.
• Failure to declare a mobile home as Real Property.
• Applicant did not own the property on January 1st.
• Determination of homestead in another county, state or country.
• Application was incomplete.

No. Rental of your homestead property is considered an abandonment of your homestead. You must notify the Property Appraiser’s office immediately. Failure to notify the office of the rental of your homestead property is considered Homestead Fraud, and carries severe penalties.

If you are a member of the armed forces on active military duty, you are permitted to rent your home, but you must notify the office in advance and provide your military orders.

Homestead fraud occurs when a person who has filed for homestead exemption or is currently receiving homestead exemption is determined not to be a permanent resident of Osceola County, or who is not in good faith residing on the property on which he or she filed.

Florida Statute 196.131(2) provides that “any person who knowingly and willfully gives false information for the purpose of claiming homestead exemption is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable by a term of imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or a fine not exceeding $5,000 or both.” Florida law also states that if it is determined that you have had homestead exemption in the past to which you were not entitled, a lien is placed against your property for the amount of the exemption, plus 50% penalty, plus 15% interest per anum for each year during which the exemption was fraudulent. Statutes allow the lien to be placed retroactively for up to 10 years.

The Osceola County Property Appraiser investigates homestead fraud very aggressively. The penalties are very stiff, but it is important to know that anyone who claims an exemption to which he or she is not entitled, forces the rest of the Osceola County taxpayers to make up the difference in their tax bills. Fraudulent homestead exemptions steal from our law enforcement, our schools, our quality of life and from each and every citizen of this county!

The Notice of Proposed Property Taxes, also known as Truth in Millage (TRIM) notice, as required by law, is sent to all property owners. This is not a bill; this notice advises you of the tax rate changes proposed by the taxing authorities and value changes determined by Property Appraiser.

The tax rates are determined by the taxing authorities which include the county, school board, water management districts they may also include city and special taxing districts on the property for the coming year. Please note, the property appraiser does not set tax rates.

If you have a question regarding the proposed property tax rates, you may contact the respective taxing authority. A list of the public hearing dates, times, and contact information for each taxing authority is included on the notice.

See contact information below:

Kissimmee – September 13, 2022 at 6pm.101 Church St, Kissimmee. Call (407)518-2219 for additional information.

St. Cloud – September 7, 2022 at 6pm. 1300 Ninth St., Bldg. A, 3^rd Floor, ST. Cloud. Call (407)957-7382 for additional information.

South Florida Water Management – September 8, 2022 at 5:15pm 3301 Gun Club Rd, B-1 Bldg., West Palm Beach.  Call (561)686-8800 for additional information.

St. Johns River Water Management – September 13, 2022 at 5:05pm. 4049 Reid St., Palatka.  Call (386)329-4500 for additional information.

Osceola County – The public hearing for consideration of the proposed annual budget and imposition of non-ad valorem assessments for Osceola County is on September 8, 2022 at 5:30 p.m.  Call (407) 742-1800 for additional information about participation.

If you disagree with the assessed value or exemption status of your property, please contact the Property Appraiser’s Office. Our staff welcomes any questions or concerns that you may have regarding your Notice of Proposed Property Taxes. In the event we have not resolved your concerns, you may file a petition with the Osceola County Value Adjustment Board and request a formal hearing.

The hearing will be conducted by a special magistrate on behalf of the Value Adjustment Board, which is independent of the Property Appraiser’s Office. The special magistrate will review the information presented by both parties before the final ruling is issued.

Petitions are available at our office or online on this website. The filing fee is $15 per parcel plus $5 per additional parcel for multi-parcel filing. The petition must be filed with the Clerk of the Board’s office located at 1 Courthouse Square, Suite 4400, Kissimmee, Florida 34741; their business hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. The deadline to file is prominently displayed on the Notice of Proposed Property Taxes. The petition must be filed by 5:00 P.M. on the date of the deadline. For additional information you may contact the Clerk of the Board’s Office at (407) 742-2100.

This is an exemption from the property taxes in the amount of $25,000 on assessed value for tangible personal property. This exemption applies to business tangible personal property and mobile home attachments. You are required to file a Tangible Personal Property Tax Return to receive this exemption.

Florida Statute 193.052 requires that all tangible personal property be reported each year to the Property Appraisers Office. If you receive a return, its because our office has determined that you may have property to report. If you feel the form is not applicable, return it with an explanation. Failure to receive a Personal Property Tax Return DR-405 does not relieve you of your obligation to file.

A TPP form will be mailed to you at the beginning of the year. If you do not receive a form please contact Osceola Property Appraiser Office or click here to download a copy of the DR-405 TPP Tax Return Form.

Click here for additional Tangible Personal Property TPP Forms

All Returns must be filed. If you have more than one location, the assets of each should be listed on separate Returns.

Yes. If you were not in business on January 1 of the taxing year, follow this procedure.

1. On your return, indicate the date you went out of business and the manner in which you disposed of your business assets. Remember, if you still have the assets, you must file on them.
2. Sign and date the return.
3. Mail the return back to this office.

Whether fully depreciated in your accounting records or not, all property still in use or in your possession should be reported.

Yes. There is an area on the return specifically for those assets. Even though the assets are assessed to the owner, they must be listed for informational purposes.

No, there is no minimum value. A tangible tax return must be filed on all assets by April 1.

Yes. Since rental activity is of an income producing nature, you must file a return, which lists your personal property. Items that should be listed include: Draperies, furniture, appliances and any other personal property included in the rental unit.

The deadline for filing a timely return is April 1. After April 1, Florida Statutes provide that penalties be applied at 5% per month or portion of a month that the return is late. A 15% penalty is required for unreported property, and a 25% penalty if no return is filed.

Most title companies do not do a search of the tangible assets of a business. You should therefore consult your Realtor, attorney or closing agent to avoid problems in this area.

If you own both the land and the mobile home, and it is permanently set up, it is considered real property and must have an RP Real Property sticker. If you do not own the land, but do own the mobile home, you are required to purchase an annual MH Mobile Home sticker for your mobile home. The MH sticker takes the place of property taxes. Any attachments to the mobile home would be considered personal property. If no sticker is purchased for the mobile home then both the home and attachments are considered personal property.

This sticker must be purchased each year during the month of December from the Osceola County Tax Collectors Office. A new sticker must be purchased each year. The prior years MH sticker is valid until December 31st.

In part it does. The MH sticker only covers the mobile home itself. It does not cover any attachments or air conditioning units.

When a tax return is not filed by April 1, we are required to place an assessment on the property. This assessment represents an estimate based on the value of businesses with similar equipment and assets. Being assessed does not absolve your responsibility to file an accurate return.

Call this office or come in as soon as possible and discuss the matter with us. If you have evidence that the appraised value is more than the actual fair market value of your property, we will welcome the opportunity to review all the pertinent facts. After talking with us, and if you still feel the same, you may file a petition to be heard by the Value Adjustment Board.