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Florida property tax appeal: the VAB deadline and how to file

Florida homeowners contest their property's assessed value by petitioning the county Value Adjustment Board (VAB). The deadline is 25 days after the property appraiser mails the TRIM notices — the date is printed on your notice, and in most counties it falls in mid-September. Filing is done with the county's VAB clerk (usually online), with a small filing fee, typically $15. You don't need a lawyer; a special magistrate hears the evidence.

Before you file

Call the property appraiser's office first. Clerical errors — wrong square footage, a missed homestead exemption, a pool you don't have — often get corrected without a petition.

Evidence that actually moves the number

Sales of comparable homes near January 1 of this year (the assessment date), photos and repair estimates for condition problems, and any recent independent appraisal. The question is the value on January 1 — not what your neighbor pays in taxes.

Do it in 60 seconds: Tax Appeal FL reads your TRIM notice and tells you if the numbers look challengeable — free, before you spend the filing fee.
Open Tax Appeal FL — free →

Common questions

What if I miss the 25-day deadline?

You can ask the VAB to accept a late petition for good cause, but there's no guarantee — otherwise you wait for next year's TRIM notice.

Does appealing freeze my tax bill?

You must still pay at least the required portion of the November bill while the petition is pending; if you win, the difference is refunded.

Can appealing raise my value?

The VAB reviews the evidence of value; the practical risk of an increase from a homeowner petition is low, but be ready to support the number you claim.

Sources: Florida Dept. of Revenue — Value Adjustment Board · Florida Statutes §194.011. This guide is general information, not legal, financial, or medical advice.