Florida property taxes are calculated to be paid in the Rears (at end of the year). Taxes are released by November 1 and become delinquent April 1 the following year with a discount to those that pay early.
If you purchased a property in the last year, you likely received a credit on the closing/settlement statement from the seller for unpaid property taxes from January 1 through the closing date, whereas the new owner becomes responsible for payment of the full year of property taxes. On cash purchases and some financed transactions, property taxes for the year are NOT automatically paid. This means, it is the owners responsibility to pay property taxes prior to the April 1st the following year.
Example: A buyer paid cash for a purchase that took place on July 1, 2017. The previous owner more than likely gave a tax credit to the buyer for estimated taxes for the months of ownership, January 1, 2017 – June 30, 2017. The new owner, became responsible for property taxes for the entire calendar year because property taxes in Florida are paid at the end of the year. Pay in November and get a 4% discount, 3% in December, 2% in January, 1% in February and delinquent after March 31st of the following tax year.
The Palm Beach County Property Appraiser website is http://www.co.palm-beach.fl.us/papa/.
Complete a property search by entering the Address.
After locating the property, scroll to the bottom of the page directly under TAXES section click on the tab “TAX COLLECTOR – ACCOUNT DETAILS” or you can look up taxes by visiting https://www.pbctax.com/. It may be necessary to search by address since it may take several weeks or months for the tax records to reflect recent sales and new owners. The current year tax bill is issued prior to November.
Discount #1
Discounts are applied for early payment:
A) 4% Discount if paid in November
B) 3% Discount if paid in December
C) 2% Discount if paid in January
D) 1% Discount if paid in February
E) 0% Discount if paid in March
*Taxes become delinquent on April 1.
*Note: First year taxes may deducted at closing on HUD / Closing Statement and / or paid within mortgage payment or by closing/title company.
Discount #2
Cap of 3% increase to Homestead (primary residence) and 10% on investment properties. If you are moving to a new home, Portability of a Homestead Property may be available.
Discount #3
Property Exemptions: $50,000 Homestead file deadline is March 1 and must own prior to January 1 to qualify for current year exemption. To file for an exemption visit http://www.co.palm-beach.fl.us/papa/FileExemption.htm.
Discount #4
Check the list of other exemptions include Homestead Exemption, Senior Citizen Exemption, Disability Exemption and Veterans Exemption.
**The information above is intended to be used to answer FAQ’s. It is your sole responsibility for prompt payment of property taxes. Contact the Tax Collector’s office and/or your tax accountant if you have additional questions regarding taxes. Please let us know if any of the information provided is incorrect.