First Responder Exemption

New Exemptions

First Responders Totally & Permanently Disability Exemption

Any real estate that is owned and used as a homestead by a person who has a total and permanent disability as a result of an injury or injuries sustained in the line of duty while serving as a first responder in this state or during an operation in another state or country authorized by this state or a political subdivision of this state is exempt from taxation if the first responder is a permanent resident of this state on January 1 of the year for which the exemption is being claimed.

First Responders Exemption

About Your TRIM Notice

For 2017, the notice of proposed taxes will be mailed out sometime in the middle of August.

TRIM Insert 2017

Exemptions

Charter School Facilities Exemption

Section 196.1983 F.S.
Charter school exemption from ad valorem taxes. The owner of the property shall disclose to a charter school the full amount of the benefit derived from the exemption and the method for ensuring that the charter school receives such benefit. The charter school shall receive the full benefit derived from the exemption through either an annual or monthly credit to the charter school’s lease payments.

DR-504CS – Charter School Facilities

Religious, Literary, Scientific or Charitable Exemption

Section 196.195, 196.196, 196.197, 196.2001, 196.2002 F.S.
Applicants requesting exemption shall supply such fiscal and other records showing in reasonable detail the financial condition, record of operation, and exempt and nonexempt uses of the property, where appropriate, for the immediately preceding fiscal year as are requested by the property appraiser or the value adjustment board. Specific criteria has been established for determining whether an applicant for a religious, literary, scientific, or charitable exemption under this chapter is a nonprofit or profitmaking venture or whether the property is used for a profitmaking purpose. For a complete description of these criteria and the associated determining factors, please see the referenced Florida Statutes. No application for exemption may be granted for religious, literary, scientific, or charitable use of property until the applicant has been found by the property appraiser or, upon appeal, by the value adjustment board to be nonprofit as defined in this section.

DR-504 – Religious, Literary, Scientific or Charitable Exemption

Exemption for Disabled Ex-Service Member or Surviving Spouse; Evidence of Disability

Section 196.24, F.S.
Any ex-service member, as defined in s. 196.012, who is a bona fide resident of the state, who was discharged under honorable conditions, and who has been disabled to a degree of 10 percent or more while serving during a period of wartime service as defined in s. 1.01(14), or by misfortune, is entitled to the exemption from taxation provided for in s. 3(b), Art. VII of the State Constitution as provided in this section. Property to the value of $5,000 of such a person is exempt from taxation. The production by him or her of a certificate of disability from the United States Government or the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or its predecessor before the property appraiser of the county wherein the ex-service member’s property lies is prima facie evidence of the fact that he or she is entitled to the exxemption. The unremarried surviving spouse of such a disabled ex-service member who, on the date of the disabled ex-service member’s death, had been married to the disabled ex-service member for at least 5 years is also entitled to the exemption.

Persons entitled to this exemption must have been a permanent resident of this state as of January 1st of the year of assessment.

Under certain circumstances the benefit of this exemption can carry over to the veteran’s spouse in the event of the veteran’s death. Consult your appraiser for details.

If filing for the first time, please bring a certificate from the United States Government or United States Department of Veterans Affairs as your proof of a service-connected disability.

Exemption for Totally and Permanently Disabled Persons

Section 196.101, F.S.

Any real estate used and owned as a homestead, less any portion thereof used for commercial purposes by any quadriplegic shall be exemption from taxation.
Any real estate used and owned as a homestead, less any portion thereof used for commercial purposes, by a paraplegic, hemiplegic or other totally and permanently disabled person, as defined in Section 196.012(10), F.S., who must use a wheelchair for mobility or who is legally blind, shall be exempt from taxation.

Persons entitled to the exemption under number two (2) above, must be a permanent resident of the State of Florida as of January 1st of the year of assessment. Also, the prior year gross income of all persons residing in or upon the homestead shall not exceed the amount of income, set forth in section 196.101.(4), F.S., adjusted annually by the percentage change of the average Cost of Living Index issued by the United States Department of Labor. Gross income shall include United States Department of Veterans Affairs benefits and any social security benefits paid to the person. A statement of gross income must accompany the application.

If filing for the first time, please bring a certificate from two (2) licensed doctors of this state or a certificate (per s.196.091,F.S.) from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

DR-416 – Physicians Certification of Total and Permanent Disability

DR-501A – Statement of Gross Income

$500 Exemption for Blind Persons

Section 196.202, F.S.
Property to the value of $500 of every widow, widower, blind person, or totally and permanently disabled person who is a bona fide resident of this state shall be exempt from taxation. As used in this section, the term “totally and permanently disabled person” means a person who is currently certified by a physician licensed in this state, by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or its predecessor, or by the Social Security Administrtion to be totally and permanently disabled.

Every Florida resident who is blind qualifies for this exemption. If claiming exemption based on blindness, a certification from the Division of Blind Services of the Department of Education or the United States Department of Veterans Affairs certifying the applicant to be blind is required. “Blind person” is defined as an individual having central vision acuity 20/200 or less in the better eye with correcting glasses, or a disqualifying field defect in which the peripheral field has contracted to such an extent that the widest diameter of visual field subtends an angular distance no greater than twenty degrees.

DR-501 Fillable Form

Service-Connected Total and Permanent Disability Exemption

Section 196.081, F.S.
Any honorable discharged veteran with a service connected total and permanent disability, surviving spouses of qualifying veterans and spouses of Florida resident veterans who died from service-connected causes while on active duty as a member of the United States Armed Forces are entitled to exemption on real estate used and owned as a homestead less any portion thereof used for commercial purposes.

Persons entitled to this exemption must have been a permanent resident of this state as of January 1st of the year of assessment.

Under certain circumstances the benefit of this exemption can carry over to the veteran’s spouse in the event of the veteran’s death. Consult your appraiser for details.

If filing for the first time, please bring a certificate from the United States Government or United States Department of Veterans Affairs as your proof of a service-connected disability or death of your spouse while on active duty.

$500 Disability Exemption

Every Florida resident who is totally and permanently disabled qualifies for this exemption. If filing for the first time, please present at least one of the following as proof of your disability: 1. If totally and permanently disabled, a certificate from two (2) professionally unrelated licensed Florida physicians or a certificate from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. 2. If claiming at least 10% wartime or service-connected disability, a certificate from the United States Government.

DR-501 Fillable Form

DR-501 – Original Application for Ad Valorem Tax Exemption

$500 Widower’s Exemption

Any widow who is a permanent Florida resident may claim this exemption. If the widow remarries, she is no longer eligible. If the husband and wife were divorced before his death, the woman is not considered a widow. You may be asked to produce a death certificate when filing for the first time.

DR-501 Fillable Form

$500 Widow’s Exemption

DR-501 Fillable Form

Additional $50,000 Homestead Exemption for Persons 65 and Older

Section 196.075, F.S.
Every person who is eligible for the homestead exemption described above is eligible for an additional homestead exemption up to $50,000 under the following circumstances: (1) the county or municipality adopts an ordinance that allows the additional homestead exemption which applies only to the taxes levied by the unit of government granting the exemption; (2) the taxpayer is 65 years of age or older on January 1 of the year for which the exemption is claimed; (3) the annual household income of the taxpayer (defined as the Adjusted Gross Income as defined in s.62, United States Internal Revenue Code of all members of a household) for the prior year does not exceed $20,000 (beginning January 1, 2001, this income threshold is adjusted annually by the percentage change in the average cost-of-living index); and, (4) the taxpayer annually submits a sworn statement of household income to the property appraiser not later than March 1.

DR-501SC – Sworn Statement of Adjusted Gross Income of Household and Return – Senior Citizen Exemption for Persons Age 65 and Over

$50,000 Homestead Exemption

Section 196.031, F.S.
Every person who has legal or equitable title to real property in the State of Florida and who resides thereon and in good faith makes it his or her permanent residence is eligible. First time applicants are required to furnish their social security number, and should have available evidence of ownership i.e., deed, contract, etc. If title is held by the husband alone, a wife may file for him, with his consent, and vice versa. Citizens voted January 29th to change the property tax system in Florida and implemented Constitutional Amendment 1. The first of these changes increased the homestead exemption by an additional $25,000 which is applicable to the third $25,000 in taxable value. If filing for the first time, be prepared to answer these and other questions:

In whose name or names was the title to the dwelling recorded as of January 1st?
What is the street address of the property?
Are you a legal resident of the State of Florida? (A Certificate of Domicile or Voter’s Registration will be proof if dated prior to January 1st.)
Do you have a Florida license plate on your car and a Florida driver’s license?
Were you living in the dwelling which is being claimed for homestead exemption on January 1st?

Qualify for Homestead Exemption

DR-501 Fillable Form

Reductions

Homestead Property Tax Discout for Veterans Age 65 and Older with Combat Related Disability

Section 193.461, F.S. This amendment provides a property tax discount on homestead property owned by eligible veterans. To be eligible, a veteran must have an honorable discharge from military service, be at least 65 years old, be partially disabled with a permanent service connected disability all or a portion of which must be combat-related, and must have been a Florida resident at the time of entering military service. Application for Homestead Property Tax Discount For Veterans Age 65 and Older With A Combat Related Permanent Disability