Property Tax Basics

The 2009 property tax assessments for Dade & Broward County have been certified and are now posted on the their websites. To view your property assessment, go to www.BCPA.net for Broward and click on "Property Search" on the top left, and then scroll down to accept the terms of use. For Dade, CLICK HERE.

You may search for a property by owner name, address, or folio number. Click on your choice, and enter the information. If you search by name, all properties owned by individuals with that name will come up, and you must click on the folio number of the property you wish to view.

When the correct tax comes up, below the name and address you will find "Property Assessment Values". The first line gives the 2009 assessed values. If you are NOT Homesteaded, the Just Value will be equal to the Assessed/SOH Value, and this is the value on which your 2009 property tax will be based. If you are Homesteaded, your taxable value is the Assessed/SOH Value, which is typically less than the Just Value. However, due to declining home values, the SOH Value can be equal to the Just Value.

The actual tax owed is still blank because the millage rates of the individual taxing authorities have not yet been determined. The following is the Budget Timetable:

August 4 - Ad valorum taxing authorities advise the Property Appraiser of their rollback rate, proposed millage rate, and time, date and place of the first required public hearing. Special assessment districts to advise Property Appraiser of their proposed rates.

August 11 - Property Appraiser begins to mail Proposed Property Tax Notices (TRIM Notices)

August 24 - Last day for Property Appraiser to mail TRIM Notices

August 24 to September 18 - Time to file petitions to the Value Adjustment Board (VAB) if you wish to challenge your 2009 Property Tax Assessment

September 3 to 18 - Ad valorem taxing authorities hold public hearings on tentative budget per Tax Notice. Dates and times of these hearings are listed on the TRIM Notices.

Within 15 days after adopting a tentative budget, ad valorem taxing authorities advertise intent to adopt final millage rate and budget. Public hearing to be held 2 to 5 days after published advertisement, after 5 PM if not on Saturday, no Sunday hearings.

Within 3 days after adoption of the final millage rates, ad valorem taxing authorities deliver the Resolution or Ordinance adopting the final millage rate to Property Appraiser and Revenue Collector.

Once the millage rates are determined and the Tax Roll certified to the Revenue Collector, the individual tax bills will be prepared for mailing in November. Even if you have filed a petition to the VAB or have engaged another person to do so in your behalf, it is recommended that you pay your tax bill on time. VAB hearings can go on for a year or more, and the property tax can become delinquent. If your appeal is successful, your excess taxes will be refunded to you.

Broward County officials have publically voiced their intent to keep millage rates down and try to control expenses. However, fees are increasing to make up for the shortfall caused by lower property tax assessments. As you have already heard, Code Enforcement has become more aggressive, and now drivers are even being ticketed for seat belt violations.

Land vs. Building
One last thing...Many people have been questioning the recent changes in the building values vs. land values on the tax records. The BCPA website explains why this was done:

"Starting with the new 2009 real property assessments, our residential land values and improvement (building) values are correctly apportioned. In the past -- because of the antiquated tax roll system this office had used for decades -- we were only able to set correct amounts for the total Just Value of a property, but the internal division of value between the land and the improvements was entirely arbitrary. Using mass-appraisal methods, we equalized land values this year by neighborhood -- not just by subdivision within a neighborhood. This means the square-foot land value for dry lots in a neighborhood should be the same as for other comparable dry lots in the same area ... lots along a golf course will be valued the same as other lots along the same golf course ... waterfront lots will be valued the same as other similar waterfront lots (and point lots valued the same as other nearby point lots) ... and so on. "

In times of declining property values, you should see your land value decrease while the building value stays relatively the same with an allowance for depreciation. The structure itself does not absorb the fall in value. The land does. This has been treated incorrectly on the tax records of Broward County over the past couple of years. It appears that this has been resolved by the recent corrections.