A Florida Homeowner's Guide: Millage A Florida Homeowner's What is Millage?
Guide: Millage Millage is a tax rate defined as the dollars assessed for
OWNER each $1,000 of value; one mill is one dollar per$1,000 of
assessed value. Mathematically the equation is:
Taxable value _ 1,000 x millage rate = Property Tax
Owed. Examples of how millage rates affect a
homeowner's tax bill are provided on the next page.
Who Sets Millage Rates?
Are there limits to how much
Taxing authorities. Taxing authorities are governed by the
Florida Constitution and Statutes. They include county millage rates can increase
governments, school boards, water • each year?
management districts, special districts and TA it
municipalities within a county. Taxing Yes. Under the Florida Constitution and Statute, taxing
authorities adopt a budget and levy authorities have approval requirements that escalate
millage rates to fund that budget. depending on how much the millage rate is and the
amount of increase over the prior year's millage rate.
When are Millage Rates Set? Details on the approval requirements can be found on our
Frequently Asked Questions webpage. Once a taxing
Taxing authorities typically begin developing their budget authority sets the tentative millage rate, they cannot
in June. The official start is July 1 when they receive the adopt a higher millage rate without restarting the process,
total taxable value for their jurisdiction from the property but they can adopt a lower millage rate.The vote to adopt
appraiser. Tentative millage rates for taxing authorities the final budget and millage rate is at a duly advertised
other than school districts are set before August 5. Final meeting in which the public may participate. In addition
millage rates for those taxing authorities are adopted in to the higher voting thresholds that are state-wide
September. School districts follow an earlier schedule with requirements, some Florida counties have passed local
their final millage rate being adopted in July. ordinances that limit millage rate increases.
Can a taxing If a millage rate is lowered will my
authority adopt a property tax bill decrease?
lower millage rate? Not necessarily. There are several factors which can cause your tax bill to
increase even if a taxing authority decreases its millage rate. If your taxable
Yes. There are no state-wide restrictions value has increased, it may offset any millage rate decrease. If other taxing
related to millage rate decreases; a authorities raise their millage rates, your overall tax bill may increase.
millage rate reduction can be approved Deferred value,as a result of your homestead exemption,can increase your
with a simple majority vote. taxable value even during periods of slow growth or market downturns.
How do I know what will happen with my property taxes?
Florida's Constitution and Statutes ensure taxpayers are informed about the annual property tax process.This is primarily
done through the Notice of Proposed Property Taxes(also called the Truth In Millage(TRIM)Notice). Using information
from the taxing authorities, property appraisers prepare the TRIM Notice and mail it to property owners. This notice
includes the:
• Property appraiser's January 1 taxable value, classification, exemptions, assessment limitation/cap
• Proposed budget and millage rate to fund the budget for each taxing authority and the amount of property taxes
the property owner would owe if adopted by the taxing authority
• Rolled-back millage rate,which is generally the amount of property taxes the property owner would
owe if there were no change to the taxing authority's budget
• Non-ad valorem assessments (if applicable)
• Meeting date,time, and location for each taxing authority's public hearing
Taxing authorities are also required to place advertisements notifying the public of scheduled meetings
and millage rate information. FLORIDA
At what point can taxpayers What is the role of my county's
get involved in millage property appraiser?
determinations? The property appraiser determines the taxable value of
Taxpayers can take part in public hearings that take place each property in the county and provides the total taxable
in September when taxing authorities present and discuss value to each taxing authority. Property appraisers approve
tentative budgets and millage. Initial public hearing dates, and maintain records for exemptions and
times, and locations are provided on the TRIM Notice that property classification. They are also
each county property appraiser sends before August 25. responsible for preparing and mailing the
Final public hearing dates, times, and locations are TRIM Notice. Property appraisers do not
advertised to the public by each taxing authority. set millage rates.
How does millage affect my tax bill?
Using the equation of: Taxable value + 1,000 x millage rate = Property Tax Owed, the following examples show how
millage is applied to a property tax bill.
Basic example:The owner of a property
that has a taxable value of$100,000 and $100,000 taxable value_1,000= 100 mills
is subject to a millage rate of 5.2 would 100 x 5.2 millage rate=$520 property tax
owe$520 in property tax.
Most residential properties in Florida are subject to millage rates from multiple taxing authorities.
Multiple millage rate example:The
owner of a property that has a taxable $100,000 taxable value+1,000= 100 mills
100 x 5.2 county rate=$520
value of$100,000 and is subject to a 100 x 1.7 city rate- $170
millage rate of 5.2 for county services, 1.7
for city services, and .05 for their water 100 x .05 water district rate=$5
district would owe $695 in property tax. $520+$170+$5 =$695 property tax
Most residential properties in Florida receive an additional $25,000 homestead exemption which does not apply to
property taxes for school districts.
Multiple millage rate example with
school district:The owner of a property $100,000 NS taxable value=1,000= 100 mills
that has a non-school (NS) taxable value 100 x 5.2 county rate=$520
of$100,000 and school taxable value of 100 x 1.7 city rate= $170
$125,000 and is subject to a millage rate 100 x .05 water district rate=$5
of 5.2 for county services, 1.7 for city $125,000 school taxable value_ 1,000= 125 mills
services, .05 for their water district, and 125 x 2.2 school district rate=$275
2.2 for their school district would owe $520+$170+$5 +$275 =$970 property tax
$970 in property tax.
How do exemptions help limit increases in my property tax bill?
The 1995 "Save our Homes" amendment to the Florida Constitution ensures that the assessed value of property with a
homestead exemption cannot increase more than 3% or the percent change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI),
whichever is less. In the ten years from 2013 to 2022,the CPI change ranged from 0.7%to 7.0%,with 9 years falling below
the 3%value limit. In addition to the"Save our Homes"provisions, Florida homeowners may qualify for other exemptions
that can lower their property taxes. Information on exemptions can be found on our exemptions webpage.
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A Florida Homeowner's Guide: Millage FLORIDA