Property Tax

Broward County property tax bills bring together property values, exemptions, local taxes, and special assessments. This article explains which county office handles each part of the bill, where to look up and pay a tax account, when payments are due, and what changes when taxes become delinquent.

Who Handles Broward Property Tax?

Two offices have different jobs in the property tax process. The Broward County Property Appraiser determines each property's assessed value as of January 1 and manages exemptions, including homestead, senior, and veteran benefits. The Property Appraiser prepares the tax roll but does not send bills, set tax rates, or collect payments.

The Broward County Tax Collector compiles and mails tax bills, collects payments, applies early payment discounts, and distributes the money to the appropriate taxing authorities. The Tax Collector does not determine a property's assessed value or the amount of tax levied by local authorities. Its property tax page is the starting point for billing, payment, and delinquency information.

This division matters when something on a bill looks wrong. A question about an assessed value or exemption belongs with the Property Appraiser. A question about a bill, payment, discount, or delinquent account belongs with the Tax Collector. Paying a bill does not change the assessed value shown on the tax roll, and asking the Property Appraiser about an exemption does not make a payment to the Tax Collector.

What Appears on a Tax Bill?

Broward County property tax applies to real estate throughout the county, including homes, condominium units, and commercial buildings. A bill may contain both ad valorem taxes and non-ad valorem assessments. They appear together in the property tax process, but they represent different types of charges.

Ad Valorem Taxes

Ad valorem taxes are based on a property's assessed value. The Property Appraiser determines that value for the annual tax roll, while local taxing authorities levy taxes to fund public services. County and municipal services can include public safety, roads, parks, and other government functions. The Property Appraiser's value is therefore one part of the tax process, rather than a bill issued by that office.

For an assessed-value question, review the property information held by the Broward County Property Appraiser. Its site provides property search, exemption information, and a home buyer's tax estimator. Property Appraiser information is prepared for tax roll purposes, and values are not final until certified under Florida law.

Non-Ad Valorem Assessments

Non-ad valorem assessments are charges for particular services rather than taxes based on assessed property value. The Tax Collector gives fire service, water management, and street lighting as examples. If a bill contains a line you do not recognize, first identify whether it is an ad valorem tax or a non-ad valorem assessment. That distinction will help you describe the charge accurately when asking about it.

The Tax Collector collects the amounts shown on the bill and distributes the funds, but it does not determine every charge that appears there. A payment question and a question about why an assessment was levied are different issues, even when both concern the same tax bill.

The Annual Billing Calendar

Property is assessed each year as of January 1. After the Property Appraiser prepares the tax roll, the Tax Collector compiles and mails property tax bills on November 1. Taxes become payable on November 1 and are due in full by March 31 of the following year. They become delinquent on April 1 if they remain unpaid.

Those dates span two calendar years. For example, a bill mailed in November has a March 31 payment deadline in the following year. When reviewing a payment or a property record, pay attention to the tax year so that you do not confuse a current bill with an older balance.

Early Payment Discounts

The Tax Collector lists discounts for paying a property tax bill before the March deadline. The discount depends on the month of payment:

November: 4%
December: 3%
January: 2%
February: 1%

The discounts decrease as the tax year progresses. March 31 is the due date, rather than an early discount month. If you are arranging a payment close to the end of a month, review the amount presented by the Tax Collector's payment system before submitting it. A previous month's discounted amount may no longer be the amount due.

Looking Up a Property Tax Account

The Tax Collector's property tax page provides a route to online payment, and the linked property tax system includes a property tax search. Before searching, gather the identifying information available on your bill or property records. An account identifier can help distinguish one property from another, particularly when an owner has more than one parcel or properties have similar addresses.

Once a result appears, compare the property and tax year with the bill you intend to pay. Review the amount presented before proceeding. This is especially useful if you have already made a payment, are looking at an older bill, or expect an early payment discount. The bill and the online account should refer to the same property and tax period.

The property tax system also describes a bulk add feature for people paying more than 10 accounts at once. It allows a list of up to 500 accounts to be uploaded and requires a login. That feature serves a different need from looking up and paying a single property tax account.

Property Records Versus Payment Records

A search on the Property Appraiser's site serves a different purpose from the Tax Collector's payment search. Property Appraiser records help you examine property information, assessed values, and exemptions. The Tax Collector's system is where you review a bill and proceed with a tax payment.

Keep the source of each figure in mind if you compare the two systems. A property's assessed value is not itself the amount of the bill. The bill also reflects taxes levied by local authorities and any applicable non-ad valorem assessments. If your concern is the value or an exemption, contact the Property Appraiser; if it is whether a payment was made or what remains due, contact the Tax Collector.

Ways to Pay the Bill

The Tax Collector offers property tax payment online, by mail, and in person. Its property tax page directs users to those options and also identifies partial payment and installment payment plans. The page does not provide one set of instructions that applies to every payment choice, so select the option that matches the way you intend to pay and review its terms before sending money.

Online Payment

The online route begins on the Tax Collector's property tax page. Search for the property tax account, confirm that the result matches your property and tax year, and review the amount shown by the system. The Tax Collector's delinquency information identifies eCheck, credit card, and debit card as online payment methods for delinquent taxes and states that credit or debit card payments carry a 2.55% convenience fee.

Check the payment amount and any displayed fee before completing the transaction. If you are paying more than one account, confirm each account separately or use the system's bulk add feature when its login and account limits fit your situation. A payment made against the wrong account can create a problem even when the amount paid looks correct.

Mail and In-Person Payment

Payment by mail and payment in person are also available through the Tax Collector. Use the payment instructions associated with the option you choose, particularly if you are paying near a due date or dealing with a delinquent bill. The Tax Collector's locations page identifies its Taxes office. The general hours shown there are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The locations page also lists a separate Motor Vehicles office. Property tax matters belong with the Taxes office. Distinguishing those offices before an in-person visit can save a trip to a location that handles a different service.

Partial and Installment Options

The Tax Collector lists a partial payment plan and an installment payment plan among its property tax payment options. Those names refer to separate options; neither should be assumed to work like paying the entire annual bill at once. Review the Tax Collector's instructions for the specific option before relying on it, including how payments are applied and what remains due.

If you have already arranged an alternative payment method, compare your account information with the bill before making another payment. This helps prevent confusion between an installment, a partial payment, and the remaining balance on an annual tax bill.

Exemptions and Assessed Value Questions

Exemptions are handled by the Property Appraiser, not the Tax Collector. The Property Appraiser provides information about homestead, senior, veteran, and other exemptions and offers online homestead filing. An exemption may reduce the amount owed when the property and owner qualify, but a question about eligibility or filing belongs with the Property Appraiser's office.

The Property Appraiser's site also provides forms and assistance with exemption filing. If you are reviewing a tax bill because an expected exemption does not appear, identify the property and the relevant tax year before contacting that office. The annual January 1 assessment date and the tax year on the bill both matter when explaining what you expected to see.

Taxes After Buying a Property

A buyer should not assume the seller's tax amount will continue after a transfer. The Property Appraiser states that a change in ownership resets the assessed value to full market value under Florida law and may result in higher property taxes. Its home buyer's tax estimator can help a prospective or recent buyer approximate taxes based on a reassessed value.

The seller's bill can still be useful for identifying the parcel and seeing the types of charges previously billed. It is not a reliable promise of what a new owner's future bill will be. Exemptions associated with a prior owner also should not be treated as a determination that a new owner qualifies for the same benefit.

When Taxes Become Delinquent

Property taxes become delinquent on April 1 if they have not been paid by March 31. According to the Tax Collector, delinquent real estate property tax bills incur a 3% interest charge plus advertising costs. Delinquent tangible personal property bills have a different charge: 1.5% interest per month plus advertising costs. The two categories should not be confused when reading delinquency information.

The Tax Collector states that owners can pay delinquent taxes online using eCheck, credit card, or debit card, or in person at its office. The stated convenience fee for a credit or debit card payment is 2.55%. A delinquent balance can include charges beyond the amount shown on the original bill, so use the current amount supplied for the account when arranging payment.

Tax Certificates and Payment Restrictions

The Tax Collector describes a public auction of tax certificates for delinquent real estate taxes. A tax certificate is a lien on the delinquent property. Once a certificate has been issued, the Tax Collector states that payment must be made by cash, cashier's check, money order, or wire transfer; personal checks are not accepted.

That restriction makes the account's status significant. Instructions that applied to an ordinary bill may no longer apply after a tax certificate is issued. Before sending a payment on an older delinquent account, confirm its current status and follow the Tax Collector's payment instructions for that stage.

If delinquent taxes remain unpaid for two years, the certificate holder can file a Tax Deed Application, and the property may be sold at public auction. An owner facing an older unpaid balance should address the current account status directly with the Tax Collector rather than relying on the amount or payment instructions from an earlier bill.

Common Property Tax Mix-Ups

The Wrong Office for a Correction

The Property Appraiser and Tax Collector both work with property tax information, but they cannot resolve the same issues. Direct assessed-value and exemption questions to the Property Appraiser. Direct billing, payment, discount, and delinquency questions to the Tax Collector. Describe the particular line, value, or payment that concerns you so the office can identify the issue.

An Old Bill After a Sale

A previous owner's bill does not establish the amount a buyer will owe in later years. A change in ownership can reset the assessed value to full market value, and exemptions may depend on the new owner's circumstances. Review the Property Appraiser's information for the property and use its estimator if you need an approximation following a purchase.

The Wrong Tax Year or Account

Property tax bills recur annually, and one owner may have multiple properties. Match the tax year and property information before paying. If an amount differs from the bill you have, consider whether the online result reflects a different year, an early payment discount, an existing payment, or a delinquent balance. The Tax Collector's property tax questions cover bills, installment payments, deferrals, delinquent taxes, and erroneous payments.

Property Tax Offices

Broward County Tax Collector — 115 S. Andrews Ave, A100, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 — 954-357-4829

Broward County Property Appraiser — 115 South Andrews Avenue, Room 111, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 — 954-357-6830

Property Tax FAQs

I missed the homestead exemption deadline. Can I still file?

For the 2026 tax year, the Broward County Property Appraiser listed March 2, 2026, as the timely filing deadline and September 18, 2026, as the final late filing deadline. Both have passed. Florida law does not allow the office to accept a 2026 exemption application after the late filing deadline, even when there is a good reason for the delay. Check the Property Appraiser’s website for the filing dates and requirements for the next tax year rather than assuming an application can be added to an existing bill.

Can storm damage change my property assessment?

If a catastrophic event left your property uninhabitable for at least 30 days, the Property Appraiser provides a catastrophic structural damage report form. Document the damage and the period the property could not be occupied before submitting the report. Filing the form alerts the office to your circumstances; it does not, by itself, establish a revised assessment or change a tax bill. Review the Property Appraiser’s instructions for the applicable tax year.

What should I do if I paid the wrong tax account?

Keep the payment confirmation, the account number you entered, and the parcel or account number you intended to pay. Then use the Tax Collector’s erroneous payments guidance to identify the appropriate next step. Do not assume the payment will move automatically between accounts, and check the intended account before making a second payment.

Is a property tax deferral the same as an installment plan?

No. The Tax Collector lists deferrals and installment payments as separate property tax topics. If you need more time or want to spread payments out, read the instructions for the specific option before applying or paying. Eligibility, required steps, and how an account is handled depend on the option. The Tax Collector’s property tax page links to payment plan information.