Property Appraiser
The Broward County Property Appraiser maintains property information used for the county tax roll and handles applications for homestead and other property tax exemptions. This article explains how to search property records, review an assessment, prepare an exemption application, estimate taxes after a purchase, and reach the correct office when a record or proposed value raises a question.
What the Property Appraiser Handles
The Broward County Property Appraiser’s Office, led by Marty Kiar, maintains property ownership and assessment records, determines values for the tax roll, and administers exemptions and classifications. Its website also provides property searches, maps, forms, tax and portability estimators, and information about assessment appeals.
The office does not set tax rates, send tax bills, or collect property taxes. Broward County’s Tax Collector handles billing and collection. This distinction matters when a property owner sees an unexpected amount on a bill: a question about a property value or exemption belongs with the Property Appraiser, while a question about the bill or payment belongs with the Tax Collector. Taxing authorities, rather than the Property Appraiser, set tax rates.
Property Appraiser information is prepared for tax roll purposes and may not be appropriate for other uses. Values are not final until certified under Florida law. The office updates ownership records based on deeds recorded with the Broward County Recording Division, but it does not decide which party has better title when public records conflict.
Property Search Methods
The Property Appraiser’s search menu lets visitors search by owner, address, subdivision, property ID, sales, timeshare, or tangible personal property account. Choose the field that matches the information you already have. A property ID can help distinguish parcels with similar addresses, while an owner search may be useful when the street address is uncertain.
After opening a record, confirm that it describes the intended parcel before relying on its value, exemption, or sale information. An owner name alone may not identify the right property. Compare the address and property ID, especially when reviewing multiple condominium units or similarly named owners. If a recently recorded deed is not reflected in the ownership record, remember that the office changes its records based on recorded deeds.
The BCPA web map offers another way to examine a parcel. Its parcel display includes a parcel ID, owner, site address, legal description, value fields, exemptions, and sale information. Map layers include parcel boundaries, city limits, zoning codes, land use, and FEMA flood zones. To search the map by street address, enter the street number and street name without a direction such as N or W or a street type such as Street or Boulevard. The map then displays potential matches.
Use the map’s measurements and parcel display with their stated purpose in mind. The Property Appraiser says dimensions in its appraisal system are often adjusted and may differ from measurements taken on the property. A displayed frontage figure, for example, may incorporate an adjustment rather than represent the exact length along the street.
Assessments and Tax Bills
January 1 is the annual assessment date. Property value and exemption status as of that date affect the assessment shown on the proposed tax notice mailed later in the year. The Property Appraiser’s tax roll calendar says proposed values are first posted online around June 1, and Notices of Proposed Property Taxes, commonly called TRIM notices, are mailed near the end of the second week of August. The Tax Collector mails tax bills in the first week of November.
A TRIM notice shows proposed taxes and the property’s market and assessed values, along with instructions for an appeal. Review the value and exemption fields separately from the proposed tax amount. If the concern is the Property Appraiser’s market value, contact that office to discuss how it was calculated. If the concern is a tax rate, the TRIM notice identifies public budget hearings held by the taxing authorities that set rates.
Taxes After a Home Purchase
A buyer should not assume that the seller’s property tax amount will continue after the sale. The Property Appraiser explains that a change in ownership resets the assessed value to full market value under Florida law, which can result in a higher tax bill. The seller’s exemptions also do not continue beyond the year of sale. A qualifying buyer must apply for their own exemption.
The home buyer’s tax estimator accepts a purchase price and lets users select exemptions that may apply. Its general estimate uses an average Broward municipal millage rate rather than the rate for a particular parcel. For a specific property, the office directs users to the estimator on that property’s record page. Both results are estimates: rates may change, senior exemptions are not included in the displayed estimate, and non-ad valorem charges such as fire, garbage, and drainage assessments are excluded.
The estimator also cautions that a foreclosure purchase outside an open-market listing may not be a qualified sale for assessment purposes. In that situation, the office instructs users to enter a reasonable market price for a comparable home sold on the open market. An unusually low purchase price should therefore not be treated as a reliable prediction of the new assessment.
Homestead Exemption Applications
Homestead exemption is available to qualifying Florida residents who have made the property their permanent home, or the permanent home of a person legally or naturally dependent on them, as of January 1 of the tax year. The Property Appraiser’s homestead and other exemptions page explains eligibility, filing methods, and supporting documents. Applications may be filed online, at the office, or at a Mobile Exemption Education Team event.
For the 2027 tax year, the stated timely filing period runs from March 3, 2026, through March 1, 2027. The stated final late-filing deadline is September 20, 2027. The final late-filing deadline for 2026 exemptions was September 18, 2026; the Property Appraiser states that it cannot accept further 2026 exemption applications after that date.
Documents for a Homestead Filing
Before filing, gather proof of ownership and permanent Florida residence. The Property Appraiser generally expects the recorded deed or cooperative proprietary lease to be in the applicant’s name. You do not need to bring a copy if it is already recorded in Broward County’s Official Records. If a trust holds the property, the office also requires either a notarized Certificate of Trust or a complete copy of the trust agreement.
For every applicant, a Florida driver’s license is required, or a Florida identification card for a person who does not drive. An applicant must also have either Florida voter registration or a power or water utility bill for the property in at least one owner’s name. The office prefers evidence of permanent residence dated before January 1 of the tax year. It lists additional status documentation for applicants who are not U.S. citizens.
Information Requested About Owners
The application asks owners living on the property for information that includes their employers, addresses on their most recent federal income tax returns, dates of permanent Florida residence and occupancy, and Social Security numbers. It also requests the Social Security number of an applicant’s married spouse even when that spouse is not on the deed or filing. Co-owners should review the office’s ownership rules: owners who occupy a property as tenants in common must each file to claim coverage for their respective interests.
An applicant or spouse claiming homestead, or an equivalent permanent-residence-based exemption or credit, on another property must resolve that claim before becoming eligible for a Broward homestead exemption. If an exemption was held on a previous home, notify the Property Appraiser to cancel it there and file a new application for the new residence. Homestead exemption itself does not move from one property to another.
Portability After Moving
Portability concerns the Save Our Homes assessment benefit earned on a previous Florida homestead. A person applying for a new homestead who held a homestead exemption on another Florida property within the previous three tax years should also submit a portability application. The new homestead application is still required.
The portability estimator can help illustrate a possible benefit, but the office says it does not account for every situation. Divorce or partial ownership of either home can change how a benefit is calculated or divided. Treat the estimate as a planning figure and contact the Property Appraiser about circumstances the calculator does not capture.
Exemption Changes and Renewals
After homestead exemption is granted, the office mails an annual receipt in early January so the owner can verify that ownership, use, and residence have not changed. Contact the office if the receipt has not arrived by March 1. A new application is required when a property is sold or otherwise disposed of, its ownership or use changes, or an exemption holder stops living there as a permanent resident.
Owners who no longer qualify must notify the Property Appraiser to remove the exemption by March 1. Renting out the property, moving permanent-residence documents to another address, or claiming a residence-based exemption elsewhere can affect eligibility. The annual homestead renewal receipt does not serve as a renewal for every other exemption or classification.
Other Exemptions and Forms
The Property Appraiser administers additional exemptions for qualifying seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, widowed persons, and certain other applicants. Eligibility and documentation differ by exemption. For example, the low-income senior exemption requires an applicant to be at least 65 on January 1, have homestead exemption on the property, and meet a household income limit that is adjusted annually. It requires an annual application.
The Property Appraiser’s forms page contains exemption applications and supporting forms, including the Certificate of Trust, voluntary homestead cancellation, portability application, and forms for certain disability and veteran exemptions. It also provides forms for changes involving real property, agricultural classification, tangible personal property, and Value Adjustment Board petitions. Select a form by the transaction or exemption involved; a notice of ownership change for non-homesteaded property, for example, does not transfer property or add an owner to a deed.
Completed exemption forms may be emailed or faxed to the office or mailed to the Property Appraiser. The office also offers filing assistance and virtual meetings. People who cannot readily leave home because they are homebound or have a qualifying disability may ask about its Homebound Outreach Program.
Tangible Personal Property Returns
The Property Appraiser also assesses tangible personal property, often called TPP. Its tangible personal property information page explains the DR-405 return for people and entities that own or possess taxable tangible property located in Florida on January 1. Business equipment and certain furnishings in residential rental property are among the items that may need to be reported. Inventory held for resale and household goods used personally by their owner are exempt from tangible personal property taxation.
A return is due to the Property Appraiser by April 1. An owner with taxable property at more than one physical Broward location must file a separate return for each location, using the account number associated with that location. The office asks filers to include their federal employer identification number or Social Security number and their Property Appraiser account number. A business owner’s return also serves as the application for the $25,000 tangible personal property exemption; no separate exemption application is required.
Report property even if it has been fully depreciated or expensed on business records. If a business closed after January 1, its owner still must file for the year and explain the disposition of its assets. A request for a 30-day extension must reach the office a reasonable time before April 1 so it can be considered before the deadline. The office lists penalties for late filing, unreported property, and failure to file.
Value Disputes and Petitions
When a proposed market value appears higher than the property’s market value as of January 1, the Property Appraiser encourages the owner to discuss the assessment with its staff. If the concern remains after that discussion, the owner may petition the Broward County Value Adjustment Board, or VAB. The Property Appraiser’s appeals explanation describes the VAB as independent of the Property Appraiser’s Office. It hears challenges involving values, exemption denials, classifications, and similar matters.
A value petition challenges the proposed market value, not a tax rate or the total taxes due. The filing deadline appears on the TRIM notice. The timely deadline for 2026 valuation petitions was September 18, 2026. Someone seeking to file a 2026 value appeal after that date must contact the VAB about its good-cause late-filing process. A petition challenging the denial or removal of an exemption may be filed within 30 days of the denial notice.
Complete every question on a petition; the VAB may reject an incomplete form. Petitions are filed with the Clerk of the Value Adjustment Board, not with the Property Appraiser. Keep the relevant TRIM or denial notice available when reviewing the deadline and identifying the decision being challenged.
Relevant Offices
Broward County Property Appraiser’s Office — 115 South Andrews Avenue, Room 111, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 — (954) 357-6830
Broward County Value Adjustment Board — 115 South Andrews Avenue, Room 120, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 — (954) 357-7205 or (954) 357-5367
Broward County Tax Collector’s Office — (954) 357-4829
Property Appraiser FAQs
How can I get an alert about an ownership change?
The Property Appraiser offers Owner Alert, a free service that notifies subscribers when the office receives a document changing the ownership of their property. You can sign up through the app linked from the office’s homepage. An alert gives you a chance to review a change you did not expect; it does not prevent a document from being recorded.
How do I change my property’s mailing address?
Send the Property Appraiser your name, property ID or street address, and the new mailing address. Its forms page also provides a form you can mail or fax. Submit one request rather than sending duplicates. The office supplies an updated name and address file to the Tax Collector for November tax bills, so an address shown on the Tax Collector’s site may not change immediately.
What if a storm left my home uninhabitable?
If catastrophic damage or destruction made the property uninhabitable for at least 30 days, use the damage report linked from the Property Appraiser’s homepage to notify the office. The forms page separately lists an application for a catastrophic event tax refund for residential improvements. Reporting damage does not by itself establish refund eligibility; review the applicable form before filing.
What proof of income does a senior exemption applicant need?
The low-income senior exemption instructions distinguish between households that file federal income tax returns and those that do not. Applicants submit a sworn statement of adjusted gross household income. Tax filers also provide returns for household residents, excluding renters and boarders; nonfilers provide the specified Social Security statement. Check the instructions for the tax year you are applying for, since income limits and filing dates can change.
Where can I get a deed or correct an ownership dispute?
For instructions about recording a deed, adding or removing an owner, or obtaining a copy of a recorded document, open the Property Appraiser’s question page, enter “deed,” and select the relevant topic. The Property Appraiser updates ownership records from deeds recorded with Broward County’s Recording Division. It does not determine which party has better title when recorded documents conflict.