Property
Appraiser's Office

What are the responsibilities of the Property Appraiser's Office?

• Palm Beach County Property Appraiser Gary R. Nikolits, CFA, has a legal duty to annually produce a "fair and equitable" tax roll.

  To accomplish this task, The Property Appraiser's Office locates, identifies and values all residential, agricultural and commercial property in Palm Beach County.

  Personal property associated with an income-producing business, such as office equipment and furnishings, also is assessed annually.

  The Property Appraiser's Office does not set tax rates nor decide the amount of taxes you pay on your property. The market value is reduced by any applicable exemptions to derive the assessed or taxable value. The taxable value is used by individual taxing authorities, such as municipalities, the county and the school district, to set your property tax rates.

• The Property Appraiser's Office administers property tax savings on residential properties that qualify for Florida's $25,000 Homestead Exemption.

  For example, if your home has an assessed value of $100,000, the Homestead Exemption reduces its taxable value to $75,000.

  Further tax relief on homestead properties, such as up to $5,000 for qualified disabled veterans, or $500 for widows or widowers, may also apply to your residence.

  Special exemptions may apply to charitable, religious or historical properties.

  An additional $25,000 exemption for qualified senior citizens is now in effect for county residents who meet an income-level eligibility.

  The deadline for all new applications for Homestead and other exemptions is March 1 each year.

• The Property Appraiser's Office administers Florida Constitution Amendment 10 — Florida's 3% cap on qualified homestead properties.

  Florida limits any increase in the assessed value of a qualified homestead property to 3 % or the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower. The cap does not apply to commercial property. When a Homestead property is sold, the value returns to market value as of the following January 1. New additions or improvements are assessed at market value on January 1 following the year of construction. Thereafter, they are included in the 3% cap.