January 2024

This free monthly eNewsletter highlights the latest developments in the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser's Office. You may unsubscribe below, or give us your feedback by replying to this email. We hope you enjoy!

Dear Taxpayer:

Happy New Year!

With a new year before us, my office has a renewed sense of purpose as we work to constantly improve our services.

Our new website at pbcpao.gov, launching this month, offers easier reporting, better searching, and clearer navigation. Everything that we’ve always offered is still there, but now with an improved interface and access to information. It is more engaging and more useful. I look forward to receiving feedback from you and to continuing to improve this site.

While on the topic of continual improvement, every department in my office has created a list of goals for the new year. Our focus for 2024 includes providing stronger GIS modeling, widening opportunities for staff development, proactively managing risks, and incorporating new technology tools. My staff develop these goals every year, driving our progress as an office. I am proud to have one of the finest professional staffs in the industry.

You may see some of my stellar staff at the South Florida Fair, as we will once again be able to take homestead exemption applications on site. More on that is below, as are reminders about filing for an Agricultural Land Classification and Business Tangible Personal Property Tax Return for 2024.

Wishing you a prosperous and wonderful year.

Respectfully,

Dorothy Jacks, CFA, AAS

Palm Beach County Property Appraiser

2024 South Florida Fair

The Palm Beach County Property Appraiser’s Office will have a table at the South Florida Fair from January 12 to 28. We will be located in Expo West and will taking new homestead exemption applications and answering questions throughout the Fair.

Reduce Tax With the Homestead Exemption

If you are a permanent Florida resident, you may be eligible for a homestead exemption, which can generally save you an estimated $750 to $1,000 in property taxes each year.

(Did you receive your pink homestead exemption receipt card in the mail? If so, no need to refile. Simply keep the card as your receipt that you have been automatically renewed for another year.)

A $25,000 exemption is applied to the first $50,000 of your property’s assessed value if your property is your permanent residence and you owned the property as of January 1. This exemption applies to all taxes, including school district taxes. An additional exemption of up to $25,000 will be applied if your property’s assessed value is between at least $50,000 and $75,000. This exemption is not applied to school district taxes. In addition, a homestead exemption limits any increase to your assessed value to a maximum of 3% each year or the amount of the change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower.

Three ways to apply:

• E File

• Visit one of our five service centers to file in person

• Complete the application online, print it out, and mail it to our office

All homestead exemption applications must be submitted by March 1. Once you qualify, we will renew your homestead exemption annually as long as you continue to qualify for the exemption.

Visit pbcpao.gov to E File and for information on other available exemptions for seniors, families, veterans, and more.

All About Agricultural Land Classification

Properties with bona fide agricultural (good faith commercial) activity may qualify for the agricultural land classification. The taxable value of the land is based on the annual net income per acre attributable to the land from the agricultural operation.

If you had the agricultural land classification on your property in 2023, the application will automatically renew for 2024, so there is no need to file an application. If the property had a change of ownership in 2023, the new owner would have to reapply for the classification in 2024. All 5,034 properties with the agricultural classification in 2023 will be reviewed and monitored for changes of ownership.

To qualify for a new agricultural land classification, the qualifying agricultural use must be on site as of January 1, 2024. Applications should be submitted by March 1, 2024. You will be notified of the status of your application for the agricultural classification by mail on or before July 1.

For more information, call our office at 561.355.4577 or email myfarm@pbcpao.gov.

Business Tangible Personal Property

Business tangible assets such as furniture and equipment valued at more than $25,000 are subject to ad valorem taxes. All businesses are required to file a Tangible Personal Property Tax Return (Form DR 405) annually by April 1, unless the value of your tangible personal property last year was under $25,000 and you received notice from this office that your requirement to file has been waived.

Florida allows an exemption up to $25,000 in value for tangible personal property assets used by a business. However, you must file an initial Tangible Personal Property Tax Return to receive the exemption. Thereafter, you need not file an annual return unless the value of your tangible personal property exceeds $25,000 on January 1.

Save time, paper, and postage by filing online. If you do need a paper form, you can download it using our Forms link. If you have any questions about reporting personal property, tangible E filing, or the $25,000 tangible exemption, please call our office at 561.355.2896 or email us at patangible@pbcgov.org.

Office Closures

All Palm Beach County Property Appraiser’s Offices will be closed on Monday, January 1 and on Monday, January 15 in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.