Real Property Taxes are administered by the Pinellas County Tax Assessor’s Office.  The Assessor’s Office will provide a preliminary notice of assessment in August of each year ("TRIM Notice"), at which time the legal owner of the real property may protest the assessment through the prescribed date in September.  No action is necessary if the assessment is accepted.  Real Property Tax Bills are mailed the second week of November.

The Pinellas County Tax Assessor's Office at  https://www.pcpao.org/  has publicly stated that annual Real Property Taxes for Condominiums are calculated as follows:

Market Value

x .85

Assessed Value

x Mill (or Tax) Rate

Annual Real Property Taxes   

The methodology for Single Family Homes is the same except .84 is used to arrive at the Assessed Value.   The 2020 Mill Rate is 0.0259% per $100,000 for residential properties located within the City of Clearwater.  The Mill Rate includes all entities with Millage rights, such as the Pinellas County School System, Pinellas County, Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, EMS, etc.  Mill rates will vary from municipality to municipality.

Real Property Taxes are payable annually in arrears and may be paid using the following early payment discount schedule:

            November 30th   4%
            December 31st   3%
            January 31st       2%
            February 28th     1%

Payments received in March are payable at face value.  Real Property Taxes become delinquent April 1st.

If the property is your Principal Residence, you may declare it as your "Homestead." Your Assessed Value will then be reduced by $25,000 with an additional $25,000 reduction for all taxing jurisdictions except the Pinellas County School System.  There are additional lesser deductions available for certain groups.

A significant Homestead benefit is that the Assessed Value increases are capped each year at the lesser of the Consumer Price Index ("CPI") or 3%.  This benefit can be substantial when properties are appreciating over CPI or 3% per year, as applicable.  There are specific rules and deadlines that you must follow to Homestead your Principal Residence which may be found on the Pinellas County Tax Assessor's web site.


Paul Gibson
Paul Gibson
Realtor
25 Causeway Boulevard Suite 101 Clearwater Beach FL 33767