Florida TRIM Notice 2026: What Central Florida Homeowners Need to Check before the Deadline
Don't toss that property tax notice yet.
If you own a home In Central Florida, there Is a good change you recently received a piece of mail called a Notice of Proposed Property Taxes, better known as your TRIM notice.
And If you're like a lot of homeowners, you may have looked at the proposed tax amount and wondered why It changed, and put the notice aside.
Before you do that, take another look.
Your TRIM notice gives you Important Information about how your property Is being valued, which exemptions are being applied, what your local governments are proposing to charge In property taxes, and what you can do If you believe something Is Incorrect.
Theres Is also a deadline to challenge your property's assessed value.
For Central Florida homeowners, especially In Orlando, Kissimmee, St. Cloud, Davenport, Clermont, Winter Garden, Apopka, Haines City and surrounding communities, this Is one piece of mail worth understanding.
First, What Is a Florida TRIM Notice?
TRIM stands for Truth In Millage.
Despite the dollar amounts printed on It, your TRIM notice Is not your final property tax bill.
Florida property appraisers generally send TRIM notices In August. The notice shows your property's value, exemptions, proposed millage rates and estimated property taxes. Final property tax bills are generally sent by the county tax collector In November.
That means the TRIM notice gives you an opportunity to review the Information before the process Is finished.
And there are several numbers homeowners should pay close attention to.
The 3 Property Values You Need to Understand
Your TRIM notice may look confusing at first because your home can have several different values.
They do not all mean the same thing.
Just Value or Market Value
This is the property appraiser's estimate of your property's market value as of January 1 of that tax year.
In Florida, "just value" generally refers to market value.
This Is one of the first numbers I would check.
Ask yourself:
Does this seem reasonable compared with what similar homes In my neighborhoos were selling for around that period?
Keep In mind that today's market value and your January 1 assessed market value are not necessarily the same.
Assessed Value
Your assessed value can be lower than your market value because Florida provides certain assessment limitations.
One of the most common Is Save Our Homes for qualifying homestead properties.
For 2026, the Save Our Homes annual assessment Increased limitation Is 2.7%. The limit Is based on the lower 3% or the applicable Consumer Price Index change.
This Is one reason a longtime homeowner might have a market value of $450,000 but an assessed value considerably below $450,000.
Taxable Value
Your taxable value Is generally your assessed value minus applicable exemptions.
This Is the value used to calculate property taxes for the applicable taxing authority.
For example, qualifying Florida homeowners may receive a homestead exemption that can reduce taxable value by as much as $50,000, although portions of that exemption apply differently to school and non-school taxes.
There are also other property tax benefits that may apply to certain seniors, veterans, active duty military members, people with disabilities and other qualifying property owners.
That Is why checking your exemptions Is just as Important as checking the value of the property.
Take 10 Minutes and Check These Items
Before putting your TRIM Notice away, review:
Your property's just or market value
Your assessed value
Your taxable value
Your homestead exemptions you believe you qualify for
The proposed property taxes compared with last years
Any proposed non-ad valorem assessments
Your deadline to challenge the property value
The dates of the public hearings listed on the notice
If something looks different than you expected, do not assume It Is automatically wrong.
But don't Ignore It either.
Find out why It changed.
"My Home Value Didn't Go Up That Much. Why Did My Assessed Value Increased?"
This Is where Florida property taxes can get confusing.
Your home's assessed value can sometimes Increase even when Its market value stayed the same or even decreased.
For homestead properties protected by the Save Our Homes, the assessed value may continue to Increase towards the property's market value as long as It remains below that market value and stays within the applicable annyal assessment limit.
So seeing an Increase does not automaticaly mean there Is a mistake.
This Is why homeowners should look at the entire notice, rather than only comparing this year's, estimated tax amount with last year's.
What If You Think the County Has Your Home Value Too High?
Start by gathering Information.
Look at the comaprerable properties near your home that sold around the time relevant to the January 1 assessment.
You want to compare homes that are actually similar to yours, Including things such as:
Location
Square Footage
Number of bedroms and bathrooms
Lot Size
Age and condition
Pool or no pool
Renovations
Waterfront or Conservation views
Garage size
Community and neighborhood
For example, a renovated four bedroom pool home In St. Cloud should not automaticaly be compared with every four bedroom home In the ZIP code.
The same applied In places like Lake Nona, Winter Garden, Kissimmee, Davenport or Clermont.
Real Estate can change significantly from one subdivision to the next.
If you believe the property appraiser's value Is Incorrect, you can contact your county property appraiser's office and ask questions about how the value was determined.
If the Issue Is not resolved, Florida property owners can file a petition with their county's Value Adjustment Board, commonly called VAB.
For valuation disputes, Florida generally requires the petition to be filed within 25 days after the property appraiser mails the TRIM notice.
Do Not Assume Every Central Florida County Has The Same Deadline
This Is Important.
Because the deadline Is based on when the county mailed Its notices, homeowners In different Central Florida continues may have different deadlines.
For Example:
Osceola County: TRIM notices were mailed August 14, 2026 and the 2026 petition deadline Is September 8th, 2026.
Orange County: The 2026 deadline for valuation petition Is September 18, 2026.
If you live In Polk County, Lake County or another Central Florida county, check the dealine printed on your notice and confirm It with your loca Value Adjustment Board or county clerk.
Do not wait until the end of September assuming you still have time.
Can You Challenge the Property Tax Rate Too?
There Is an Important difference between challenging your property's value and disagreeing with the tax rate.
The property appraiser determines the property values.
Local taxing authorities, such as counties, municipalities, school districts and certain special districts, set millage rates through their budget processes.
If your concern Is the proposed tax rate rather than your property's valuation the TRIM notice Includes Information about public budget hearings where property owners can comment on proposed budgets and millage rates.
a VAB property value appeal Is not simply a way to argue that property taxes In general are too high.
What Could an Incorrect Assessment Cost You?
This Is where paying attention can matter financially.
Your property tax Is generally based on your taxable value multiplied by the applicable millage rates.
So If the value used to calculate your taxes Is Incorrect, It could affect what you eventually owe. It can also affect homeowners who pay their taxes through an escrow account with their mortgage.
If your property taxes Increase, your mortgage servicer may eventually adjust the escrow portion of your monthly payment to account for the higher expense.
The opposite can also happen If your tax obligation decreases.
However, reducing a property's market value does not automatically mean your tax bill will drop by the same percentage. Assessment limitations, exemptions, different taxing authorities, millage rates and other factors all affect the final calculation.
Common TRIM Notices Mistakes Homeowners Make
One of the biggest mistakes Is simply throwing the notice away because It looks like another tax dosucment.
Other common mistakes Include:
Looking only at the estimated tax amount
Assuming market value, assesed value and taxable value are the same
Forgetting to check wether exemptions are being applied
Comparing the county's value only with an online home estimate
Using today's home value Instead of understanding the January 1 assessment date
Waiting too long to question a valuation
Assuming every Florida county as the same appeal deadline
Trying to challenge the millage rate through a property valuarion appeal
Even If everything on your notice turns out to be correct, spending a few minutes reviewing It gives you a better understanding of one of the largest ongoing costs of owning a home.
So, Is the County's Value of Your Home Accurate?
Sometimes the number makes perfect sense.
Sometimes It deserves a closer look.
If you're unsure what homes similar to your have actually been selling for, The Resilient Home Group can help you review your recent comparable sales In your neighborhood and give you a clearer picture of your home's current market value.
Theres no obligation to sell your home.
Sometimes you simply want to know what your property Is worth and understand how your biggest asset Is performing.
And If you're thinking about selling, buying another home, Investing, downsizing, relocating or making a move anywhere around Central Florida, we're happy to help answer your questions.
The Resilient Home Group
Serving Orlando and surrounding Central Florida communities.
This article Is for general educational purposes and should not be considered tax or legal advice. Property tax rules, exemptions and deadlines can depend on your property and county. Confirm Information regarding your property directly with your county property appraiser, tax collector or Value Adjustment Board.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Florida TRIM notice my property Tax Bill?
No. The TRIM notice Is the Notice of Proposed Property Taxes. It shows your property's assessed Information, exemptions, proposed millage rates and estimated taxes. Florida property tax bills are generally sent later In the year by the tax collector.
How long do I have to appeal my property value In Florida?
For a valuation appeal, Florida generally requires a Value Adjustment Board petition to be filed within 25 days after the property appraiser mailes the TRIM notice. Because counties may mail notices on different dates, check the deadline for your specific county.
Why Is my assessed value lower than my home's market value?
Florida assessment limitations such as Save Our Homes can create a difference between market value and assessed value. For qualifying homestead properties, annual assessment Increases are generally limited to the lower of 3% or the applicable CPI change. The 2026 Save Our Homes cap Is 2.7%.
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