Real estate property taxes are an important part of supporting local services in Hendry County, including schools, public safety, and infrastructure. Each year, property taxes are assessed based on the value of your property and billed by the Hendry County Tax Collector’s Office.
While the Property Appraiser determines property value and exemptions, and local taxing authorities set the tax rates, the Tax Collector’s Office is responsible for billing, collecting, and distributing your property tax payments.
Property tax bills are mailed on or about November 1, with discounts available for early payment. Multiple payment options are offered for your convenience, including online, by mail, and in person. Our goal is to make the process easy to understand and to help you meet your obligations confidently and on time.
What You’ll Need
Before paying your real estate property taxes or requesting assistance, please have the following information available to help us serve you quickly and accurately:
Required Information
- Property Tax Bill (mailed in November) or
- Bill Number / Account Number
- Property Owner Name (as it appears on the tax roll)
- Property Address
For Payment
- Accepted payment method, such as:
- Credit or debit card
- Electronic check (ACH)
- Check or money order (by mail)
- Cash or card (in person)
- Correct payment amount, including any applicable discounts or interest
If Paying on Behalf of Someone Else
- Property owner’s name and parcel number
- Your contact information, in case follow-up is needed
For Installment Payment Plans
- Enrollment request submitted prior to April 30
- Ability to make quarterly payments as scheduled
- Installment Payment Plan Application
For Partial Payment Plans
If Your Taxes Are Delinquent
- Bill number, Account Number or Tax Certificate Number (if applicable)
- Full payment amount including interest, fees, and advertising costs
The Property Tax Process Step by Step
To ensure a system of checks and balances, the responsibility of setting tax rates, determining property values and collecting taxes are carried out by separate governing entities, each held accountable by the residents for which they serve. Below is the process in which your property taxes are assessed, tax bills are sent, and how the tax revenue is distributed.
The Property Appraiser determines assessed value and processes exemptions.
Taxing Authorities calculate the millage rates that will produce the desired revenue.
Property Appraiser mails Notice of Proposed Property Taxes to property owners with their value and proposed ad valorem taxes.
Taxpayers can appeal to the Value Adjustment Board through the Clerk of the Circuit Court if they disagree with value or exemptions.
The Tax Collector mails the Property Tax Bills in November with payment due on or before the following March 31st.
The Tax Collector distributes the tax revenue collected from tax payments to the Taxing Authorities.
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If you were affected by a catastrophic refund per Florida Statute 197.319, please keep the following in mind:
- This relief is available only to property owners as a refund of taxes already paid.
- Tax payments made after March 31st are considered delinquent and will not qualify for a refund, even if an approval letter is received from the Property Appraiser.
- If your tax payment is made timely, your refund will be processed and issued by the Tax Collector within two weeks of the date noted on your approval letter from the Property Appraiser.
Payment Options
Pay Online
Pay your property taxes online with credit/debit card or eCheck. Credit card card payments and eChecks are subject to a convenience fee from the third party credit card processor. The Tax Collector’s office does not receive any part of the convenience fee.
Pay by Mail
When paying by check or money order, please make your check payable in US funds to Hendry County Tax Collector.
Mail in Payment: Hendry County Tax Collector, Amy Collins, PO Box 1780, LaBelle, FL 33975.
For overnight mail, send your payment to Hendry County Tax Collector, Amy Collins, 25 E. Hickpochee Ave., LaBelle, FL 33935.
Drop off Payment
Drop your payment off at either our LaBelle or Clewiston locations.
Who Do I Contact
Contact the Property Appraiser if you need to
Contact the Tax Collector if you need to
Contact your Levying Authorities for
Contact the Clerk of Court if you need to
Additional Resources
Taxes on all real estate property and other non-ad valorem assessments are billed, collected and distributed by the Tax Collector. Taxes are levied in Hendry County by the taxing authorities. The Property Appraiser establishes the taxable value of real estate property. The millage, or rate of taxation, is set by the Board of County Commissioners, School Board, City Council and governing bodies of other independent special taxing districts and authorities. The millage is set by calculating a rate per $1,000 valuation that will produce their budget needs from ad valorem taxes. One mill represents $1 of tax on each $1,000 of taxable valuation.
Taxes are assessed as of January 1 of each year and are normally due and payable on November 1 of that year. According to Florida Statute 197.122, all property owners have the responsibility to know the amount of tax due and to pay the taxes before April 1 of the following year. Taxes and non-ad valorem assessments become delinquent April 1 at which time 3% interest and advertising costs are added. The amount due on delinquent payments is determined by date received, not by postmark. Failure to receive a tax bill on your property will not relieve you from paying taxes or subsequent penalties which are imposed when taxes become delinquent on April 1st.
Discount Schedule – Property Taxes become payable on November 1st and are due in full by March 31st of the following year.
Discounts are applied for early payments:
- 4% if paid in November
- 3% if paid in December
- 2% if paid in January
- 1% if paid in February
- There is no discount for payments made in March
Taxes become delinquent April 1st.
Property Appraisers
The property appraisers determine the just, or market value of each parcel of property as of January 1 of each year. Then, they apply all valid exemptions, classifications and assessment limitations to determine each property’s taxable value, or relative tax burden.
The Department of Revenue reviews the property tax rolls of each county in July and August of every year. These reviews are conducted to ensure the tax base established by the property appraiser is equitable, uniform, and in compliance with Florida law.
Locally Elected Officials
Florida has more than 640 local governments that levy a property tax. These include cities, counties, school boards, and special districts. Each year, usually in August and September, locally elected officials in each jurisdiction set a millage, or tax, rate for the upcoming fiscal year, usually beginning on October 1. Millage rates for each jurisdiction are uniform across all property types.
The Department of Revenue ensures that local government millage rates do not exceed state-mandated caps. In addition, the Department confirms that local governments properly and timely send notices and advertise public hearings to adopt millage rates and annual budgets.
Truth-in-Millage (TRIM) Notices
In August, the Property Appraiser sends each property owner a Notice of Proposed Property Taxes, or TRIM notice. This notice contains the property’s value on January 1, the millage rates proposed by each local government, and an estimate of the amount of property taxes owed based on the proposed millage rates. TRIM notices do not include the property’s estimated non-ad valorem taxes.
The date, time, and location of each local government’s budget hearing are also provided on the notice. This provides property owners the opportunity to attend the hearings and comment on the millage rates before approval.
The Department of Revenue verifies that the information supplied to property owners is accurate and in compliance with Florida Truth-in-Millage requirements.
Value Adjustment Board
Each county has a five-member value adjustment board, which hears and rules on challenges to a property’s assessment, classification, or exemptions. The value adjustment board is independent from the property appraiser and tax collector.
Value adjustment boards cannot change the millage, or property tax rates adopted by local governments.
The Department of Revenue provides annual training to value adjustment boards. The Department also issues mandatory procedures and forms in order to promote fair, impartial, and uniform hearings for all taxpayers.
Tax Collectors
Following the adoption of millage rates by local governments, the tax collectors office mails annual property tax notices by the first of November. Full payment is due by the following March 31. Discounts of up to four percent are given for early payment. Payment plans are also available.
The Department of Revenue provides training and certification to tax collectors and their staff in order to promote uniform and cost-effective tax collection practices. The Department also reviews and approves the annual budgets of most tax collectors.
Tax Collectors
Property Taxes are delinquent if not paid prior to April 1 of the following year at which time 3% interest and advertising cost are added. If the property tax is still not paid by the annual Tax Certificate Sale, then the Tax Collector sells a tax certificate on the property to collect the unpaid taxes. A tax deed may be sold if the property owner has not paid all back taxes, interest, and fees within two years.
Tax collectors also process and issue refunds for overpayment of property taxes.
The Department of Revenue assists those who have questions about the local property tax process. The Department also reviews property tax refunds of $2,500 or more to verify they were issued in accordance with Florida law.
The tax collector is responsible for collecting property taxes as well as distributing property taxes to the local governments and taxing authorities. Approximately, 50 percent of Florida’s public education funding and 30 percent of its local government revenues come from property taxes
The state constitution of Florida allows up to $50,000 (additional 25,000 does not apply to school taxes) to be deducted from the assessed value of a primary residence. For the property owners who are Florida residents and have qualified for homestead exemption the property is subject to a limitation in assessment increases, commonly known as Amendment 10, (Save Our Homes). This important benefit limits the increase in the assessed value to no more than 3% or the CPI (Consumer Price Index), whichever is less.
When the property is sold the homestead exemption is removed, (adding a non-marital relative to the deed can cause a partial loss of this limitation on increases) the assessed value increases to just/market value for the new year.
Exemption applications are provided and accepted by the Hendry County Property Appraiser’s office.
Ready to Get Started?
Our team is here to help make your visit as smooth and stress-free as possible.
Visit one of our convenient Hendry County Tax Collector locations in LaBelle or Clewiston to complete your transaction, or contact us if you have questions about what to bring.
