When do property taxes become delinquent?
Property taxes become delinquent on April 1 following the year of assessment. In accordance with Florida Statutes, if your property taxes are not paid, a tax certificate will be sold on or before June 1.
How can I pay my delinquent property taxes?
Once a tax certificate is issued payments must be made with cash, cashier’s check, money order or wire transfer made payable to Broward County Tax Collector. Personal checks are not accepted. Payment may be made in person or mailed to:
Broward County Tax Collector
115 S. Andrews Ave., Room A-100
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
For instructions on wire transfer, email revenue@broward.org.
Delinquent tax payments may be paid online at https://county-taxes.net/broward/broward.
Can I make payment arrangements?
Florida Statues do not contemplate any form of repayment arrangements for delinquent accounts. Delinquent taxes can be only paid in full with certified funds, wire transfers, credit cards, or cash.
I owe both current and delinquent taxes. Which should be paid first?
The oldest tax year should always be paid first.
How do I obtain the amount due at this time?
Since the amount may increase the first day of each month, please visit us online or contact our office for the amount due and the deadline date, prior to submitting your payment. You may call the Broward County Call Center at 3-1-1 or 954-831-4000.
If I have declared personal bankruptcy, am I still responsible for my property taxes?
In many situations, as long as you still own the property and you did not surrender the property to the Trustee or the Court you would be responsible for the taxes. However, consult your Bankruptcy Attorney to find out how this applies to your situation.
Do you honor the postmark for delinquent payments?
No. Statutes mandate that delinquent real estate tax payments must be in our office and validated by the last working day of the month for which interest is being paid (Florida Department of Revenue Property Tax Rule 12D-13.002).
How is the County allowed to sell a certificate on my property?
Florida Statute 197.432 requires that the Tax Collector sell tax certificates on properties with unpaid taxes on or before June 1. A tax certificate (lien) is a public auction for investors to earn interest on paying other people’s property taxes. A certificate is auctioned off to the bidder who is willing to accept the lowest interest rate. If there are no bids on a particular certificate, it would be “struck off” to the County at 18%; the highest interest rate allowed by Florida Statutes.
Someone bought a certificate on my property, does that mean they now own it?
No. The certificate holder has no claim on the property. However, two years after taxes became delinquent, the certificate holder can place a Tax Deed Application on your property. (Example – 2008 unpaid taxes which had a certificate sold by June 1st of 2009, can have a Tax Deed Application made on it beginning on April 1st, 2011). After a tax deed is made, the property will be scheduled for auction and sold to the highest bidder. If that happens, you have lost any claim or ownership on it.
There is a Tax Deed Application on my property. Are the payment requirements different?
Yes. There may be multiple years of delinquent taxes included in the Tax Deed Application. All of the taxes included in the application must be paid by a cashier’s check in one lump sum. If you need to mail your redemption, please allow enough time for us to receive it prior to the sale date. Amounts are subject to change as interest and additional fees are added. We advise you to pay the amount owed in person to insure that your payment is received timely.
To receive updated information and payment confirmation, we strongly suggest you contact the Delinquent Real Estate Tax office immediately at 954-357-5374.
There is a Tax Deed Application on my property, how long do I have before my property is sold?
This varies and cannot be determined without searching the specific tax account on our public website https://county-taxes.net/broward/broward. Search the property account, then select “Full Bill History.” If the property has been scheduled for public Tax Deed Auction-the date of the auction will be shown on our website. If no date is shown, the property has not yet been scheduled for sale. You can also email our Tax Deed Section at taxdeeds@broward.org for specific information on the sale status. On average, it can take up to 16 months, after a Tax Deed Application is submitted, before the property is scheduled for sale.
Is there a listing available of unpaid property taxes or of delinquent property taxes?
A full file listing is available for download. Please visit our search and reporting website broward.county-taxes.com or send an e-mail to revenue@broward.org
revenue@browardtax.org