Miami-Dade property taxes: rates, exemptions, and how to appeal

Last updated 2026-07-09

How does property tax work in Miami-Dade County?

Three separate offices run Miami-Dade property taxes, and mixing them up is the fastest way to waste a phone call. The Property Appraiser sets your assessed value. The county and city governments set their millage rates each August. The Tax Collector mails the bill and takes the money. If your tax feels too high, you almost always fight the Property Appraiser's value, not the Tax Collector.

Your bill has two moving parts: taxable value and millage rate. Florida law tells the Property Appraiser to value your property at "just value" (fair market value) as of January 1 each year ^[1]. Subtract your exemptions from that just value and you get taxable value. Multiply taxable value by the combined millage rate for your exact spot on the map. One mill equals $1 per $1,000 of taxable value, so 20 mills on a $400,000 taxable value is an $8,000 bill.

Where you live changes the number. Unincorporated Miami-Dade residents pay the county general rate plus assorted district levies. People in cities like Miami, Coral Gables, Hialeah, or Doral pay the county rate plus their city rate on top. Miami's city millage added about 7.6 mills in recent years, while some smaller municipalities tack on only 2 to 3 mills ^[2]. That gap is not a rounding error.

Save Our Homes (SOH) is the other lever. Once a property has a Homestead Exemption, annual increases in assessed value are capped at 3% or the change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower ^[3]. Long-time owners end up assessed far below market. New buyers reset to full market value on their first full year, which is exactly why so many fresh Miami-Dade homeowners open their bill and feel their stomach drop.

What is the Miami-Dade property tax rate for 2024?

There is no single Miami-Dade property tax rate. Your total millage is the sum of every authority whose boundary crosses your parcel: the county general fund, the School Board (the biggest single line), South Florida Water Management District, the Library system, the Children's Trust, fire rescue where it applies, and your city. Stack them and most homes land between 19 and 22 mills.

For 2024, the county commission set the countywide general millage at 4.6669 mills ^[2]. The School Board approved roughly 6.1 to 6.7 mills across its operating, capital, debt service, and supplemental levies. Add the special districts and a city rate and you reach that 19 to 22 mill band.

Taxing Authority	Approximate 2024 Millage (mills)
Miami-Dade County General	4.6669
School Board (all levies)	~6.50
Children's Trust	0.5000
South FL Water Mgmt District	~0.2336
Library System	0.2840
City of Miami (example)	~7.6000
Typical combined (with City of Miami)	~19.8
Unincorporated area (no city)	~13-15

City figures here are estimates from publicly adopted budgets. Your Notice of Proposed Property Taxes (TRIM notice), mailed each August, is the only authoritative number for your parcel ^[2]. Never run your bill off a general table without checking your own TRIM notice.

Effective rates (taxes as a percent of market value) run about 1.0% to 2.0% for long-time homesteaded owners riding a big SOH benefit, and 1.8% to 2.2% for recently purchased homes assessed near full value. The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy puts Florida's statewide effective residential rate at roughly 0.89%, but Miami-Dade sits above that because of city millage ^[4].

What exemptions can lower your Miami-Dade property tax bill?

Florida hands out more property tax exemptions than almost any other state. Miami-Dade owners who skip the ones they qualify for are leaving real money behind, sometimes thousands a year.

Homestead Exemption. This is the big one. The Florida Constitution grants a $25,000 exemption against all taxing authorities on the first $25,000 of assessed value, plus a second $25,000 exemption on value between $50,000 and $75,000 (for a $50,000 total). That second slice does not apply to school taxes ^[9]. You must own the property and make it your permanent home as of January 1. Apply by March 1. The Property Appraiser takes applications online at miamidade.gov/pa.

Senior Exemption. Owners 65 or older with household income at or below the annual limit (set by the Florida Department of Revenue; $35,167 for 2024) can qualify for an extra $50,000 exemption against county and municipal taxes. It is separate from the standard Homestead Exemption, and you re-apply every year ^[5].

Widow/Widower Exemption. A $500 exemption for widows and widowers who have not remarried. Small money, but it costs nothing to claim.

Disability Exemptions. Florida Statute 196.202 gives a $500 exemption for blind persons and a separate $500 exemption for people totally and permanently disabled ^[6]. Quadriplegics who homestead the property are fully exempt. Veterans with a service-connected disability rating of 10% or more get an added exemption that ranges from $5,000 up to full exemption depending on rating and circumstances.

First Responder Total Disability. First responders totally and permanently disabled in the line of duty pay no ad valorem tax on their homestead.

Agricultural Classification. Acreage in bona fide agricultural use can get an agricultural classification. It is not technically an exemption, but it works like one, cutting the assessed value of that land hard.

Portability. Sell a homesteaded property, buy another in Florida, and you can move up to $500,000 of your SOH benefit to the new home. File the portability application (Form DR-501T) at the same time as your new Homestead Exemption application.

Every exemption application is due March 1 under Florida Statute 196.011 ^[11]. Miss it and you wait a full year. The Property Appraiser's site (miamidade.gov/pa) has the current forms and income thresholds ^[1].

How do you search your Miami-Dade property tax assessment?

Start at the Property Appraiser's website. Go to miamidade.gov/pa and search your parcel by address, owner name, or folio number (the 13-digit ID printed on your tax bill and TRIM notice). The record shows just value, assessed value, exemptions, and taxable value for the current and prior years ^[1].

Paying the bill or checking payment history is a different site: the Tax Collector at miamidadetax.gov. The two look alike and do opposite jobs. The Property Appraiser site is where you go when the value looks wrong. The Tax Collector site is where you pay.

The TRIM notice (Truth in Millage) shows up each August and is the single most important piece of paper you will get all year. It lists your proposed assessed value, every exemption applied, and a line-by-line breakdown of each authority's proposed millage and the resulting tax. It also prints the dates of the public budget hearings where you can testify. Most important, it prints the deadline to petition the Value Adjustment Board.

Want comps to challenge your value? The Property Appraiser's site has a sales search. Filter by neighborhood, property type, and sale date. Pull sales from October of the prior year through the January 1 assessment date. That's the window the appraiser used, so that's the window that carries weight.

When are Miami-Dade property tax bills due and what happens if you miss the deadline?

Florida property taxes run on a fixed annual calendar, and every date on it costs or saves you money.

Date	What Happens
January 1	Assessment date (property status on this date sets the tax year)
March 1	Exemption application deadline
August (varies)	TRIM notices mailed; public budget hearings begin
September 18, 2024	Value Adjustment Board petition deadline (2024 tax year)
November 1	Tax bills mailed
November 30	4% discount if paid in November
December 31	3% discount if paid in December
January 31	2% discount if paid in January
February 28	1% discount if paid in February
March 31	Taxes become delinquent; interest and penalties begin
May, June	Tax certificate sale for unpaid taxes

Those early-payment discounts are written into Florida law and they are real savings ^[7]. Pay a $10,000 bill in November and you save $400 versus waiting until March.

Blowing past March 31 is serious business. Miami-Dade auctions tax certificates, usually in May or June. A tax certificate is a lien on your property, and certificate holders earn interest up to 18% a year. If the taxes stay unpaid for two years after the certificate sale, the holder can apply for a tax deed. That can end with your property sold at auction. Do not let it get near that line.

The Tax Collector takes credit cards, e-checks, and other methods online. See online tax payment for property for a wider look at county payment platforms and the fees hiding in them.

How do you appeal a Miami-Dade property tax assessment?

You have two roads: an informal conference with the Property Appraiser, or a formal petition to the Value Adjustment Board (VAB). Try both. The informal route is free and fast, and the formal route costs $15.

Step 1: Read your TRIM notice the day it lands. The petition deadline is printed right on it. For 2024, that was September 18. Miss it and you are locked out until next year.

Step 2: Pull comparable sales. On the Property Appraiser's site, find sales of similar homes near you that closed between October 2022 and January 1, 2023 (for the 2023 tax year) or October 2023 through January 1, 2024 (for 2024). Match on size, age, condition, and location, and look for ones that sold for less than the just value on your property. Three to five solid comps is plenty.

Step 3: Call the Property Appraiser first. Before the formal petition, call or email and ask for the appraiser assigned to your neighborhood. A lot of errors get fixed right here, no proceeding required. If they agree the value is high, they can issue an amended assessment.

Step 4: File a VAB petition. If the informal route stalls, file Form DR-486 (Petition to the Value Adjustment Board) by the deadline on your TRIM notice ^[8]. The Miami-Dade filing fee is $15 per parcel. You file with the Clerk of the VAB, not the Property Appraiser. The VAB office sits in the County Commission building.

Step 5: Build your evidence package. Include your comparable sales with a short note on each adjustment (why a comp is worth less per square foot than the appraiser claims), any inspection reports on condition, any appraisal you paid for, and photos if there is deferred maintenance or damage the appraiser never saw inside the house.

Step 6: The hearing. Miami-Dade VAB hearings run through special magistrates, not elected officials. Residential cases go to appraisers or attorneys. You present, the county's appraiser presents, and the magistrate writes a recommended decision. The VAB can reject that recommendation, but it rarely does.

Florida Statute 194.034 gives you the right to trade evidence with the county before your hearing, and the Department of Revenue's Taxpayer Rights Advocate can step in when the process feels unfair ^[8]. Request that exchange. It shows you the county's hand and sometimes shakes loose a settlement before the hearing date ever arrives.

If you want your comps and evidence organized instead of scattered, the TaxFightBack DIY appeal kit runs through the Florida process step by step, including the evidence exchange request letter.

For comparison, broward county property taxes and hillsborough county property tax follow the same Florida VAB process with slightly different local timelines.

What is the Save Our Homes cap and how does portability work?

Save Our Homes is Florida's constitutional cap on assessment growth, set in Article VII, Section 4 of the Florida Constitution ^[9]. Once a property has a Homestead Exemption, its assessed value can rise no more than 3% a year or the change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower. Market swings do not matter. The cap holds.

This matters a lot in Miami-Dade, where market values jumped 40% to 80% in many neighborhoods since 2020. A homeowner who bought in 2015 with continuous homestead coverage might carry a just value of $700,000 but a capped assessed value of $450,000. Taxes hit the $450,000 (minus exemptions), not the $700,000. That $250,000 gap is the SOH benefit.

When that owner sells and buys again in Florida, up to $500,000 of the benefit travels with them through portability. The new home starts at its just value, then the ported amount comes off (up to 100% of the new home's just value). To port, you do two things: establish homestead on the new property, and file the portability application (Form DR-501T) by March 1 of the year after you buy ^[12].

New buyers of a previously homesteaded home get the rude version of this lesson. The prior owner's low assessed value does not come with the house. Your first full tax year, the Property Appraiser resets the property to full market value. Pay $850,000 for a house the last owner had assessed at $320,000 and your assessment jumps to $850,000 minus your new exemptions. Budget for it before you close.

Non-homestead properties (rentals, second homes, commercial) get a different cap: 10% a year on assessed value, with no SOH benefit and no portability ^[3].

How do commercial and investment properties get assessed in Miami-Dade?

Commercial assessment uses the same just value standard but different math. Homes get valued mostly by the sales comparison approach. Commercial buildings routinely use the income approach, which estimates value as net operating income divided by a capitalization rate.

That income approach hands commercial owners a specific opening. If the appraiser is running an income model, you can attack the inputs: the gross income estimate, the vacancy assumption, the expense ratio, and the cap rate. Every one of those levers moves the result. Higher-than-average vacancy, deferred maintenance, below-market rents locked in by long leases, document all of it.

Miami-Dade commercial petitions go to licensed appraisers or attorneys who work in commercial real estate. The evidence standard matches residential, but the dollars are bigger and a weak presentation costs more. Plenty of commercial owners hire a certified general appraiser just to build the income analysis, then handle the petition themselves.

For comparison, see how la county property tax handles income-approach challenges, or the nyc property tax system, which uses a very different income capitalization method for larger buildings.

Florida's 10% non-homestead cap shields commercial owners from wild year-to-year swings, but it resets to full market value on sale, same as residential.

What are the most common reasons Miami-Dade assessments are wrong?

Across thousands of property tax cases nationally, a short list of errors keeps showing up in high-growth Sun Belt markets like Miami-Dade. Learn the list and you know where to look.

Wrong property characteristics. The record might show 2,400 square feet when your home is 2,150, or list a bathroom that does not exist. Pull your property card from the Property Appraiser's site and check it against your survey or permit history. These errors can sit in the file for years.

Ignoring condition. Mass appraisal treats every home as average condition for its age and type. If your roof is 20 years old, the HVAC is original, or there is water intrusion, the model is overvaluing you. Prove it with photos and contractor estimates.

Overreliance on distressed or renovated comps. Sometimes the appraiser values a rough house with sales of renovated, move-in-ready homes. Your job is to put your own comp set in front of the magistrate instead of accepting theirs.

Waterfront and view premiums applied wrong. Waterfront value swings hard in Miami-Dade. A parcel tagged waterfront in the record might have only a partial or blocked view. Adjustments for water access (fixed bridge versus ocean access) get botched all the time.

Market timing in a volatile year. The assessment date is January 1. If the market peaked in mid-2022 but sales near your January 1 date were already sliding, you can show the appraiser that the relevant comps support a lower value than the peak they leaned on.

How does Miami-Dade compare to other large Florida and U.S. counties?

Miami-Dade sits toward the high end for Florida, mostly because of city millage in places like Miami and Miami Beach. Broward to the north runs similar rates; broward county property taxes makes the parallel clear. Hillsborough (Tampa) usually runs lower effective rates on lighter city millage; see hillsborough county property tax.

Nationally, Miami-Dade's 1.8% to 2.2% effective rate for recently purchased homes sits mid-pack. Maricopa property tax (Phoenix) runs about 0.5% to 0.7%, far lower. Hennepin county property tax (Minneapolis) often runs 1.2% to 1.5% but on lower home values. Contra Costa county property tax in California caps at 1% of purchase price under Prop 13, close in spirit to Florida's SOH cap.

The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy's Significant Features of the Property Tax database tracks effective rates by state and is the cleanest apples-to-apples source for these comparisons ^[4]. Florida's roughly 0.89% statewide average gets dragged down by long-term homesteaded owners sitting on deep SOH caps.

For how property tax systems are built and why they vary so much, property tax taxation covers the mechanics underneath all of this.

Can you really appeal your Miami-Dade property tax on your own, without hiring a firm?

Yes. The Florida VAB process is built for homeowners without lawyers. The forms are free, the fee is $15, and magistrates regularly work with pro se petitioners.

The honest caveat: contingency-fee firms do this every day. They know the local magistrates, the county's appraisal team, and which arguments actually move a Miami-Dade case. For a simple case with clean comps, that inside knowledge barely matters. For a complex commercial property or a case where the county has a strong income model, professional help might pay for itself.

For a straightforward residential overvaluation, doing it yourself makes sense. You need four things: your TRIM notice, 3 to 5 comparable sales from the Property Appraiser's database, photos of any condition problems, and the DR-486 form. That's the whole kit. The TaxFightBack DIY appeal kit pulls those steps into one Florida-specific workflow, including the evidence exchange letter and a comp adjustment worksheet, so you are not reverse-engineering the process on a deadline.

One thing to keep in your back pocket: even if the magistrate sides with the county, you can appeal to circuit court under Florida Statute 194.171 ^[8]. That step really does benefit from an attorney. Most homeowners never need it.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Miami-Dade property tax deadline to pay without penalty?

Miami-Dade tax bills mail November 1 and turn delinquent after March 31. Paying in November earns a 4% discount, December 3%, January 2%, and February 1%. After March 31, interest and advertising fees start. The county then runs a tax certificate sale, usually in May or June, for every unpaid account.

How do I look up my Miami-Dade property tax assessment online?

Go to miamidade.gov/pa (the Property Appraiser) and search by address, owner name, or 13-digit folio number. The result shows just value, assessed value, exemptions, and taxable value for current and prior years. To see your tax bill or payment history, use the Tax Collector at miamidadetax.gov. Different offices, different sites.

What is the homestead exemption in Miami-Dade and how do I apply?

Florida's Homestead Exemption removes up to $50,000 from assessed value: the first $25,000 against all taxes, and a second $25,000 against value between $50,000 and $75,000 (school taxes excluded). You must own and occupy the home as your permanent residence on January 1. Apply by March 1 at miamidade.gov/pa. Late applications are not accepted for the current tax year.

How do I file a Value Adjustment Board petition in Miami-Dade?

Complete Form DR-486 (from the Florida Department of Revenue or the Miami-Dade VAB office) and file it with the Clerk of the Value Adjustment Board by the deadline on your TRIM notice, usually mid-September. The fee is $15 per parcel. After filing, request an evidence exchange with the county appraiser under Florida Statute 194.034 to see their case before the hearing.

What is the Miami-Dade property tax rate in 2024?

There is no single rate. The county general millage is 4.6669 mills for 2024. Add the School Board (about 6.5 mills), Children's Trust (0.5 mills), Water Management District, Library, and your city. City of Miami residents usually land near 19 to 20 mills combined. Unincorporated residents pay roughly 13 to 15 mills. Your TRIM notice shows your exact rate.

How does the Save Our Homes cap affect my Miami-Dade taxes?

Once you have a Homestead Exemption, Florida's constitution caps annual assessed value increases at 3% or the Consumer Price Index change, whichever is lower. In a hot market, that opens a wide gap between market value and assessed value. The cap resets to full market value on sale. New owners should expect a big assessment jump in their first full tax year.

What happens if I miss the Miami-Dade property tax exemption deadline?

The March 1 exemption deadline (Homestead, Senior, disability, and the rest) is firm under Florida Statute 196.011. Miss it and you get no exemption for the current tax year. You wait and apply by March 1 the following year. Some late applications are allowed for extenuating circumstances, but approval is not guaranteed and runs through a separate petition process.

Can I transfer my Miami-Dade homestead assessment benefit to a new property?

Yes. Florida portability lets you move up to $500,000 of your Save Our Homes benefit from your old homestead to a new Florida homestead. File Form DR-501T by March 1 of the year after you buy and homestead the new property. If you downsize, you transfer a proportional amount rather than the full benefit.

Are there property tax exemptions for seniors in Miami-Dade?

Yes. Miami-Dade offers an extra $50,000 Senior Exemption for residents 65 or older who occupy the home as their permanent homestead and have household income at or below the annual limit (set by the Florida Department of Revenue; $35,167 for 2024). It applies to county and municipal levies only, not school taxes. Re-apply every year.

How do I find comparable sales to challenge my Miami-Dade assessment?

Use the sales search on the Property Appraiser's site (miamidade.gov/pa). Filter by neighborhood, property type, and sale date (October through December of the prior year is most relevant). Match on size, age, condition, and lot. Print or export the sales, note how each differs from your property, and bring the list to your VAB hearing as your main evidence.

What is a TRIM notice and why does it matter for appeals?

TRIM stands for Truth in Millage. Miami-Dade mails TRIM notices each August showing your proposed assessed value, all exemptions, every authority's proposed millage, and the estimated tax. It also prints your VAB petition deadline, usually mid-September. That deadline is your last chance to formally contest the assessment. Read it the day it arrives.

Does Miami-Dade offer a property tax discount for early payment?

Yes. Florida law gives tiered discounts on taxes paid before the March 31 delinquency date: 4% off in November, 3% in December, 2% in January, and 1% in February. On a $10,000 bill, paying in November saves $400 versus waiting until March. The Tax Collector accepts payment online, by mail, or in person.

What evidence do I need to win a Miami-Dade VAB hearing?

The strongest evidence is 3 to 5 comparable sales from your neighborhood, dated close to the January 1 assessment date, showing market value at or below the appraiser's figure. Add photos of condition problems, contractor repair estimates, your property record card marking any factual errors, and any independent appraisal. Request the county's evidence package first under Florida Statute 194.034.

How does Miami-Dade property tax compare to Broward County?

Both run combined millage in the 18 to 22 mill range depending on municipality. Miami-Dade city rates (especially Miami and Miami Beach) push totals higher. Broward cities like Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood add city millage in a similar way. The assessment and VAB appeal process is identical since both run under Florida statutes. See our Broward County property taxes guide for the specifics.

Sources

1. Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser, Property Search and Exemptions: The Miami-Dade Property Appraiser values all property at just value (fair market value) as of January 1 each year and administers exemption applications due by March 1.
2. Miami-Dade County Office of Management and Budget, Adopted Millage Rates: Miami-Dade County's 2024 adopted general fund millage rate is 4.6669 mills; TRIM notices show each taxing authority's millage and are mailed each August.
3. Florida Department of Revenue, Property Tax Oversight, Save Our Homes: Florida's Save Our Homes cap limits annual assessed value increases on homesteaded property to 3% or the CPI change, whichever is lower; non-homestead property is capped at 10% annually; portability allows transfer of up to $500,000 in SOH benefit.
4. Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Significant Features of the Property Tax: Florida's average effective residential property tax rate is approximately 0.89% statewide; Miami-Dade effective rates for recently purchased properties skew higher due to city millage.
5. Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser, Senior Exemption Program: Miami-Dade's additional Senior Exemption of $50,000 is available to residents 65 and older with household income at or below the annual limit ($35,167 for 2024); application must be renewed annually.
6. Florida Statutes, Chapter 196 (Property Tax Exemptions): Florida Statute 196.202 provides $500 exemptions for blind persons and totally and permanently disabled persons; additional exemptions apply to veterans with service-connected disabilities of 10% or more.
7. Florida Department of Revenue, Property Tax Oversight, Payment Discounts: Florida law provides tiered early-payment discounts of 4% in November, 3% in December, 2% in January, and 1% in February, with taxes becoming delinquent after March 31.
8. Florida Department of Revenue, Value Adjustment Board Procedures and Form DR-486: Florida Statute 194.034 guarantees petitioners the right to exchange evidence with the county property appraiser before a VAB hearing; Form DR-486 is the petition form; Florida Statute 194.171 allows circuit court appeal after a VAB decision.
9. Florida Constitution, Article VII, Section 4, Homestead Exemption and Assessment Limitation: Florida's constitution provides a $25,000 Homestead Exemption on the first $25,000 of assessed value and an additional $25,000 exemption on value between $50,000 and $75,000 (excluding school taxes); the Save Our Homes assessment cap is constitutionally established.
10. Florida Statute 196.011, Annual Application Required for Exemption: Florida Statute 196.011 sets March 1 as the deadline for all property tax exemption applications; late applications are generally not accepted for the current tax year.
11. Florida Department of Revenue, Portability Application Form DR-501T: Form DR-501T must be filed by March 1 of the year following purchase to transfer Save Our Homes benefit; up to $500,000 of SOH benefit may be ported to a new Florida homestead.