Shalimar, FL – Okaloosa County Tax Collector Ben Anderson announces the closure of the record-breaking 2020 Property Tax year, a year in which all but $635.13 of the $268 million tax roll was collected and disbursed. "The 2020 property tax collection cycle was one for the record books," shared Ben Anderson. "Despite the challenges COVID-19 presented, including sporadic office closures and appointment-only service offerings, our team successfully collected on more accounts between November and March than in any year in recent history."
Ad Valorem property taxes are due on an annual basis beginning November 1st for the tax year January through December. The Property Appraiser establishes assessed values and determines the eligibility of exemptions, local governments and other levying bodies set millage rates, and the Tax Collector mails the notices, collects, and disburses the taxes. Tax notices are mailed on or before November 1st each year and are collected from November to March, after which they become delinquent.
Coupled with the rise in collections was the increase in savings for property owners who took advantage of the early payment discount periods afforded to them under Florida Law. "I'm thrilled that over $9.6 million was saved by property owners who took advantage of early payment discounts. That's real money that stayed in their pockets rather than in the hands of the government," added Anderson.
Online tax payments made on OkaloosaTax.com also rose dramatically when compared to prior years. The Tax Collector recorded a 37% increase in online property tax payments over 2019. "OkaloosaTax.com provides a secure and convenient payment option for our taxpayers. We're pleased to share that more than 28,000 accounts totaling $58.5 million were collected via the website, an all-time high." Anderson shared. The Tax Collector also provides an online payment portal for escrow companies, EscrowExpressTM. Combined, both online payment services resulted in a record-breaking total of $147 million on 65,771 property tax accounts collected online.
For questions related to property taxes, please contact the Tax Department at TaxDept@OkaloosaTax.com or by calling 850.651.7604. For all other tax collector-related inquiries, please visit OkaloosaTax.com or dial #TAX (#829) from your mobile device.