Homestead exemption applications may now be filed online in Okaloosa

OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. — Applications for new homestead exemptions and other property tax exemptions for the 2023 tax year must be filed by March 1, the Okaloosa County Property Appraiser’s Office has announced.

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Brand new for 2023 is the ability to file for homestead and most other property tax exemptions online at the Okaloosa Property Appraiser’s Office website.

According to the Property Appraiser’s Office, to do this, search for your property on the website’s Property Search page, and click on “Apply for Homestead Exemption” and/or other available exemptions online on your Parcel Summary page.

According to the Okaloosa County Property Appraiser Mack Busbee, after the original application has been filed and approved, most exemptions are renewed automatically by the property appraiser. This automatic renewal helps to ensure you do not lose your exemption simply because you failed to renew one year, he said.

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Florida statutes provide several ad valorem property tax exemptions, which will reduce the taxable value of a property. The most common real property exemption is the homestead exemption.

Failure to apply for an exemption by March 1 constitutes a waiver of the exemption for that year. You, as the property owner, would then have to wait until the following year to apply, the Property Appraiser’s Office said.

There are provisions within the statutes to allow for a late filing of applications for extenuating circumstances.

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However, there are some exemptions that must be renewed annually by the property owner.

All exemption applications can be handled in person. No appointment is necessary. Walk into either of the Okaloosa Property Appraiser offices in Shalimar or Crestview by March 1, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., to apply.

The Shalimar office is in the County Administration Building, 1250 Eglin Parkway N., Suite 201. The Crestview office is in the Brackin Building, 302 Wilson St., Suite 201.