Orange County property taxes: rates, due dates and how to appeal

Last checked Oct. 8, 2026. Facts on this page come from the Orange County Tax Collector, the Orange County Property Appraiser, Orange County Government and the Florida Department of Revenue.

Horizon West homeowners pay their property taxes to the Orange County Tax Collector. Bills go out by Nov. 1 and are due by March 31, with a discount for paying early. The Tax Collector’s help line is 407-434-0312. Questions about your home’s value or exemptions go to the Property Appraiser at 407-836-5044.

Who to call

• Your bill, payments, installment plan: Orange County Tax Collector, 407-434-0312, octaxcol.com
• Your value, homestead and other exemptions: Orange County Property Appraiser, 407-836-5044, 200 S. Orange Ave., Suite 1700, Orlando
• Value appeals: the Value Adjustment Board, run by the Orange County Comptroller

Due dates and discounts

The Tax Collector mails bills by Nov. 1. Taxes are due Nov. 1 and delinquent April 1, when Florida law adds penalties and advertising costs. Paying early earns a discount:

For a bill mailed this fall, November 2026 is the 4% month.

Paying in four installments

The Tax Collector offers a quarterly installment payment plan. To qualify, you must be current on your taxes and last year’s taxes must have been more than $100. Applications are online only. The first two payments are each a quarter of last year’s taxes:

• First installment, due June 30: discounted 6%.
• Second installment, due Sept. 30: discounted 4.5%.
• Third installment, due Dec. 31: discounted 3%.
• Fourth installment: the balance, with no discount.

Missed installments are delinquent April 1, the same as an unpaid bill.

What sets the rate

Florida rates are set in mills: one mill is $1 of tax for every $1,000 of taxable value. Orange County has kept its countywide operating rate at 4.4347 mills since 2008, the county said before its final budget hearing on Sept. 24, 2026, where commissioners considered a $9.01 billion budget for fiscal 2026-27.

Because Horizon West is unincorporated, a Horizon West bill carries more than the countywide rate. The Tax Collector’s list of taxing authorities shows the levies an unincorporated home can pay:

• Orange County countywide operating rate.
• The Unincorporated Taxing District, which pays for services a city would otherwise provide.
• The County Fire and Emergency Medical Service levy.
• The Orange County School Board.
• The Orange County Library District.
• A water management district: St. Johns River or South Florida, depending on where the home sits.
• Any special taxing district for your neighborhood, such as street lighting or retention pond maintenance, and any community development district assessment.

Your own bill and your TRIM notice (below) list every levy and its rate for your parcel.

On the Nov. 3 ballot: Amendment 3, a proposed change to the Florida Constitution, could cut Orange County’s property tax revenue by an estimated $165 million in 2027 and $275 million in 2028, the county said in its budget announcement. The county did not say how the change would affect individual bills.

Homestead exemption

If the home is your permanent residence, the homestead exemption can reduce its taxable value by as much as $50,000, the Florida Department of Revenue says. It also brings the Save Our Homes cap on yearly increases in assessed value, and a homeowner who moves to a new Florida homestead may be able to carry over, or “port,” part of that saving.

Apply to the Property Appraiser by March 1 of the tax year, the department’s homestead guide says. The appraiser takes applications through its online homestead application. Exemptions are also available for seniors, people with disabilities, veterans and others; ask Constituent Services and Exemptions at 407-836-5044.

How to appeal your value

Each August, the Property Appraiser mails the TRIM notice (Truth in Millage), which shows your home’s value, exemptions and the proposed rates. It is not a bill.

1. Call the Property Appraiser at 407-836-5044 if you think the value is wrong. An informal review costs nothing.
2. File a petition with the Value Adjustment Board if that does not settle it. The deadline is within 25 days after the TRIM notice is mailed, usually in mid-August, the Department of Revenue’s guide to petitions says. The board, run by the Orange County Comptroller, schedules a hearing and tells you the time at least 25 days ahead.

For 2026, that window has passed. The next chance comes with the August 2027 notice.

What this means for you

• Pay in November for the biggest discount.
• New to Horizon West? File for homestead by March 1 after you move in.
• Read the TRIM notice in August; it is the only time you can appeal your value for that year.
• Trash pickup is billed on this same bill; see our trash and recycling guide.

Frequently asked questions

When are Orange County property taxes due?

Bills are mailed by Nov. 1 and the full amount is due by March 31. Unpaid taxes become delinquent April 1, when Florida law adds penalties and advertising costs.

How do I get a discount on Orange County property taxes?

Pay early: 4% off in November, 3% in December, 2% in January and 1% in February, the Orange County Tax Collector says.

What is the Orange County property tax rate?

The countywide operating rate has been 4.4347 mills since 2008, the county says. Horizon West bills also carry the school board, library, water management district and the unincorporated area and fire levies, so the total is higher.

When is the homestead exemption deadline in Orange County?

Apply to the Orange County Property Appraiser by March 1 of the tax year. The exemption can cut a home’s taxable value by as much as $50,000.

How do I appeal my property value in Orange County?

Call the Property Appraiser first at 407-836-5044. If that does not settle it, file a petition with the Value Adjustment Board within 25 days after your TRIM notice is mailed, usually in mid-August.