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How Do You Read a Florida TRIM Notice and Lower Your Tax Bill? (2026)

Written by Jared Jones
Updated November 2026
Winter Garden & Horizon West Real Estate Hub
Aerial view of an established Orlando neighborhood with tree-lined streets and homes, Florida TRIM notice and property taxes
Homes in an established Orlando neighborhood. Every Florida owner gets a TRIM notice each August.

Quick answer

As of November 2026, your Florida TRIM notice (Truth in Millage) is a proposed-tax notice, not a bill, mailed each August. You have 25 days to challenge it, and Save Our Homes caps a homesteaded assessment at 3 percent or CPI, 2.7 percent for 2026.

25 daysWindow to file a value petition with the VAB
2.7%2026 Save Our Homes assessment cap
$50,000Standard homestead exemption
10%Annual cap on non-homestead assessments
At a glance (as of November 2026)
Fact Figure
What TRIM stands for Truth in Millage, created in 1980
When it is mailed Each August, middle to end of month
Save Our Homes cap 3 percent or CPI, whichever is lower
2026 Save Our Homes cap 2.7 percent
Non-homestead assessment cap 10 percent per year
Standard homestead exemption Up to $50,000 ($25,000 plus $25,000)
VAB petition deadline 25 days after the TRIM mailing date

Sources: Florida Department of Revenue, Save Our Homes and homestead exemption materials (checked Nov 5, 2026); Florida Statutes 194.011 and 193.155; Orange County Comptroller, Value Adjustment Board (checked Nov 5, 2026); Jared Jones – Orlando Living (YouTube), video published Oct 7, 2025.

In this video, Jared walks through the full TRIM notice line by line, from property details to the millage breakdown, and explains how to spot errors. This page focuses on the mechanics that save money: market versus assessed versus taxable value, the Save Our Homes cap, exemptions, and the 25-day appeal window.

What is a Florida TRIM notice and why does it matter?

A TRIM notice is the Truth in Millage statement every Florida property owner receives each August, and it previews your proposed taxes before they become final. Florida created it in 1980 to make the property tax process transparent, so the notice shows your market value, assessed value, exemptions, and the millage rate set by each taxing authority.

In the October 7, 2025 video, Jared stresses that the notice is not a bill, which is exactly why owners tend to ignore it. It prints Do not pay on the page, but it is the one annual chance to correct the numbers before the real bill arrives. Owners who file for homestead also get the Save Our Homes assessment cap, which the state reaffirmed for 2026.

What is the difference between market, assessed, and taxable value?

Market value is what the county thinks your property would sell for, assessed value is that figure after caps like Save Our Homes are applied, and taxable value is the assessed value minus your exemptions. You are taxed on taxable value, not market value, so the gaps between these three numbers are where your money is won or lost.

For a homesteaded property, the assessed value cannot climb faster than the Save Our Homes cap even if market value jumps, according to the Florida Department of Revenue. Your exemptions then come off the assessed value to produce the taxable value that each millage rate is applied against.

How does the Save Our Homes cap limit your assessment?

Save Our Homes limits the annual increase in a homesteaded property’s assessed value to 3 percent or the change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower, which is 2.7 percent for 2026 per the Florida Department of Revenue. The cap applies the year after you establish homestead and stays with the home as long as you own it and keep the exemption.

Property that is not your primary residence does not get this protection. Instead, non-homestead assessments can rise up to 10 percent per year until they catch up with market value, which is why an investment or second home can see much larger year-over-year swings than a homesteaded one.

Which exemptions should you check on your TRIM notice?

Start with the standard homestead exemption, which reduces taxable value by up to $50,000 for a primary residence. Per the Florida Department of Revenue, the first $25,000 applies to all taxes, and a second $25,000 applies to value above $50,000 for everything except school taxes.

Beyond the base exemption, Florida offers additional reductions for seniors who meet income limits, for veterans with service-connected disabilities, and for surviving spouses, among others. As Jared notes in the October 7, 2025 video, these do not always appear automatically, so if a benefit you qualify for is missing from the notice, contact your property appraiser before the window closes.

How do you challenge your assessment before the deadline?

You have three paths: an informal conference with the property appraiser, a formal petition to the Value Adjustment Board, or, rarely, a lawsuit. Under Florida Statutes 194.011, a value petition to the Value Adjustment Board must be filed within 25 days of the TRIM mailing date, and it must be received, not just postmarked, by that deadline.

Come prepared with evidence, such as comparable sales or proof of damage the county did not account for. A special magistrate, usually a certified appraiser, hears VAB cases and issues a decision. Miss the 25-day window and you are generally locked into the county’s numbers for the year, so the date on your notice matters.

What is different about Orange County?

In Orange County, the Value Adjustment Board is administered by the county Comptroller, and value petitions still follow the statewide 25-day rule tied to the TRIM mailing date. For the 2026 cycle, the filing deadline fell on September 18, 2026, according to the Orange County Comptroller.

Most value petitions carry a $15 filing fee and can be submitted through the county’s online portal or by mail, in person, or courier. Because the deadline is firm and petitions must be received on time, owners who see a questionable market or assessed value should act as soon as the August notice lands rather than waiting for the November tax bill.

Have questions about buying or selling here? Call or text 407-706-5000 or visit jaredjones.com.

Jared Jones Team, Brokered by eXp Realty.

Frequently asked questions

What does TRIM stand for on a Florida tax notice?

TRIM stands for Truth in Millage. Florida created the TRIM notice in 1980 to show property owners their proposed market value, assessed value, exemptions, and the millage rates set by each taxing authority. It arrives by mail each August and lets you see what you would pay before rates and budgets are finalized, so it is worth reading closely every year.

Is a Florida TRIM notice a bill you have to pay?

No. A TRIM notice is not a bill, and most versions print Do not pay directly on the page. It is a preview of your proposed taxes, and it is the one chance each year to correct errors before the amount becomes final. Your actual tax bill arrives in the fall, from the county tax collector.

When are Florida TRIM notices mailed?

County property appraisers mail TRIM notices in August, usually from the middle to the end of the month. The exact mailing date matters because it starts your appeal clock. You have 25 days from that mailing date to file a value petition with the county value adjustment board, so note the date printed on your notice as soon as it arrives.

What is the 2026 Save Our Homes cap in Florida?

For 2026, the Save Our Homes cap is 2.7 percent. The cap limits how much the assessed value of a homesteaded property can rise each year to 3 percent or the change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower, and the 2.7 percent figure reflects this year’s lower CPI. Non-homestead property has a separate 10 percent annual assessment cap.

How long do you have to challenge a TRIM notice in Orange County?

In Orange County, you have 25 days from the TRIM mailing date to file a petition with the Value Adjustment Board, which the county Comptroller administers. The 2026 deadline fell on September 18. Most value petitions carry a 15 dollar filing fee, and the petition must be received, not just postmarked, by 5 p.m. on the deadline day.

Does the Save Our Homes benefit transfer when you move?

Yes. Florida lets you transfer, or port, your Save Our Homes savings to a new primary residence through homestead portability. The amount you move is based on the difference between market value and assessed value on your old home, so if the county understates that gap, your transferred benefit shrinks. That is one reason to check both assessments closely.

Sources

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