Tax notices are mailed every year on or before November 1st. These are due by March 31st the following year. If you pay your taxes early you are entitled to a discount of 4% during the month of November, 3% December, 2% January and 1% in February. Taxes become delinquent on April 1; if taxes are not paid a tax certificate will be sold on June 1.

If you do not receive a tax notice you can view and pay your tax notice online by clicking here.

Tax notices are mailed every year based on the address provided by the Property Appraiser on the certified tax roll provided to our office in October. Our office will not have updated address or owner changes made between mid-September and November. If you have updated your address or you are a new owner and did not receive a tax notice, you can view your tax notice online by clicking here.

Address changes are the responsibility of the Highlands County Property Appraiser and must be submitted to their office directly.  They can be reached on their website at www.hcpao.org or contact them by phone at (863) 402-6659.  

The Property Appraiser provides weekly address updates to the Tax Collector.  To ensure your address has been updated for tax billing purposes, please review your tax record online approximately 30 days after submitting your request to the Property Appraiser's office.

The Property Appraiser may not have been notified of the sale, or the sale took place after the tax roll was prepared. The Property Appraiser prepares the tax roll on or about July 1st. Therefore, any sale occurring after that day may not reflect the new owner's information.

Address changes are the responsibility of the Highlands County Property Appraiser and must be submitted to their office directly.  They can be reached on their website at www.hcpao.org or contact them by phone at (863) 402-6659.  

The Property Appraiser provides weekly address updates to the Tax Collector.  To ensure your address has been updated for tax billing purposes, please review your tax record online approximately 30 days after submitting your request to the Property Appraiser's office.

Property tax exemptions are handled by the Property Appraiser's office. For information on how to file an exemption, including the homestead exemption, please contact their office at (863) 402-6659 or visit their website at www.hcpao.org.

• Vehicle and/or mobile home title(s)
• The individual you're wanting to add to the title will need to either be present in the office to sign the paperwork or you will need to have a power of attorney for them. 
• A valid photo ID/DL 
• Current odometer reading of vehicle
• Title and registration fees will be applicable

In order to title and register an out-of-state vehicle in Florida, you will need to provide us with the follow:

• Original title or Manufacturer's Statement of Origin (MSO)
• Bill of sale (if purchased within the past six months)
  • If sales tax was already paid, the bill of sale must display how much was paid. Otherwise, you are subject to pay sales tax at the time of titling.
• Fill out Form HSMV 82040 - Application for Certificate of Title With/Without Registration (can be done in office)
• You will need to have the vehicle identification number (VIN) inspected (Form HSMV 82042). You can bring the vehicle to our office parking lot and we can perform the inspection at the time of service or you may contact the non-emergency number and have law enforcement come to you and perform the inspection.
• Valid driver's license (Florida or out-of-state license) or passport
• Proof of valid Florida insurance (not required if you are not registering the vehicle)

You may file a police report and provide the report to obtain a replacement (please be aware that some fees may apply - call our office for more information).

• Originals
• Renewals
• Replacements
• Written Knowledge Exams
• ID Cards
• Driving Tests

• Class E Driver Licenses are valid for 8 years
• Class A, B, or C (CDL) Driver Licenses are valid for 8 years
• Licenses with a Hazardous Materials Endorsement are valid for 4 years
• All Licenses for Customers 80 years of age and older are valid for 6 years
• ID Cards for Children ages 5 to 14 years of age are valid for 4 years
• ID Cards for Customers ages 15 years of age and older are valid for 8 years
• Non-immigrant Driver License or ID Cards are valid for 1 year or until the expiration of their immigration documents, whichever comes first.

For a complete list please refer to FLHSMV's "What to Bring" Beginning January 1, 2010, new documentation requirements took effect for Florida residents wishing to obtain a driver license or identification card. These changes are part of Florida’s efforts to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Federal Real ID Act.

The minimum age required for an ID card is 5 years old.

You will be required to retake the Class E Knowledge Exam If (one of the following applies):

• You downgraded from a Class E license to an ID card and the driver license on record has been expired for one year or more.
• Your Florida Class E license has expired, and you did not apply to renew the Florida driver license within the one-year delinquent renewal period.
• You are applying for an original Florida Class E license and your out-of-state driver license has been expired for one year or more.
• You completed the Class E knowledge exam and did not obtain your Class E driver license within one year of the exam pass date.

• Cash
• Check
• Credit Cards (2.75% fee will be accessed by the processing vendor)
• E-check (no additional fee accessed)

No, you will need to contact the FDACS directly to notify them of your change of address. Click here for more information.

Yes. You should have with you the following items/documents when you arrive at the office to apply for a renewal license:

• a picture ID (a driver license or state-issued identification card is acceptable)
• your payment
• any legal documentation concerning a name change
• your renewal notice.

By law, FDACS has 90 days from the date your application is submitted to process it (Section 790.06, Florida Statutes). However, using our fast-track process, the wait is considerably shorter. You may always check on the status of your application by calling (850) 245-5691 and selecting option 1.