Posted on September 01, 2026 in: General News
At the Citrus County Property Appraiser’s Office, our mission is simple: to serve you with fairness, accuracy, and a commitment to exceptional customer care. As your Property Appraiser, I take seriously the responsibility of making sure your property is assessed correctly and that you receive every exemption and classification you are entitled to.
On August 14, our office mailed more than 153,500 TRIM (Truth in Millage) Notices to property owners across Citrus County. By now, most property owners should have received their notice, and if you have not already done so, I strongly encourage you to open it and review it carefully.
These notices are an important part of keeping you informed about your property and its value. Florida law requires us to assess every parcel of real and tangible personal property in the county as of January 1, 2026, using market data from 2025.
Inside your TRIM Notice, you will find your 2026 market value, assessed value, the exemptions and classifications you are receiving, and the proposed tax amounts from the taxing authorities listed on your notice.
Our goal is to make this process as transparent and easy to understand as possible because we believe you deserve to know how your property is valued and how that value may affect your property taxes.
If you’ve never seen this document before, you might be new to Citrus County or a first-time property owner. We’re so glad you’re here and proud to serve you.
In the past, the TRIM Notice envelope may have looked a little like junk mail, and yes, people have accidentally tossed it in the trash. This year, the outside of the notice includes bright red wording stating:
“IMPORTANT PROPERTY TAX INFORMATION, PETITION DEADLINE APPROACHING & TRIM NOTICE”
Please do not throw it away.
Your TRIM Notice explains:
If you have not reviewed yours yet, now is the time.
If something doesn’t look right or you don’t understand part of the notice, please contact us. There is no such thing as a “stupid” question when it comes to TRIM Notices. Give us a call, use our Live Chat, or stop by one of our offices in Inverness or Crystal River. Our team will gladly walk you through your notice and answer your questions.
One of the most important things to remember is that the Citrus County Property Appraiser’s Office does not set or collect property taxes.
Our responsibility is to determine property values and administer exemptions and classifications in accordance with Florida law. That process happens first. Once the property values are finalized, our tax roll is provided to the various taxing authorities. Only then do those taxing authorities use those values as part of their budget process and determine their proposed millage rates. In other words, our office does not adjust property values based on a taxing authority’s budget or proposed tax rate. The values are established first, independently of those decisions.
If you believe your taxes or proposed tax rates are too high, the Value Adjustment Board, commonly referred to as the VAB, cannot change those rates. Concerns regarding proposed tax rates should be addressed during the public budget hearings held by the taxing authorities that establish them.
The dates, times, and locations of those hearings are printed directly on your TRIM Notice.
If you are reading this article on or around September 1, there is something especially important I want you to know:
The deadline to file a timely petition with the Value Adjustment Board or address eligible exemption matters for the 2026 tax year is Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
That deadline is now just days away.
If you believe your market value is incorrect or that you are missing an exemption or classification, please contact our office as soon as possible so we have an opportunity to review your property with you.
Florida law establishes strict filing deadlines, and those deadlines do not change. If you disagree with your property’s value, exemption, or classification, we recommend speaking with our office for an informal review before filing a petition. However, contacting our office does not extend the September 8 filing deadline.
If the issue cannot be resolved through an informal review, you may file a petition with the Citrus County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller for consideration by the Value Adjustment Board. A $50 filing fee will apply.
The VAB is an independent, quasi-judicial board consisting of two members of the Board of County Commissioners, one member of the School Board, and two citizen members.
Counties with populations over 75,000 must also appoint Special Magistrates, qualified appraisers or attorneys, who conduct hearings and make recommendations to the VAB.
Both the VAB and the Special Magistrates are independent of the Citrus County Property Appraiser’s Office. During a VAB proceeding, our office is a party to the case, just like the petitioner.
Following the hearing process, the Special Magistrate provides a written recommendation for consideration by the VAB. The Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller provides the appropriate notices regarding the recommendation and the VAB's final decision.
If your TRIM Notice is sitting on the kitchen counter, tucked inside a pile of mail, or still unopened, please take a few minutes today to review it.
September 8, 2026, is the deadline to file a timely petition challenging your 2026 property value or certain exemption or classification decisions.
Please do not wait until the last minute. The sooner you contact us with questions, the more opportunity our team has to research your property, explain your assessment, and determine whether a correction may be appropriate.
Our goal was not simply to mail more than 153,500 notices.
Our goal is to make sure you understand yours.
If my office can ever be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to contact us at (352) 341-6600 or stop by and meet with a member of our staff at one of our two convenient locations in Inverness or Crystal River.
You can also chat with one of our customer service representatives during normal business hours using the Live Chat feature on our website at citruspa.org.
We are proud to serve Citrus County and, as always, we are here to help