Search Hendry County Property Tax Records
Hendry County property tax records cover every parcel in this south Florida county, from agricultural land and citrus groves to residential lots in Clewiston and LaBelle. The Property Appraiser and Tax Collector offices in LaBelle maintain these records, and Florida law makes them open to the public at no cost.
Hendry County Quick Facts
Hendry County Property Appraiser
The Hendry County Property Appraiser's office mailing address is P.O. Box 1780, LaBelle, FL 33975. Phone: (863) 675-5280. Fax: (863) 674-4087. The appraiser determines the just (market) value of all real and tangible personal property in Hendry County as of January 1 each year. That value, combined with any exemptions granted, sets the taxable value used to calculate what each property owner owes.
Hendry County covers a large area of mostly rural land in southwest Florida. Agricultural classification is an important part of the appraiser's work here. Landowners using property for bona fide agricultural purposes, cattle, sugarcane, citrus, and other crops, can apply for agricultural classification, which values the land based on its ability to produce income rather than its market price. This distinction can significantly reduce taxable value on large rural parcels.
The appraiser's office also processes homestead exemption applications, records ownership changes from new deeds, and maintains parcel maps for the county. Their database is the definitive source for Hendry County property tax records. The Florida Department of Revenue provides standards and oversight for all county appraisers through its property tax administration program described at floridarevenue.com.
The DOR's county officials directory can help you confirm contact details and websites for the Hendry County Property Appraiser and Tax Collector.
Hendry County Tax Collector
The Hendry County Tax Collector shares the same mailing address as the appraiser: P.O. Box 1780, LaBelle, FL 33975. Phone: (863) 675-5280. After the appraiser certifies the tax roll each year, the Tax Collector generates and sends bills, accepts payments, and manages delinquent accounts.
Tax bills go out in November. Property owners who pay early get a discount. November payments earn 4% off. December is 3%, January is 2%, and February is 1%. The full amount is due by March 31 with no discount but also no penalty. On April 1, the taxes become delinquent under Chapter 197 of the Florida Statutes. At that point, interest and late charges begin, and the Tax Collector must move toward a tax certificate sale for each unpaid account.
The Tax Collector's office can provide copies of tax bills, payment history, and current balance due. The Florida Tax Collectors Association maintains a directory of all county tax collectors in Florida, including contact information and links to county-level payment systems.
Searching Hendry County Property Tax Records Online
Hendry County property records are searchable through the Property Appraiser's website. You can look up any parcel by owner name, address, or parcel identification number. The results page shows the assessed value, land and building breakdown, exemptions, and several years of tax history. It is free to use and does not require an account.
The Florida Department of Revenue offers a bulk data download through its data portal at floridarevenue.com. This portal includes Hendry County data and is useful for anyone who needs to compare many properties at once or analyze assessment trends across the county. Data files are available in standard formats and are updated after the annual roll certification.
For records not available online, older documents, agricultural classification files, exemption correspondence, or appeal records, contact the Property Appraiser's office at (863) 675-5280. Florida's public records law covers all of these, and the office is required to make them available upon request.
Exemptions Available to Hendry County Property Owners
Homestead is the key exemption in Florida. Own and live in your Hendry County home on January 1 as your primary residence, and you can apply for up to $50,000 in assessment reductions. The first $25,000 applies to all taxing authorities. The second $25,000 applies to the value between $50,000 and $75,000 and covers everything except school district millage. The March 1 deadline for application is firm, miss it and you wait another year.
Once homestead is granted, the Save Our Homes cap locks in a maximum annual increase in assessed value of 3% or the rate of inflation, whichever is less. For long-term homeowners in areas where market values have climbed sharply, this can mean the assessed value is substantially lower than what the property would sell for. This benefit cannot be transferred between properties without a specific process called portability, which lets you carry the accumulated savings to a new Florida homestead.
Under Chapter 196, additional exemptions are available for veterans with service-connected disabilities, surviving spouses, seniors with limited household income, and people who are totally and permanently disabled. Businesses with tangible personal property must file a TPP return by April 1 each year to claim the $25,000 TPP exemption. Late filers lose the exemption and face penalties.
Assessment Appeals and the Value Adjustment Board
In August, the Hendry County Property Appraiser mails a TRIM notice to every property owner. TRIM stands for Truth in Millage, and it shows the proposed assessed value for the coming year along with projected taxes from each taxing authority. If you think the number is off, you have 25 days from the mailing date to file a petition with the Value Adjustment Board.
The VAB process in Hendry County involves a hearing before a state-certified special magistrate. You can attend without a lawyer. Bring evidence, recent comparable sales, an independent appraisal, or documentation of property defects that affect value. The burden is on the property owner to show that the appraiser's value is incorrect. If the magistrate agrees, the board can order a reduction.
Rules for this process are in Chapter 194, and the assessment standards the appraiser must follow are in Chapter 193. After the VAB process, if you still disagree with the result, you can file suit in circuit court, but that is a much more formal step and typically requires legal help.
Paying Hendry County Property Taxes
Property owners in Hendry County can pay their tax bills in person at the Tax Collector's office in LaBelle, by mail to P.O. Box 1780, LaBelle, FL 33975, or online if a digital payment option is available. Online card payments often include a convenience fee. Mailed payments should be postmarked or received before the end of the discount period you want.
Delinquent taxes, those not paid by March 31, trigger the tax certificate process. Tax certificates are sold to investors at a public auction held each May or June. The investor pays the overdue taxes and earns interest. The property owner still owns the property but now owes the investor. The owner can redeem the certificate within two years. If two years pass without payment, the certificate holder can apply for a tax deed, starting a process that can result in the property being sold to pay the debt.
To avoid delinquency or manage large bills, Hendry County property owners can enroll in the installment payment plan. Sign up with the Tax Collector by April 30. Payments are made in four installments, June, September, December, and March, and a built-in discount applies to the plan.
Public Records Access for Hendry County Property Data
Florida Statutes Chapter 119 gives any person the right to inspect and copy public records. Hendry County property tax records, assessment rolls, tax bills, exemption applications, agricultural classification files, and more, are all public under this law. You do not need to explain why you want them.
Most current data is online through the Property Appraiser's search portal. For anything not posted there, contact the office at (863) 675-5280 or by mail at P.O. Box 1780, LaBelle, FL 33975. The office can provide copies and may charge for duplication at a rate set by state law. They are not allowed to charge for the time spent looking up records.
The Professional Association of Florida Appraisers (PAAF) offers resources on how Florida's property appraisal system works and what rights property owners have when dealing with their county appraiser.
Cities in Hendry County
The two main cities in Hendry County are Clewiston and LaBelle, the county seat. Neither city meets the population threshold for a dedicated records page, but property tax records for parcels in both cities are searchable through the Property Appraiser's office.