Holmes County Property Appraiser Records

Holmes County property tax records are managed by the Property Appraiser, who sets assessed values each year, and the Tax Collector, who handles billing and payments. This page covers how to find parcel records, look up current assessments, review exemption status, and access tax payment history for any property in Holmes County. Whether your land is near Bonifay, Ponce de Leon, or further out in the county, you can find the records you need through the offices described here.

Holmes County Property Appraiser

The Holmes County Property Appraiser is located at 224 North Waukesha Street, Bonifay, FL 32425. The office phone is (850) 547-1115 and fax is (850) 547-0202. You can also reach them online at holmespa.com. The appraiser is an elected official who works independently from the county commission. Their job is to put a fair market value on every parcel of property in Holmes County as of January 1 each year. That date is fixed by state law.

The office covers real property, which includes land, buildings, and mobile homes. It also handles tangible personal property returns for businesses. Each August, the appraiser sends out a TRIM notice, short for Truth in Millage. That notice shows each property owner their proposed assessed value along with the tax rates set by schools, the county, and other local districts. It is not a bill. It is the point at which you can review the numbers before they are finalized.

Holmes County is a rural county in the Florida Panhandle. The property base includes timberland, agricultural parcels, and residential tracts. The appraiser's office works through that mix using the mass appraisal process required by state law. Sales data, cost estimates, and income approaches are all used depending on the type of property.

The Holmes County Property Appraiser's website provides parcel search tools and property data for the county.

You can search by owner name, address, or parcel ID number through the appraiser's online system.

Tax Collector and Payment Information

The Holmes County Tax Collector shares the same address as the Property Appraiser: 224 North Waukesha Street, Bonifay, FL 32425, phone (850) 547-1115. The collector is a separate elected office. Once the appraiser certifies the tax roll in October, the collector sends bills and takes payments. Tax bills go out by November 1 each year.

Florida law rewards early payment. Pay in November and you get 4% off the total. December brings a 3% discount. January cuts 2%, and February drops to 1%. After March 31, the bill is past due with no discount available. On April 1, a delinquency process starts. The collector moves toward a tax certificate sale, which happens in late May or early June. Investors bid on the unpaid accounts. If you own property with old unpaid taxes, that history matters when you try to sell.

The Florida Tax Collectors Association at floridataxcollectors.com provides statewide guidance on payment options, installment plans, and delinquency procedures that apply across all Florida counties including Holmes.

How to Search Holmes County Tax Records

The Property Appraiser's online portal at holmespa.com is the primary search tool. You do not need to create an account. Enter a street address, owner name, or parcel identification number to pull up a record. The parcel ID is a unique number tied to each piece of land in the county. Use it when you have it, as it produces exact results without ambiguity.

Each parcel record includes the current assessed value, the breakdown between land and improvements, any exemptions that apply, the legal description, and recent sales data. Some records include a building sketch and square footage detail by use type. This information is useful for comparing your property to similar parcels nearby.

For tax payment status and billing history, contact the Tax Collector's office directly. They track the current year's bill, any prior-year payments, and whether a certificate has been issued on a delinquent account. Most payment data is available by phone or in person at the Bonifay office.

All Holmes County property tax records are public under Chapter 119, Florida Statutes. Assessed values, ownership data, sales history, and payment records are open to anyone. Certain items remain confidential, including Social Security numbers and income data submitted with exemption applications.

Exemptions Available in Holmes County

Florida provides a range of property tax exemptions that can lower the taxable value of your home or business property. The homestead exemption is the most widely used. It takes up to $50,000 off the assessed value of your primary residence. The first $25,000 applies to all taxing authorities. The next $25,000 applies only to non-school levies, on the portion of value between $50,000 and $75,000. You must be a Florida resident, own and occupy the home, and file your application by March 1.

Once you have homestead status, the Save Our Homes cap limits how much your assessed value can rise in any single year. The cap is either 3% or the change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is less. Over many years, that cap can create a meaningful gap between your assessed value and the full market value of your home. That gap only disappears if the property changes hands. Chapter 193, Florida Statutes governs how the cap works in practice.

Additional exemptions include widow and widower exemptions, disability exemptions, veterans exemptions, and a low-income senior exemption. Businesses must file a tangible personal property return by April 1 each year. The first $25,000 of assessed value is exempt, but you must file to claim it. Chapter 196, Florida Statutes covers eligibility rules for each exemption type. Contact the Holmes County Property Appraiser's office with documentation to apply.

Contesting an Assessment in Holmes County

If your assessed value seems too high, start by calling or visiting the Holmes County Property Appraiser's office. Bring evidence: a private appraisal, sale prices of comparable properties, or documentation of condition issues not reflected in the current record. The appraiser's staff can review the record with you and correct errors at that stage. Many disputes end there without any formal proceeding.

If informal review does not resolve the issue, you can file a petition with the Value Adjustment Board. The deadline is 25 days after the TRIM notice mailing date in August. Missing that window means waiting until next year. The VAB is a local board made up of county commissioners, school board members, and citizen appointees. A special magistrate typically hears the evidence and issues a recommendation.

At the hearing, you present your case and the appraiser presents theirs. You need to show that the assessed value is not supported by the market data. Chapter 194, Florida Statutes details the VAB petition process, hearing rules, and the standards used to evaluate each case. Filing a petition does not stop your tax bill from coming due. You still need to pay by March 31 to avoid delinquency, though a refund can be issued if you prevail.

Property Tax Payments and Delinquency

Holmes County tax bills are mailed by November 1. You have until March 31 to pay. Paying early saves you money. The discount schedule is 4% in November, 3% in December, 2% in January, and 1% in February. After that, no discount applies and the bill becomes delinquent on April 1.

When a tax bill goes unpaid, the Tax Collector initiates the certificate sale process. Buyers at that sale pay the overdue amount and earn the right to collect interest from the property owner. The property owner must pay the certificate holder to redeem the lien and clear the title. After two years, a certificate holder can apply for a tax deed sale, which could result in the forced transfer of ownership. Chapter 197, Florida Statutes governs tax certificates, redemption rights, and the tax deed process.

If you have a mortgage, your lender likely collects escrow each month and pays your tax bill directly. But confirm payment each year. Errors in escrow accounts happen, and the tax lien is your problem regardless of who was supposed to pay. Check your escrow statement and verify with the Tax Collector that the payment was received on time.

The Florida Department of Revenue's Property Tax Oversight program provides statewide guidance that applies to Holmes County and all 67 Florida counties.

That page is a useful reference for understanding how state rules and county practices connect.

Public Records Access and Data Requests

Florida's public records law is one of the strongest in the country. Under Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, government records are presumed open to anyone. Holmes County follows that law. You can access property tax records online, in person, or by submitting a written request. Most of what you need, assessed values, ownership data, sales history, and exemption types, is free and available through the appraiser's online portal.

Certified copies, bulk data sets, or older records that have not been digitized may require a written request and could involve a small fee to cover reproduction costs. The Florida Department of Revenue also offers a statewide data portal at floridarevenue.com/property/Pages/DataPortal.aspx that provides downloadable assessment rolls. That resource can be useful if you need broad data across the county or want to compare Holmes County figures to nearby counties.

The Professional Association of Appraisers of Florida at paaf.us provides resources on appraisal standards and the roles county offices play in the property tax system. That can be a helpful reference if you are working through a complex valuation question or need background on how mass appraisal works in Florida.

Cities in Holmes County

Holmes County communities include Bonifay, the county seat, as well as Ponce de Leon, Graceville (partly in Jackson County), Westville, and Esto. None of these communities exceed 75,000 in population, so no city-level property tax pages are available for Holmes County at this time.

Nearby Counties