HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA · 2026

When is the Hillsborough County property tax appeal deadline?

Hillsborough County has not announced its dates yet. Florida law gives you 25 days from the day TRIM notices mail (section 194.011, Florida Statutes); we publish the exact deadline the day the county announces it.

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What is a TRIM notice?

The Truth in Millage notice is the letter every Florida property owner gets in August. It shows your proposed market value, assessed value, exemptions, and the taxes each authority plans to charge. It is not a bill. It is the one moment the number is still contestable.

How does the 25-day window work in Hillsborough County?

The clock starts on the mailing date printed on the notice, not the day you read it. Your petition (form DR-486) must be received by the Hillsborough County Value Adjustment Board by day 25. The filing fee in Hillsborough County is $50 per petition.

For the full statewide process, cited to the statutes, read how to appeal your Florida property tax assessment: the deadline, the petition, the hearing, the 75 percent payment rule, and when Save Our Homes means you should not appeal at all.

How to file your appeal in Hillsborough County

  1. Optional: call for an informal review first

    Property Appraiser: 813-272-6100. Walk them through your comparable sales. Many assessments are corrected here, before a petition is ever needed.

  2. Complete Florida form DR-486, field by field

    This is the statewide petition to the Value Adjustment Board. Petition type: real property value. Your evidence packet is the attachment.

  3. File on the county portal and pay the $50 filing fee

    www.hillsclerk.com. The VAB must receive it by the county deadline, not merely have it postmarked.

  4. Exchange evidence 15+ days before your hearing

    Upload your packet to the portal and request the appraiser’s evidence in return. This exchange is what puts your comps on the record.

Informational only. This is the public process; we never file for you. Verify every step and date against your county before you file.

FOUR TRAPS THAT COST FLORIDA APPEALS
TRAP · THE CLOCK DOES NOT PAUSE
An informal review does not extend your 25 days. File the petition anyway, then settle informally if you can.
TRAP · RECEIVED, NOT POSTMARKED
The VAB must physically have your petition by the deadline. A petition mailed on the last day, but received later, is late.
TRAP · PAY AT LEAST 75% ANYWAY
Florida law (§194.014) requires you to pay at least 75% of the assessed taxes before they become delinquent, or the VAB dismisses your petition.
TRAP · THE 15-DAY EVIDENCE EXCHANGE
Miss the window to exchange evidence before your hearing and your strongest comparable sales can be excluded.
FILING IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTYDATES PENDING COUNTY ANNOUNCEMENT

Hillsborough County has not announced its dates yet. Florida law gives you 25 days from the day TRIM notices mail (section 194.011, Florida Statutes); we publish the exact deadline the day the county announces it.

Online filing opens on the county portal in season; paper form DR-486 with the clerk also works.

The filing fee is $50 in this county. County portal: www.hillsclerk.com (opens in season).

Verified against the county on Wednesday, July 8 · official source. Always confirm deadlines with your county.

Is your assessment actually too high?

Most are not, and many homesteads are protected by the Save Our Homes cap, where an appeal cannot lower the bill at all. The free check reads Hillsborough County's own records and qualified sales and tells you honestly, either way, in about 30 seconds.

Check my assessment →Free. No signup. Also see the Save Our Homes cap calculator.

Common questions about appealing in Hillsborough County

When is the Hillsborough County property tax appeal deadline in 2026?

Hillsborough County has not announced its dates yet. Florida law gives you 25 days from the day TRIM notices mail (section 194.011, Florida Statutes); we publish the exact deadline the day the county announces it.

Does an informal review pause the 25-day appeal window?

No. An informal review with the property appraiser does not extend the statutory 25-day petition window. File the DR-486 petition anyway; it can be withdrawn later.

How much does it cost to appeal your property taxes in Hillsborough County?

The Value Adjustment Board petition (Florida form DR-486) filing fee in Hillsborough County is $50 per parcel. Filing the petition is what preserves your appeal; you present your evidence at a later hearing.

Who do I call for an informal review in Hillsborough County?

You can call the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser at 813-272-6100 to ask for an informal review of your assessment before filing. Many assessments are corrected here, but remember an informal review does not pause the 25-day petition deadline.

Where do I file a property tax appeal in Hillsborough County?

You file a DR-486 petition with the Hillsborough County Value Adjustment Board through the county's petition portal at https://www.hillsclerk.com/Additional-Services/Value-Adjustment-Board. The board must receive your petition by the deadline; a postmark is not enough.

Is it worth appealing my property taxes in Hillsborough County?

It depends on your own numbers. Many Hillsborough County homesteads are already protected by Florida's Save Our Homes cap, where an appeal cannot lower the bill at all. The free assessment check reads the county's own records and qualified comparable sales and tells you honestly, either way, before you file. Appeal Season makes no promise or guarantee of an outcome.

See every county on the Florida appeal season guide, or start from the Appeal Season home page.