August 11, 2026 · 3 min read
Each August, Florida property owners receive a piece of mail that looks a lot like a tax bill but is not one. The TRIM notice, short for Truth in Millage, is the official Notice of Proposed Property Taxes, and it is your best opportunity each year to review how your property has been valued and what taxes are being proposed before anything is final. Here is what homeowners and rental owners in Bradenton, Sarasota, and across Manatee and Sarasota Counties should look for.
What the TRIM Notice Is, and What It Is Not
Both the Manatee County and Sarasota County property appraisers mail TRIM notices to property owners in August. By Florida law, the notice must state plainly that it is not a bill, and there is nothing to pay. Actual tax bills come later, typically in November, from the county tax collector. The TRIM notice is an early look at the numbers instead: your property's value as of January 1, the exemptions applied, and the taxes each local taxing authority is proposing to levy.
How to Read the Values and the Tax Columns
The values section typically shows your property's market value, its assessed value, any exemptions, and the resulting taxable value. For homesteaded property, assessed value can sit well below market value because of Florida's Save Our Homes limitation, which generally caps the annual increase in a homestead's assessed value at 3 percent or the change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower. Non-homestead property, including most rentals and second homes, has its own separate limitation. Our earlier overview of Florida property taxes and the homestead exemption covers those basics in more detail.
Below the values, the notice lists each taxing authority with columns for last year's taxes, this year's taxes if no budget change is adopted, and this year's taxes under the proposed budget, along with the date and location of each authority's public budget hearing.
A Quick Review Checklist
When your notice arrives, it is worth a few minutes to check the essentials.
- Owner name, mailing address, and property description
- Exemptions you expect to see, such as homestead
- Market value compared with recent nearby sales
- The petition deadline printed on the notice
- Public hearing dates for each taxing authority
If You Disagree With Your Value
Start with a conversation. The Manatee County Property Appraiser's office, for one, encourages owners to reach out with questions about market value, exemptions, or classification, and Florida law allows any taxpayer to request an informal conference with the property appraiser. If that does not resolve your concern, you can file a petition with the county's Value Adjustment Board, where the case is typically heard by a special magistrate who makes a recommendation to the board.
Timing is the key detail. Under Florida law, a petition on a valuation issue must generally be filed on or before the 25th day after the TRIM notice is mailed, and the specific deadline is printed on the notice itself. A filing fee generally applies. Value is only one part of the picture, though: tax rates are set by the county, school board, cities, and other taxing authorities at the public hearings listed on your notice, and those hearings are where residents can weigh in on proposed rates.
Note: This article provides general information about Florida's property tax notice and appeal process as of this writing. Deadlines, procedures, and tax rules can change, so confirm details on your own notice and with your county property appraiser, and consult a CPA or tax professional about your specific situation.
If your notice has you wondering what your home might sell for today, which is a different question from its assessed value, request a home valuation. Rental owners can pair their tax figures with a rental analysis, and you can always contact us with questions.