Marsha M. Faux, CFA, ASA Polk County Property Appraiser A Tour of Our Website 2017 www.polkpa.org Bartow Main Office 255 N Wilson Ave Bartow, FL 33830 Phone: 863-534-4777 Fax: 863-534-4753 Lakeland Branch Office 930 E Parker St, Suite 272 Lakeland, FL 33801 Phone: 863-802-6150 Fax: 863-802-6163 Winter Haven Branch Office 3425 Lake Alfred Rd, 3 Gill Jones Plaza Winter Haven, FL 33881 Phone: 863-401-2424 Fax: 863-401-2428
Polk County Property Appraiser WWW.POLKPA.ORG Our Virtual Branch Office We like to think of our website as a Branch Office in the virtual world. We offer many of the same applications, forms, documents, data and maps on the website that might otherwise prompt a visit to one of our offices. Let s take a look at what the website has to offer. Hopefully, you will be able to take advantage of the many features and tools available to you!
Online Filing In keeping with our goal of providing more efficient service, we are proud to offer Polk County residents two ONLINE FILING opportunities!!! Users can file for Homestead and Other Property Tax Exemptions ONLINE AND/OR File Tangible Personal Property (TPP) Returns ONLINE. Both applications are convenient and easy to use. Online Exemption Filing Exemptions you may apply for online: Homestead Exemption Widow/Widower Exemptions Senior Exemption Disability Exemptions Online TPP Return Filing The Online Tangible Return Filing Application is easy to use and provides two convenient options for submitting your tangible return: Edit asset data within the application OR Disabled Veteran Exemptions For additional information about various exemptions, how to qualify for an exemption, or for a list of required documents for each exemption, please refer to the online instructions. http://exemptions.polkpa.org/help Upload and import tangible assets via an Excel spreadsheet For additional information about who should file a return, what qualifies as Tangible Personal Property, or filing an extension, please refer to the online instructions. http://tangible.polkpa.org/help
The Parcel Details Page Access relevant information for every parcel in Polk County including: Owner, Property Description, Sales History, Exemptions, Building/Extra Feature info, Values/Taxes, and much more. In addition, there are links to deeds, tax bills, the TRIM Notice, and other reports and calculators. NOTICE: All information ABOVE this notice is current (as of Specific Day, Date and Time). All information BELOW this notice is from the YYYY Tax Roll, except where otherwise noted.
Property Search Activity The Property Search page can be used to search for specific properties in Polk County. Real estate property and tangible business accounts can be searched by ID, owner name, and address. There is also an advanced query search option that allows the user to select specific criteria for which to search. http://www.polkpa.org/camadisplay.aspx 1 Three Categories to Search 2 3 The Advanced Query Search allows our users to query Property Appraiser data and find specific records that meet their needs. 1. Select the Criteria from the list and enter the value you want to search. CRITERIA LIST: 2. Click to add your criteria to the Current Search List. 3. When you have entered all criteria click to retrieve the results of your search. 1 3 2 NOTE: You can view information about the parcels / accounts returned in your search from our website OR EXPORT your search results to an Excel spreadsheet. (Maximum 40,000 records)
Download Activity We offer many of the same forms, documents, and data on the website that might otherwise solicit a visit to one of our offices. Go to the DOWNLOADS tab on the website. Select one of the types of files that you can download from the list below and answer the question for that download type. http://www.polkpa.org/downloads/default.aspx Home Page >> Downloads >> Documents (http://www.polkpa.org/downloads/documents.aspx) Take a look at the Final Millage Rates document What is the total millage rate for your city? Open the DOR Use Codes document Every parcel in the county has a DOR (Dept of Revenue) Use Code. How many residential categories are there? Home Page >> Downloads >> Forms (http://www.polkpa.org/downloads/forms.aspx) Which form(s) might be helpful to a person that owns two adjacent properties and has decided to use the properties for cattle grazing and/or conservation purposes? Keep in mind, this person may wish to combine the two properties into one parcel. Any one of the forms listed below might be helpful to the property owner: Agricultural /Greenbelt Application Conservation Exemption Application Conservation Assessment Application Request for Combine or Split of Real Property You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the website forms. Home Page >> Downloads >> Data Files (http://www.polkpa.org/downloads/datafiles.aspx) Often consulting firms, realtors, engineers, etc. download Property Appraiser data files. Which data files do you think a user might download to prepare a map showing the potential location for a new restaurant franchise in Polk County? A word about the FTP site (ftp://ftp.polkpa.org) The Property Appraiser s office provides a diverse set of digital data for immediate download via our FTP site. The GIS/Appraisal data is updated daily. Any one of the data sets listed on the Data File page might be useful for someone completing a site study in Polk County.
Truth-In-Millage (TRIM) Notice The Florida Legislature created the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights for property owners in the state of Florida. This law guarantees that the rights, privacy, and property of taxpayers are safeguarded during the assessment, levy, collection, and enforcement of property taxes. The Notice of Proposed Property Taxes, also called a 'Truth in Millage' (TRIM) Notice is part of the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights. The TRIM notice is not a bill. It is an estimate of proposed ad valorem property taxes and non-ad valorem assessments that may be on the tax bill. 2017 TRIM Notices will be: Available Online: Mon. August 14, 2017 Mailed: Thur. August 17, 2017 VAB Petition Deadline: Mon. September 11, 2017 Access Your TRIM Notice ONLINE 1. Go to www.polkpa.org 2. Perform a parcel search on the website and select a parcel from the list of returned results. 3. On the parcel detail page, select the TRIM link in the upper right side of the page. A TRIM Notice (PDF Format) will open. NOTE: To view the TRIM form, the computer must have Adobe Acrobat Reader. A link to download the application is available on the Home page of our website.
Tax Roll Process Page In an effort to make Tax Roll information easy to obtain, we have created a Tax Roll Process web page that provides links to the PCPA and DOR TRIM Calendars, etrim documentation, and related Department of Revenue (DOR) sites. Taxing Authority login for current and prior year tax roll information. Tax Roll Calendars and Links Taxing Authority Login Each Taxing Authority can log in to access current and prior year tax roll data including: Department of Revenue (DOR) Forms o DR-489 / 403 Series o DR 420 420 TIF / 422 Series Tax Roll Reports o AG, Totally Exempt, and HX Property Summary Reports o June 1st Estimates o Top Ten Taxpayers o Value Change Reports Tax Roll Calendars and Links Links to Tax Roll and TRIM Calendars, DOR sites, millage and value information; all available from ONE easily accessible web page.
PCPA Interactive Map (map.polkpa.org) The PCPA Interactive Map was created for you to search, explore, and find your way around Polk County, Florida. The new look and feel of the map has been designed with our users in mind. The mapping experience is modeled after popular consumer-based mapping applications and includes seamless panning, scroll-wheel zooming, and intuitive search tools. Finding the Information You Need The Interactive Map Panel is defaulted to start with the search function. You can also click the search button on the mapping toolbar to search for parcels in the Interactive Map Panel. Search 1. Select the type of search you would like to perform (Parcel, Owner Name, Address) from the Search drop-down menu and start typing your search term into the search box. As you enter the Parcel ID Number, Owner's name, or Address the auto-complete feature will begin displaying results. 2. Hit the enter key while the cursor is still in the search box or click the magnifying glass to execute/complete the search. Click on any item in the search results list to locate the parcel on the map. You can remove the search term by click the 'X'.
Explore the Parcel Info Window After searching for a respective parcel and selecting it from the list, the map will pan to the parcel (which will be highlighted on the map) and the parcel info window will display on the map. The parcel info window includes relevant parcel information, as well as supplemental details about sales and specific parcel related values. 1. The close window button ( ) can be used to close the parcel info window. 2. Parcel Details - The Parcel Number link takes you to the parcel detail page of the Polk County Property Appraiser website (www.polkpa.org) where you can get additional information for the selected parcel. 3. PRC Clicking the Property Record Card link will allow you to open a PDF that contains property value and sales information for the selected parcel. 4. PRM - Clicking the Property Report with Map link opens a new page that contains a map of the selected property along with basic property information including a value summary and sales data. ****PRINT THIS PAGE USING YOUR BROWSERS PRINT FUNCTIONALITY*** 5. Pictometry - Clicking the Oblique Imagery link opens the Polk County Property Appraiser Pictometry Viewer. Unlike traditional aerial photography that relies only on an orthogonal or top-down view of an area, Pictometry captures images obliquely, or from an angle which allows the user to view land features and structures clearly in their entirety from all sides North, South, East, and West. 6. Use the scroll bar to obtain additional information. 7. The Sales tab has basic sales information and the Value tab provides parcel values from the last certified tax roll or the proposed TRIM (Truth in Millage) values. Property Record Card Property Report with Map
Changing Basemaps The Change Basemap icon (not available on smart-phones) is used to select the basemap you would like to interact with. By default, the PCPA Interactive Map opens to the Parcel Map. Basemaps available are for prior year (2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, and 2014) image/aerial access. Using the Measurement / Location Tool The measurement tool allows you to access the current location (latitude / longitude) and measure distance and area by drawing a point, line or polygon on the map and specifying the unit of measure. Buffered Search The buffer tool allows you to select parcels within a certain distance of a subject property. This can be especially useful for generating mailing labels of nearby property owners, The buffer results are returned as a CSV file. Click the download your CSV button to access the file. The file contains the parcel number, first owner name and mailing address, and the Department of Revenue (DOR) Use Code and description of the buffered parcels. Map Based Navigation There are several ways to interact with the map and navigate to your area of interest. Pan / Move around the Map o Click and Drag the mouse to pan o Press the up arrow on your keyboard to move north o Press the down arrow on your keyboard to move south o Press the right arrow on your keyboard to move east o Press the left arrow on your keyboard to move west o Use the Previous Map ( ) icon on the map toolbar to return to the last map view. Note: It works much like a back or undo button. o Use the Next Map ( ) icon on the map toolbar to return to the next map view. Note: It works much like a forward or redo button. Zoom In o Mouse Scroll Forward to zoom in o Use the (+) key (on number pad) to zoom in a level o Double Click to incrementally Zoom in
o SHIFT + Drag the mouse down and to the right (creating a rectangle) to zoom in o SHIFT + Click to Zoom in and recenter on a parcel Note: If you click on a parcel to recenter, the parcel will also be selected. If you do not select a parcel you will receive an error message) Zoom Out o Mouse Scroll Backward to zoom out o Use the (-) key (on number pad) to zoom out a level o SHIFT + CTRL + Drag the mouse down and to the right (creating a rectangle) to zoom out o The Zoom to Full Map ( ) Icon on the map toolbar can be used to zoom out to the full Polk County Boundary view. Additionally, you can incrementally zoom in or out by pressing the + or - keys on the map. Print, Email, Share, Collaborate The PCPA Interactive Map makes it easy for users to create and share custom maps and/or the standard Property Information Card. Whether you want to identify a specific Polk County location, showcase an area of interest, identify like properties, or just have a map of the area surrounding your home there are many options at your fingertips. Export / Print Map The Export / Print Map tool allows you to generate a JPG image file for copying and pasting -OR- to create a map for a specific parcel or area that includes a map legend, north arrow, scale bar, and print date. To create a JPG or Map, first make sure you have searched for and navigated to a specific parcel or location. Then click the Export/Print Map tool on the map tool bar. 1.Click the Create JPG button and allow time for the JPG to generate. 2. Click the download your JPG button. 3. Right click and copy, save picture as, or perform the task of your choice. 1.Select the Layout of your choice (Landscape or Portrait) 2.Set the Map Title 3.Click the Create Map button and allow time for the PDF to generate. 4.Click the download your PDF () button to access the map.
Email a Map Link Once you have selected an area of the map that you wish to share with others, you can also email a link to the map you are viewing. NOTE: You must have a default mail client (i.e. Microsoft Outlook) on your device for this feature to work. Give Us Your Feedback Use the Submit Feedback button on the mapping toolbar to provide feedback and/or detailed comments in the Interactive Map Panel. Follow the steps below to submit feedback: 1. Select a feedback category. 2. Type your comments, suggestions, etc in the Detailed Comments text box. 3. If you wish for us to contact you, please provide your name, phone number, and/or email address. 4. Click the Submit button. Troubleshooting In order to have the best experience while visiting the Polk County Property Appraiser's website, it is recommended that your computer meet a few requirements. Our Troubleshooting page can be used to determine the current configuration parameters of your computer / devices: Browser Compatibility The PCPA Interactive Map is supported on the following browsers: Microsoft IE 9 (or higher), Mozilla Firefox (30 or higher), Google Chrome (35.0 or higher), Apple Safari, ios Safari 4.0+, and Android Chrome 2.3+. Configuration Parameters 1. JavaScript must be enabled in your web browser. 2. A display resolution of 1024 x 768 or greater is recommended. 3. The latest version of Adobe Reader plug-in is required. Thank you for allowing us to WORK for You! Thank you for visiting us on the web! We strive to provide accurate and equitable assessments, excellent customer service, and the efficient use of public funds. We would like to take a moment to thank you for the opportunity to serve you!