What Is TRIM Notice?

The TRIM (Truth in Millage) notice is Florida's version of the property assessment notice. It is mailed to every property owner in August each year and shows both the county property appraiser's estimate of your property's value and the proposed tax rates from each taxing authority (county, city, school district, special districts). The TRIM notice is your signal to act. Once you receive it, you have 25 days to file an appeal with the Value Adjustment Board (VAB) if you believe your property's assessed value is too high. The TRIM notice contains several key pieces of information: your property's "just value" (market value), the assessed value (which may differ if you have homestead exemption with the Save Our Homes cap), all applicable exemptions, the proposed millage rate from each taxing authority, and your estimated tax bill for the upcoming year. Comparing this year's notice to last year's is the quickest way to spot a significant increase that may warrant an appeal. One important Florida-specific detail: the "assessed value" on your TRIM notice may be lower than the "just value" if you have a homestead exemption. Florida's Save Our Homes amendment caps annual increases on homesteaded property assessments at 3% or the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower. This creates a gap between your home's market value and its capped assessed value that grows over time. A detail worth knowing before your hearing: the "Value Adjustment Board" itself, typically county commissioners, a school board member, and citizen members, does not personally hear most cases. Instead, VAB petitions are assigned to special magistrates, independent contractors hired for their expertise: certified appraisers handle value disputes, and attorneys handle exemption and classification disputes. The magistrate hears your evidence and the property appraiser's response, then issues a recommended decision that the board formally adopts.