Property owners inside Clermont, Florida pay a combined millage rate that usually falls between roughly 17 and 19 mills, depending on which special districts cover your parcel. The City of Clermont’s own share has recently run between about 4.6 and 4.9 mills, with the rest coming from Lake County government, the Lake County School Board, and the St. Johns River Water Management District. For the exact rate on your parcel, look at the TRIM notice mailed in August or the millage sheet the Lake County Property Appraiser publishes each fall.1Lake County Property Appraiser. Millage Rates
How Your Clermont Tax Bill Is Calculated
One mill equals one dollar of tax for every $1,000 of taxable value.2Florida Department of Revenue. A Florida Homeowner’s Guide – Millage So on a home with a taxable value of $200,000 and a combined rate of 18 mills, the annual tax works out to $3,600.
Three values move through that calculation before you get there:
- Just value is the Lake County Property Appraiser’s estimate of what your property would sell for on the open market as of January 1 each year, based on comparable sales, the condition and size of your home, and local market trends.
- Assessed value is the figure actually used for taxes. For homesteaded property, it can sit well below just value because of the Save Our Homes cap. For non-homesteaded property (rentals, second homes, commercial), it generally equals just value, subject to a separate 10% annual cap.
- Taxable value is what remains after exemptions are subtracted from assessed value. Multiply that by your combined millage rate and you have your ad valorem tax.
Four main authorities set the rates: the City of Clermont, the Lake County Board of County Commissioners, the Lake County School Board (usually the largest single piece), and the St. Johns River Water Management District. Some parcels also sit inside a community development district or other special taxing district that adds its own millage. The TRIM notice is required by state law to list every authority applied to your property and compare each rate to the prior year.3Florida Department of Revenue. Truth in Millage (TRIM)
One thing the millage rate doesn’t cover: the non-ad valorem assessments on your November bill. Flat charges for solid waste, stormwater, and street lighting are set by the service provider, appear as separate line items, and are not reduced by the homestead exemption or any valuation cap.
Homestead Exemption
If you own a home in Clermont and make it your permanent residence, the homestead exemption is the single largest reduction available. It applies in two tiers:4Florida Senate. Florida Code 196.031 – Exemption of Homesteads
- The first $25,000 is applied against the assessed value for all taxing authorities, including the school district.
- An additional $25,000 is applied to the portion of assessed value between $50,000 and $75,000, but only for non-school levies. The school portion of your bill does not benefit from this second tier.
On a home assessed at $300,000, the exemption removes $50,000 from most levies and $25,000 from the school levy, saving a typical homeowner somewhere between $800 and $1,000 a year depending on the combined millage.
You must apply with the Lake County Property Appraiser by March 1 of the year you want the exemption to start. Applications can be filed online, by mail, or in person at 320 W. Main St., Suite A, Tavares.5Lake County Property Appraiser. Homestead Exemption Bring at least two forms of Florida residency identification, such as a driver’s license and vehicle registration. Both spouses’ Social Security numbers are required even if only one spouse is on the deed.
Save Our Homes Cap
Once your homestead exemption is in place, your assessed value can’t rise by more than 3% in a year, or the change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower.6The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 193.155 – Homestead Assessments If market value drops, assessed value can drop with it, but it will never climb back faster than the cap allows.
Over time this creates a gap between what the home would sell for and what it’s taxed on. A homeowner who bought in Clermont a decade ago may be taxed on a value tens of thousands of dollars below the current market price. That accumulated difference is called the Save Our Homes differential, and it moves with you if you sell.
Portability When You Move
If you sell your homesteaded Clermont property and buy another home anywhere in Florida, you can transfer up to $500,000 of your Save Our Homes differential to the new property.6The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 193.155 – Homestead Assessments Three rules matter most:
- You must establish a new homestead within three tax years of January 1 of the last year you had the old homestead. Sell late in a calendar year and the effective window shrinks closer to two.
- File the portability application with the new county’s property appraiser by March 1 of the year you want it applied.
- If the new home is worth more than the old one, your dollar savings transfer straight across up to the $500,000 cap. If the new home is worth less, the savings transfer proportionally rather than as a full dollar amount.
Miss the window and the accumulated differential is gone for good.
Exemptions for Seniors and Veterans
Homeowners Age 65 and Older
Florida allows counties and cities to adopt an extra exemption of up to $50,000 for homestead owners who are at least 65 and whose total household income falls below an annually adjusted threshold. For 2026, that income limit is $38,686.7Florida Senate. Florida Code 196.075 – Additional Homestead Exemption for Persons 65 and Older Whether it applies in Clermont depends on whether Lake County and the city have adopted the enabling ordinance, so confirm with the property appraiser when you apply.
Disabled Veterans
Veterans with a service-connected disability rated at 10% or more get a $5,000 reduction in assessed value, and an unremarried surviving spouse keeps the same exemption.8The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 196.24 – Exemption for Disabled Ex-Servicemember or Surviving Spouse Veterans rated totally and permanently disabled by the VA receive a full exemption from all ad valorem taxes on their homestead, with no cap on home value.9The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 196.081 – Exemption for Certain Permanently and Totally Disabled Veterans and for Surviving Spouses of Veterans An unremarried surviving spouse of a totally disabled veteran keeps that full exemption for life and can transfer its dollar value to a new Florida homestead.
All veteran exemptions require a VA disability rating letter filed with the Lake County Property Appraiser by March 1. The partial and combat-related exemptions can stack with the standard homestead exemption.
Deadlines, Discounts, and What Happens If You Pay Late
Bills go out November 1 and are due by March 31. Pay early and Florida takes a slice off:10The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 197.162 – Tax Discount Payment Periods
- November: 4%
- December: 3%
- January: 2%
- February: 1%
- March: full amount
On a $4,000 bill, paying in November saves $160. Taxes become delinquent April 1.11FindLaw. Florida Code 197.333 – Tax Delinquency After that, the tax collector begins selling tax certificates on unpaid parcels to third-party investors, who then collect interest from you at rates that can run up to 18% annually.12The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 197.432 – Sale of Tax Certificates for Unpaid Taxes A certificate left outstanding long enough can lead to a tax deed sale of the property.
Quarterly Installment Plan
If a single March payment is tough on cash flow, Florida offers a quarterly installment plan. Apply with the Lake County Tax Collector by April 30 of the year before the taxes are assessed, and your estimated taxes must exceed $100 per notice.13The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 197.222 – Prepayment of Estimated Tax by Installment Method Payments are based on the prior year’s tax and fall on June 30, September 30, December 31, and March 31, with discounts of 6%, 4.5%, 3%, and zero on each installment respectively. Enrollment carries over year to year unless you skip a payment, in which case you’ll need to reapply. The total discount is slightly below what paying everything in November gets you, but the installments are easier to carry.
If You Think Your Valuation Is Wrong
If the just value on your TRIM notice looks too high, start informally. Contact the Lake County Property Appraiser’s office and bring evidence: recent comparable sales, photos of damage or condition problems, or a private appraisal. Many disputes resolve at this stage.14The Florida Legislature. Florida Code Chapter 194 – Administrative and Judicial Review of Property Taxes
If that doesn’t work, file a formal petition with the Value Adjustment Board within 25 days of the date the TRIM notice was mailed. The filing fee is $15 for homestead properties. A special magistrate hears the case; the appraiser’s office carries the burden of proof, but comparable sales from your neighborhood are still the most persuasive evidence you can bring. Petitions filed after the deadline require a showing of good cause and may be rejected.
If You Own a Business in Clermont
Business owners owe a separate tax on tangible personal property: equipment, furniture, fixtures, computers, and anything else used in the business that isn’t real estate. File a tangible personal property return with the Lake County Property Appraiser by April 1 each year. The first $25,000 of assessed value per return is exempt, but only if you file on time.15Florida Senate. Florida Code 196.183 – Exemption for Tangible Personal Property Late returns carry a 5% penalty per month up to 25%, and missing the deadline altogether forfeits the exemption for that year, so tax is owed on the full assessed value.