The Hillsborough County delinquent tax list is the public roll of parcels whose property taxes went unpaid after April 1, and you can search it any time through the Tax Collector’s website at hillstaxfl.gov.1Hillsborough County Tax Collector. Delinquent Property Tax Information If a parcel appears there, interest is already running at 18 percent per year, and a tax certificate will be auctioned against the property on or before June 1 unless the balance is paid in full.
How to Search the Delinquent List
The Tax Collector’s online search tool pulls up a parcel’s current status, outstanding balance, and whether any legal action is pending.1Hillsborough County Tax Collector. Delinquent Property Tax Information The fastest way in is the folio number, which is the unique code the county assigns to each parcel. You can find it on a prior year’s tax bill.
If you don’t have the folio number, the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser offers an interactive GIS map that lets you search by owner name, address, or parcel number and read the folio off the result.2Hillsborough County Property Appraiser. Hillsborough County, Florida, GIS The GIS maps aren’t legal surveys and may lag behind the current ownership or tax status, so treat them as a lookup aid rather than a record of title.
During May, the Tax Collector is also required by law to advertise the full list of delinquent properties in a local newspaper or online.1Hillsborough County Tax Collector. Delinquent Property Tax Information That published advertisement is the last public notice before the tax certificate sale.
When Taxes Go Delinquent and What That Adds to the Bill
Florida property taxes are due November 1 each year and become delinquent on April 1 of the following year, or 60 days after the original tax notice was mailed, whichever is later.3The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 197.333 – When Taxes Due; Delinquent The “whichever is later” piece matters when the tax roll was certified late: the delinquency date shifts forward by the same number of days.
From the date of delinquency, interest runs at 18 percent per year. The Tax Collector also has to advertise the parcel, and the cost of that advertising is added to the balance along with the expense of processing the sale.4Florida Senate. Florida Code 197.402 – Sale of Tax Certificates By the time the certificate sale rolls around in late May or early June, about two months of interest plus advertising and administrative fees have been tacked on.
One rule trips up a lot of owners: Florida does not allow partial payments on delinquent taxes. Partial payments are only available on current-year taxes before April 1. Once the account is delinquent, the full amount, including interest and fees, has to be paid at once. To stop a tax certificate from being issued, the entire bill must be paid by the last business day in May.
Paying What You Owe
You can pay through the Tax Collector’s online portal using an e-check or a credit card. E-check carries no convenience fee. Credit card payments are subject to a 2.65 percent fee with a $2.65 minimum.5Hillsborough County Tax Collector. Payment Center On a large delinquent balance, that fee adds up fast, so e-check is almost always the better choice.
For mailed payments, the address is Tax Collector, P.O. Box 30012, Tampa, Florida 33630-3012.6Hillsborough County Tax Collector. Contact Write the folio number on the check so it posts to the right parcel. As the certificate sale date gets close, the office may restrict payment methods to certified funds or cash so the money clears in time.
What Happens If You Don’t Pay by Late May
If the delinquent taxes aren’t paid, the Tax Collector advertises the parcel for three consecutive weeks and sells a tax certificate on or before June 1.4Florida Senate. Florida Code 197.402 – Sale of Tax Certificates The certificate is not a sale of the property. An investor pays the delinquent taxes and in return receives a lien against the property at an interest rate set by auction, up to a maximum of 18 percent per year.7Florida Senate. Florida Code 197.432 – Sale of Tax Certificates for Unpaid Taxes
You can redeem the certificate at any time before a tax deed is executed. Redemption means paying the Tax Collector the full face amount plus accrued interest, costs, and charges. Even if the winning investor accepted a bid below 5 percent, redemption still requires a minimum of 5 percent interest on the face value, unless the bid was zero. A $6.25 processing fee applies per certificate.8Florida Senate. Florida Code 197.472 – Redemption of Tax Certificates
When You Can Actually Lose the Property
A tax certificate holder can apply for a tax deed once two years have passed from April 1 of the year the certificate was issued.9Florida Senate. Florida Code 197.502 – Application for Tax Deed by Holder of Tax Certificate That is the point where the property itself is at risk. Before a tax deed sale, the Clerk of the Circuit Court must notify the owner, any lienholders, and even owners of neighboring parcels by certified mail at least 20 days ahead of the auction. The sheriff must also attempt to serve notice on the legal titleholder, with a copy posted at the owner’s last known address if service fails.10Florida Senate. Florida Code 197.522 – Notice to Owner of Application for Tax Deed Failure of any party to actually receive these notices, though, does not invalidate the sale.
In Hillsborough County, tax deed auctions are held online through the Clerk of Court’s portal every Thursday at 10:00 a.m.11Hillsborough County Clerk of Court & Comptroller. Tax Deed Sales If no one bids, the parcel goes onto a Lands Available list, and the county has 90 days to decide whether to purchase it before any person or governmental entity can buy it from the Clerk.
Keeping Your Parcel Off the List Next Year
Hillsborough County runs a quarterly installment plan that spreads the annual bill across four payments with built-in discounts:
- First payment, due June 30: one quarter of the prior year’s gross tax, discounted 6 percent
- Second payment, due September 30: one quarter of the prior year’s gross tax, discounted 4.5 percent
- Third payment, due December 31: one quarter of the prior year’s tax plus half of any current-year adjustment, discounted 3 percent
- Fourth payment, due March 31: one quarter of the prior year’s tax plus the remaining adjustment, no discount
Applications are due by the annual deadline, typically April 30, and your estimated tax must exceed $100 to qualify.12Hillsborough County Tax Collector. Property Tax Payment Plans Staying current on all four installments keeps the account off the delinquent roll. Missing one can knock you out of the program, so the quarterly dates need to be treated as hard deadlines.