Property Tax Exemption Deadline Nears

Pinellas County Property Appraiser Pam Dubov said Tuesday qualifying residents have until March 1 to apply for property tax exemptions. 

The tax exemptions, which Dubov said may result in hundreds of dollars in property tax savings, are for permanent residents of Pinellas County.

Regular office hours for the property appraiser are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Property owners may also apply online from the website at www.pcpao.org, a news release said.

According to Dubov, Florida offers several property tax benefits for qualified residents:

• Homestead Exemption for a primary residence
• Low Income Senior Exemptions
• Widow/Widower Exemptions
• Disability Exemptions and Exemptions for Blind Persons
• Exemptions for Veterans with a Service Connected Disability (or for his or her surviving spouse)
• Discount for combat wounded Florida Veterans over age 65
• An additional property tax exemption for certain deployed members of the United States military.

According to a news release, each exemption has its own set of qualifications. To find out if you qualify, or for additional information, call the Personal Exemptions Division at 727-464-3294, or visit the Pinellas County Property Appraiser website at pcpao.org.

Some important facts to remember:

• The homestead exemption automatically renews each year, but not all of the exemptions do.
• If you purchased a property that had a homestead exemption at the time of purchase, that exemption will be removed on Dec. 31, and you will need to apply for your own.
• The deadline to file for a personal exemption for 2013 is March 1, 2013.

Office locations:

County Courthouse
2nd Floor
315 Court Street
Clearwater
727 464-3207

North County Office
Northside Square
29269 US HWY 19 N
Clearwater
727-464-8780

Tyrone Office
Govt Services Ctr
1800 - 66th St. N
St. Petersburg 
727-582-7652

Starkey Lakes Branch
Starkey Lakes Corp Center
13025 Starkey Road
Largo 
727-464-3207