Your property tax bill is separate from condo dues
The county tax bill and your association’s assessments are different obligations. Paying condominium dues does not establish that your unit’s property taxes are paid. Check your actual bill and any mortgage escrow arrangement.
In Century Village West Palm Beach, use the specific unit’s property record. Similar addresses, subdivision names, and neighboring units can lead to the wrong result. Confirm the legal description and Property Control Number before relying on a record.
Know the record. Understand the cost. Protect your investment.
Two offices, different responsibilities
| Office | Use it for | Official starting point |
|---|---|---|
| Property Appraiser | Property identification, assessed values, exemptions, ownership information, and proposed-tax notices. | PAPA / pbcpao.gov |
| Tax Collector | Tax bills, balances, payment records, payment options, and delinquent-tax questions. | pbctax.gov — Property Taxes |
| Taxing authorities | Questions about their budgets, tax rates, and public hearings. | Use the authority and contact information listed on your notice or bill. |
The Property Appraiser does not collect your payment, and the Tax Collector does not determine your property’s assessed value. Asking the correct office helps you get a useful answer.
How to find your unit’s property record
- Open the Property Appraiser’s search. Use the official property search. Choose an available search method such as owner name, address, or Property Control Number (PCN).
- Start with simple search terms. If a full address fails, try fewer address details or the owner’s last name. Follow the search page’s examples for formatting.
- Confirm the exact parcel. Compare the unit, subdivision, owner, and legal description. Copy the PCN from the correct record.
- Review the relevant year. Look at values, exemptions, sales information, and available proposed-tax information. Label any saved record with its tax year and the date you checked it.
- Check the tax account separately. Go to the Tax Collector’s site, use its official property-tax search/payment route, and match the PCN and unit again.
The PCN is the parcel’s identifier. It is useful when matching records across county systems and when calling either office. See the county’s PCN explanation.
How to check a bill or payment
Start at the Tax Collector’s Pay Online page and select the official property-tax service. You can use the account information to investigate the bill before deciding whether to pay.
- Match the parcel and owner information to the unit you intend to check.
- Select the correct tax year; an older paid bill does not establish that the current year is paid.
- Review the balance, payment status, and any available receipt or history.
- If the record is unclear or a payment is recent, contact the Tax Collector before paying twice.
- Keep the payment confirmation and verify posting afterward.
If your mortgage servicer pays through escrow, confirm payment with both the servicer and the tax record. Do not assume a lender payment was made merely because money was collected into escrow.
Understand what the numbers mean
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Market / just value | The Property Appraiser’s valuation for tax purposes; it is not a guaranteed sale price. |
| Assessed value | The value used after applicable assessment limitations. It may differ from market value. |
| Exemptions | Eligible reductions used to calculate taxable value. Some apply differently to different taxing authorities. |
| Taxable value | The assessed value less applicable exemptions for the particular tax. |
| Millage | A rate expressed per $1,000 of taxable value. |
| Non-ad valorem assessment | A charge calculated on another basis, rather than the property’s value. It may appear on the tax bill. |
Simplified example: $100,000 of taxable value at 20 mills produces $2,000 in value-based tax. Add any applicable non-ad valorem charges. This is an arithmetic illustration, not an estimate of a Century Village unit’s bill; actual taxable values can vary by taxing authority.
TRIM notice or tax bill?
The Notice of Proposed Property Taxes, often called the TRIM notice, is a proposal and review notice—not a request to pay. It includes information about values, exemptions, proposed taxes, hearings, and the applicable challenge deadline.
Review it promptly. Contact the Property Appraiser about value or exemption concerns, the listed authority about its proposed rate or assessment, and the Value Adjustment Board about petition procedures where appropriate. Follow the deadline on your actual notice; an informal inquiry should not be assumed to extend it.
Official reference: Property Appraiser — TRIM notices.
The Tax Collector states that regular property taxes are payable November 1 through March 31, with early-payment discounts of 4% in November, 3% in December, 2% in January, and 1% in February. Taxes become delinquent April 1, subject to applicable deadline extensions. Follow the current bill and official payment instructions.
Buyers: the seller’s taxes may not become yours
An existing bill can reflect the seller’s exemptions and assessment history. Ownership changes can cause reassessment, and the seller’s homestead exemption does not automatically become the buyer’s exemption.
Use the Property Appraiser’s property tax calculator and ask about your expected situation. Estimates depend on assumptions and are not a final bill. Include taxes in your ownership budget alongside association assessments, insurance, and other charges.
Save Our Homes limits qualifying homestead assessed-value increases generally to the lesser of 3% or the CPI change. The non-homestead 10% cap has different conditions and does not apply to school-board taxes. These are assessment limits, not guaranteed caps on the total bill.
Source: Property Appraiser — assessment caps.
Homestead eligibility is evaluated as of January 1, with the regular application deadline March 1. Ask the Property Appraiser about eligibility, documentation, portability, other exemptions, or any late-filing relief; being a Century Village resident alone does not establish qualification.
Source: Official homestead guidance.
Prospective Buyer GuideWhat boards should know
Tax records can help identify a parcel and provide background for association administration. They do not replace the association’s ownership records, recorded deeds, occupancy approvals, or assessment ledger.
A unit’s county tax delinquency is different from unpaid condominium assessments. Do not assume the two collection processes have the same notices, remedies, or priority. If a tax sale or ownership issue may affect the association, refer it to counsel.
Boards can share official search links and encourage owners to check their records. Avoid offering guarantees about a buyer’s future tax bill or circulating assumptions about a resident’s eligibility or finances.
A yearly owner checklist
- Keep the Property Appraiser’s mailing address current.
- Review the parcel, values, and exemptions on the current record.
- Read the TRIM notice and act before its deadlines.
- Confirm the current tax bill and any escrow payment.
- Pay through an authorized method and keep your receipt.
- Ask the relevant office promptly about an error, missed payment, or eligibility change.
Reliable information makes confident decisions possible.
Official help & related resources
Property Appraiser: 561-355-2866 · pbcpao.gov
Tax Collector: 561-355-2264 · Property tax information
Reviewed October 17, 2026. Educational guidance. Values, exemptions, rates, payment status, deadlines, and website layouts can change. Confirm your particular account with the responsible county office; consult qualified advisers for a purchase, dispute, or tax-sale issue.
Build an owner calendar without confusing the deadlines
Board Synergy recommended practice Keep tax matters separate from the association’s assessment calendar. Use the tax year, parcel number, responsible office, deadline, and confirmation record for each item.
| Event | Practical action | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Buying or changing title | Obtain a buyer-specific estimate and ask the Property Appraiser about exemptions and reassessment. | The seller’s bill and exemptions do not establish your future bill. |
| TRIM notice arrives | Review values and exemptions promptly; use the challenge deadline on the actual notice. | An informal inquiry does not automatically preserve petition rights. |
| Tax bill and escrow review | Match the parcel and tax year; confirm whether the owner or servicer is paying and verify posting. | A receipt for one year does not clear another year. |
| Delinquency or tax-sale correspondence | Contact the Tax Collector promptly about the account; obtain legal advice where rights or a sale are involved. | County tax collection and association assessment collection are separate processes. |
Florida law / county procedure Follow the official bill, filing instructions, and current deadlines. Ask the Tax Collector about available payment options before choosing one; a payment plan may have its own enrollment terms. Boards may share official links but should not collect an owner’s financial or identity documents to determine tax eligibility.
Connected Board Synergy guides
- Deeds and ownership searches
- Homestead exemption
- Understanding life estates
- Association foreclosure
- Association claims of lien
- Unit sales and association procedures
Independent educational guidance. Official agencies determine tax eligibility and account status; controlling instruments and applicable law govern ownership rights.