At a glance
| 2025 millage, City of Tampa | 19.8428 |
|---|---|
| 2025 millage, Plant City | 18.2926 |
| 2025 millage, unincorporated | 18.2515 |
| Homestead deadline | March 1 |
| Where to file | Hillsborough County Property Appraiser |
Hillsborough County property tax rates by city
Millage is the tax rate per $1,000 of taxable value. One mill is $1 per $1,000. Your total depends on which city or district the parcel sits in. These are the final 2025 rates published by the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser, which applied to bills mailed in November 2025.
2025 rates by city and taxing area
| Taxing area | School millage | Non-school millage | Total 2025 millage |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Tampa | 6.3400 | 13.5028 | 19.8428 |
| City of Plant City | 6.3400 | 11.9526 | 18.2926 |
| City of Temple Terrace | 6.3400 | 13.1919 | 19.5319 |
| Unincorporated Hillsborough | 6.3400 | 11.9115 | 18.2515 |
Why rates differ inside the county
Every area pays the countywide general levy (5.4608 plus 0.0604 for environmental lands), the school board (6.3400), the Port Authority (0.0737), the Children's Board (0.4589) and the Southwest Florida Water Management District (0.1831). Tampa adds its city levy of 6.2076, the library levy of 0.5583 and the transit authority levy of 0.5000. Plant City adds its city levy of 5.7157 but is not in the transit levy. Unincorporated parcels pay a county MSTU of 4.6163 in place of a city rate.
Between Tampa and Plant City the 2025 gap was 1.5502 mills, or about $155 a year for every $100,000 of taxable value.
Proposed 2026 rates were on the August 2026 TRIM notices.
How many parcels sit in each taxing area
The final 2025 millage sheet also counts the parcels in each area. Unincorporated Hillsborough is by far the largest, with 380,909 parcels, followed by the City of Tampa (143,969), Plant City (17,282) and Temple Terrace (9,318). Those four areas are the whole county: Hillsborough has only three incorporated cities, so a parcel outside Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace pays the unincorporated rate, including places such as Brandon, Riverview and Ruskin.
City of Tampa total millage, 2021 to 2025
| Tax year | City of Tampa total | School levy | City operating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 19.7121 | 5.8490 | 6.2076 |
| 2022 | 19.3131 | 5.4870 | 6.2076 |
| 2023 | 19.1974 | 5.4000 | 6.2076 |
| 2024 | 19.0437 | 5.3880 | 6.2076 |
| 2025 | 19.8428 | 6.3400 | 6.2076 |
Tampa's own operating rate has not moved in five years. The total drifted down from 2021 to 2024 as the state-set school rate and the county general levy fell, then rose by 0.7991 mills in 2025. Almost all of that jump came from the school board's local levy, which went from 2.2480 to 3.2480 mills. The unincorporated total followed the same path, from 17.9049 in 2021 to 18.2515 in 2025.
Worked example: tax on a typical Hillsborough County home
This example uses Zillow's typical home value for Hillsborough County in August 2026, $377,121, and the 2025 City of Tampa millage of 19.8428. It assumes the property appraiser's assessed value equals that figure, which is a simplification: the just value on a tax roll is set as of January 1 and often differs from a sale price. The formula is taxable value × millage ÷ 1,000, worked out separately for school and non-school levies because the second homestead exemption does not apply to school taxes.
The math, line by line
| Line | Homesteaded | Not homesteaded |
|---|---|---|
| Assessed value | $377,121 | $377,121 |
| School taxable value | $377,121 − $25,000 = $352,121 | $377,121 |
| School tax | $352,121 × 6.3400 ÷ 1,000 = $2,232 | $377,121 × 19.8428 ÷ 1,000 = $7,483 (all levies) |
| Non-school taxable value | $377,121 − $50,722 = $326,399 | $377,121 |
| Non-school tax | $326,399 × 13.5028 ÷ 1,000 = $4,407 | Included above |
| Estimated ad valorem tax | $6,639 | $7,483 |
| If paid in November (4% discount) | $6,373 | $7,184 |
What the estimate leaves out
On these assumptions the homestead exemption is worth about $844 a year on a home at this value. Treat both figures as estimates only. Your actual bill depends on the appraiser's value, your exact taxing district, any other exemptions and the rates adopted for the year. Non-ad valorem assessments such as solid waste, stormwater, fire or CDD charges are billed on top and are not included here.
The same home in Plant City, at 18.2926 mills, works out to about $6,133 with homestead and $6,899 without. See also the Tampa cost of living guide.
Hillsborough County exemptions and the local senior exemption
The standard homestead exemption and the statewide exemptions for veterans, widows and disabled owners are explained in our Florida property tax guide. What differs in Hillsborough is which local governments have adopted the optional senior exemptions, and where you file.
Senior exemption: Tampa, Temple Terrace and unincorporated areas
The Hillsborough County Property Appraiser lists three governments with an ordinance for the low-income senior exemption. The City of Tampa and unincorporated Hillsborough County allow up to $50,000 off their own levies, and Temple Terrace allows up to $25,000. Plant City is not on the list. At least one owner must be 65 on January 1, the home must already have homestead, and household income must be under the annually adjusted limit. Once granted, it renews automatically while you stay under the limit.
Long-term resident senior exemption
Only the City of Tampa and unincorporated Hillsborough have adopted the full exemption for seniors who have lived in a home with a just value under $250,000 for at least 25 consecutive years. You must first qualify for the low-income senior exemption, then file the long-term residency affidavit.
Where to file in Hillsborough County
File online through the appraiser's homestead e-file page or at one of its four offices: Downtown Tampa (15th floor of County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Boulevard), Brandon, Plant City or Ruskin. The office number is 813-272-6100. The deadline for homestead and first-time senior applications is March 1, and the appraiser tells seniors to apply even if they do not yet know the household's total income.
Save Our Homes and portability in Hillsborough County
Tampa's older neighborhoods are where the Save Our Homes cap matters most, because a long-held homestead can carry an assessed value far below market. When you buy, the cap resets and the home is reassessed on the next January 1, so estimate your bill from the just value on the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser's record, not the seller's bill. If you are moving from another Florida homestead, file the portability form with your Hillsborough homestead application by March 1. The rules are in our Florida property tax guide.
Paying Hillsborough County property taxes
Bills come from the Hillsborough County Tax Collector, Nancy C. Millan, and normally go out on November 1 with the standard early payment discounts of 4% in November down to 1% in February.
Online, by bank bill pay or by mail
You can pay online at any time by eCheck, which carries no fee, or by credit or debit card, which adds a convenience fee that the tax collector does not keep. You can also pay through your bank's bill pay: include the account number from the top left of the tax notice and schedule it at least five business days before the due date. Checks and money orders go by mail, payable in US funds to Nancy C. Millan, Tax Collector.
In person and drop boxes
The tax collector runs ten offices: AAA Westshore, Brandon, Downtown, Drew Park, East Tampa, the MacDill AFB Main Exchange, the MILES mobile bus, North Tampa, Plant City and Southshore. General hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., from 9 a.m. on Wednesdays, and the phone number is 813-635-5200. Most branches also have 24-hour drop boxes for checks and money orders; cash is not accepted in a drop box.
When storms moved the dates
After the fall 2024 storms the tax collector delayed the 2024 bills from November 1 to November 25 and extended the 4% discount to December 31. If a storm hits in the fall, check the tax collector's site for changed dates before you pay. The installment plan is also available; apply by April 30.
Charges that are not in the millage
Flat charges on the Hillsborough County bill
Your bill also carries non-ad valorem assessments, which are flat charges rather than a rate on value. Depending on the parcel, these can include charges such as solid waste, stormwater or street lighting.
If a home sits inside a community development district (CDD), its debt and maintenance assessments are collected on the same bill and can run into the thousands a year. If you are looking at new construction around Tampa, ask for the parcel's current tax bill and the CDD's published assessment schedule before you sign.
How to check a parcel before you buy
Look up the parcel on the tax collector's site and open the most recent bill. Each non-ad valorem line shows the levying authority and the amount. Note any CDD debt assessment and ask the district whether it can be prepaid, and ask the seller whether any special assessment has been approved but not yet billed.
Solid waste assessment in the county service area
Hillsborough County bills garbage collection and disposal as two non-ad valorem assessments on the tax bill for homes in its solid waste service area. For a single-family home the 2026 total is $510.77 ($302.17 collection and $208.60 disposal), up from $289.32 in 2021. The county has proposed $532.77 for 2027, a $22.00 increase. Qualifying seniors and owners with a disability who live in the home can apply for a reduced rate, which is $441.56 for 2026 and $460.28 proposed for 2027. Homes inside Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace are billed by their city instead, so check the parcel's own bill.
HOA dues on the tax bill
The tax collector also collects assessments for special districts that the county has created, and its guidance tells homeowners associations how to have dues collected this way. On some Hillsborough parcels the bill therefore carries a neighborhood assessment that looks like an HOA fee, with the district's name and phone number printed next to it.
How to appeal to the Hillsborough County value adjustment board
The value adjustment board process is the same statewide, and our Florida property tax guide covers the rules. In Hillsborough the board is run by the Clerk of the Circuit Court and is made up of two county commissioners, one school board member and two citizen members. Start with an informal review by the property appraiser, who reviews every petition before it goes to hearing.
Deadline and fee in Hillsborough
For most value disputes the petition must be received in the Clerk's office, not just postmarked, by the 25th day after the TRIM notice is mailed; the mailing date is printed at the bottom of the notice. The property appraiser began mailing 2026 TRIM notices on August 13, 2026. The filing fee rose to $50 per parcel for the 2025 season and is not refundable. It is waived for timely filed homestead applications that were denied.
How to file
File online at taxpayer.justappraised.com/appeals, where the fee is paid by card with a 3.5% processing charge, or mail the two-page petition (one parcel per form) to the Clerk of the VAB, 601 East Kennedy Blvd., County Center 12th Floor, Tampa, FL 33602, with a check payable to the Board of County Commissioners. Special magistrate hearings start in October, and the burden of proof is on the party bringing the challenge.
Legislation and the 2026 ballot: the Hillsborough angle
Amendment 3 on the November 3, 2026 ballot would raise the non-school homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, and cut the non-homestead cap from 10% to 5%. Our Florida property tax guide explains it in full. As a rough illustration only, the extra $98,589 of exemption at the 2025 City of Tampa non-school rate of 13.5028 is worth about $1,331 a year to a Tampa homesteader. The effect on city and county budgets is not settled, so treat this as a sense of scale, not a forecast.
Hillsborough County tax data: values, bills and budgets
Median property tax paid in Hillsborough County
The Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey puts the median real estate taxes paid by Hillsborough homeowners at $3,453 a year, and the median value of an owner-occupied home at $420,000. The median is well below the worked example above because it covers every owner, including those with years of Save Our Homes savings and those with senior or veteran exemptions.
How taxable value changed for 2025
The Department of Revenue's comparison of levies shows the countywide levy raised $979.5 million in 2025-26 at 5.4608 mills, against a rolled-back rate of 5.3531. That works out to about $179.4 billion of countywide taxable value, up roughly 6.8% from about $168.0 billion a year earlier. In the City of Tampa, taxes levied rose 7.2% to $399.6 million at an unchanged 6.2076 mills, implying about $64.4 billion of city taxable value.
Who carries the county levy
For 2024-25, the Department of Revenue's distribution table shows homesteads paid 35.4% of the Hillsborough County general levy and non-homestead residential property 32.0%. In the City of Tampa the split was 31.7% homestead and 33.3% non-homestead residential. In Plant City, industrial property carried 30.6% of the city levy.
Common questions
Does Plant City have the senior property tax exemption?+
No. The Hillsborough County Property Appraiser lists only the City of Tampa and unincorporated Hillsborough (up to $50,000 each) and Temple Terrace (up to $25,000) as having adopted the low-income senior exemption for their own levies. Ask the property appraiser which levies on your own parcel would be reduced before you count on the savings.
What is the property tax rate in Tampa for 2025?+
The final 2025 total for the City of Tampa was 19.8428 mills, or about $19.84 per $1,000 of taxable value. It had fallen each year from 19.7121 in 2021 to 19.0437 in 2024, then rose in 2025 when the school board local levy went up by one mill. Tampa's own operating rate has stayed at 6.2076 throughout.
How much is the Hillsborough County solid waste assessment?+
For a single-family home in the county solid waste service area the 2026 assessment is $510.77, made up of $302.17 for collection and $208.60 for disposal. The county has proposed $532.77 for 2027. Qualifying seniors and owners with a disability pay a reduced $441.56. Homes inside Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace are billed by their city.
How much does it cost to file a VAB petition in Hillsborough County?+
The fee is $50 per parcel, raised to that level for the 2025 season, and it is not refundable. Online filings through the Clerk's portal add a 3.5% card processing charge. There is no fee for a timely filed homestead application that the property appraiser denied. Petitions must be received by the Clerk, not postmarked, by the deadline.
Where can I pay Hillsborough County property taxes in person?+
The Hillsborough County Tax Collector has ten service points, including Downtown Tampa, Brandon, Drew Park, East Tampa, North Tampa, Plant City, Southshore, AAA Westshore, the MacDill AFB Main Exchange and the MILES mobile bus. Offices open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., from 9 a.m. on Wednesdays, and most have 24-hour drop boxes for checks and money orders.
What is the median property tax in Hillsborough County?+
The Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey puts the median real estate taxes paid by Hillsborough County homeowners at $3,453 a year, with a median owner-occupied home value of $420,000. A new buyer usually pays more than the median, because the Save Our Homes cap resets on a sale and long-time owners keep their capped values.
When is the Hillsborough County homestead exemption deadline?+
March 1. You must own the home and live in it as your permanent residence on January 1, then file with the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser online or at the Downtown Tampa, Brandon, Plant City or Ruskin office. A home bought and occupied during 2026 would be filed for by March 1, 2027.
Sources
- Hillsborough County Property Appraiser: Final 2025 millage rates
- Hillsborough County Property Appraiser: Truth in Millage
- Hillsborough County Property Appraiser: Homestead e-file
- Florida Department of Revenue: Property Tax Information for Homestead Exemption (PT-113)
- Florida Department of Revenue: Additional Homestead Exemption Adjustment (revised January 2026)
- Florida Department of Revenue: Save Our Homes annual increase table (revised January 2026)
- Florida Statutes: section 197.162, discounts for early payment
- Florida Department of State: Proposed Constitutional Amendments for the General Election, November 3, 2026
- Florida Department of Revenue: Petitions to the Value Adjustment Board (PT-101)
- Florida Department of Revenue: Property Tax Benefits for Persons 65 or Older (PT-110)
- Hillsborough County Property Appraiser: Final 2021 millage
- Hillsborough County Property Appraiser: Final 2022 millage
- Hillsborough County Property Appraiser: Final 2023 millage
- Hillsborough County Property Appraiser: Final 2024 millage
- Hillsborough County Property Appraiser: Homestead and other exemptions
- Hillsborough County Property Appraiser: TRIM notices begin mailing August 13 (2026 news release)
- Hillsborough County Tax Collector: Property tax payments
- Hillsborough County Tax Collector: Hours and locations
- Hillsborough County Tax Collector: Property tax (2024 storm relief)
- Hillsborough County Tax Collector: Non-ad valorem special districts
- Hillsborough County: Proposed solid waste residential assessment FAQ
- Hillsborough County Clerk: Value Adjustment Board
- Hillsborough County Clerk: Filing an appeal with the VAB (deadlines, fees, instructions)
- Florida Department of Revenue: Table 1, comparison of taxes levied, Hillsborough, 2024-25 and 2025-26
- Florida Department of Revenue: Table 2, distribution of taxes levied, Hillsborough, 2024-25
- Census Reporter: Median real estate taxes paid (B25103), Hillsborough County, ACS 2024 1-year
- Census Reporter: Median value (B25077), Hillsborough County, ACS 2024 1-year