At a glance
| 2025 millage, Cape Coral (district 057) | 15.3806 |
|---|---|
| City of Cape Coral rate | 5.1471 (the rollback rate) |
| 2025 school millage | 5.3190 |
| Homestead deadline | March 1 |
| Where to file | Lee County Property Appraiser |
Lee County property tax rates by city
Millage is the tax per $1,000 of taxable value. Lee County has many taxing districts because of its fire districts, so check the district number on the parcel record. This breakdown is from the Lee County Property Appraiser's 2025 millage book for district 057, City of Cape Coral.
2025 rates by city and taxing area
| Levy | 2025 rate |
|---|---|
| Lee County general revenue | 3.7623 |
| School board (2.2480 local plus 3.0710 state) | 5.3190 |
| City of Cape Coral | 5.1471 |
| Cape Coral parks voted debt service | 0.1608 |
| Lee County library district | 0.4218 |
| Lee County all hazards protection district | 0.0693 |
| South Florida Water Management District (three levies) | 0.2301 |
| Mosquito, hyacinth control and West Coast Inland Navigation | 0.2702 |
| Total | 15.3806 |
Why rates differ inside the county
Cape Coral proposed 5.5188 for 2025 but adopted the rollback rate of 5.1471, and the library and mosquito districts also adopted their rollback rates. The non-school share of the total is 10.0616 mills, which is the part the second homestead exemption and Amendment 3 would affect.
Cape Coral's redevelopment areas use separate district numbers but carry the same city rate. Proposed 2026 rates were printed on the August 2026 TRIM notice.
Every Lee County city, 2025
Lee has six incorporated municipalities. The millage book gives a total for each city's main taxing district; some cities are split between fire districts, so a few parcels differ slightly.
| Municipality (district) | Total 2025 millage |
|---|---|
| City of Fort Myers (090) | 16.5034 |
| City of Cape Coral (057) | 15.3806 |
| City of Sanibel (010) | 14.0882 |
| Town of Fort Myers Beach (032) | 13.4329 |
| Village of Estero (316, Estero Fire) | 13.0214 |
| City of Bonita Springs (017, Bonita Springs Fire) | 12.7970 |
Unincorporated Lee is split into dozens of districts, largely by fire district. Lehigh Acres Fire came to 10.9125 in 2025 and Iona McGregor Fire to 13.4125, while districts that add a lighting MSTU run higher, such as Alva Fire with Lehigh Acres lighting at 15.2625.
Cape Coral and Fort Myers totals, 2021 to 2025
| Tax year | Cape Coral (057) | Fort Myers (090) |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17.3342 | 18.3762 |
| 2022 | 15.7985 | 17.3126 |
| 2023 | 15.7911 | 16.8848 |
| 2024 | 15.4611 | 16.5194 |
| 2025 | 15.3806 | 16.5034 |
Both cities have cut their totals every year since 2021. The biggest single drop was Cape Coral's in 2022, when the city's own rate fell from 6.2500 to 5.3694 mills, according to the Department of Revenue's municipal data. Fort Myers' city rate went from 7.5875 in 2021 to 6.5000 in 2025.
Worked example: tax on a typical Lee County home
This example uses Zillow's typical home value for Lee County in August 2026, $335,409, and the 2025 City of Cape Coral millage of 15.3806. 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 | $335,409 | $335,409 |
| School taxable value | $335,409 − $25,000 = $310,409 | $335,409 |
| School tax | $310,409 × 5.3190 ÷ 1,000 = $1,651 | $335,409 × 15.3806 ÷ 1,000 = $5,159 (all levies) |
| Non-school taxable value | $335,409 − $50,722 = $284,687 | $335,409 |
| Non-school tax | $284,687 × 10.0616 ÷ 1,000 = $2,864 | Included above |
| Estimated ad valorem tax | $4,515 | $5,159 |
| If paid in November (4% discount) | $4,334 | $4,953 |
What the estimate leaves out
On these assumptions the homestead exemption is worth about $644 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.
For insurance, utilities and other running costs, see the Cape Coral cost of living guide.
Lee County exemptions: the senior amounts by city
The homestead exemption and the statewide veteran, widow and disability exemptions are covered in our Florida property tax guide. In Lee you file with the Lee County Property Appraiser by March 1, online or at its office.
Senior exemption amounts in Lee County
The Lee County Property Appraiser lists how much each government gives qualifying low-income seniors. Lee County gives $50,000 on all county millages, as do Cape Coral, Fort Myers Beach and Estero. Sanibel, Bonita Springs and Fort Myers give $25,000.
Long-term residents: up to $250,000
Lee County, Fort Myers Beach and Estero have also adopted the long-term resident version, which exempts up to the full assessed value, capped at $250,000, for seniors who have lived in the home for 25 years or more and meet the income limit.
Deadlines for Lee seniors
The application is due by March 1, but the appraiser tells seniors to apply even without their income figures, which are due by June 1. Each January the office mails renewal instructions to those who received the exemption the year before.
Save Our Homes and portability in Lee County
Lee County's taxable value rose from about $96.0 billion in 2021 to $149.6 billion in 2025. Lee's appraiser handles portability applications online through its portability page. A buyer's home is reassessed on the next January 1, so the seller's bill is not a guide. The statewide rules are in our Florida property tax guide.
Paying Lee County property taxes
Bills come from the Lee County Tax Collector, whose main office is at 2480 Thompson Street, Fort Myers (239-533-6000), with the standard 4% to 1% early payment discounts.
Fees by payment method
An eCheck online is free. Credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal carry a 2.35% convenience fee with a $1.85 minimum, or 3.95% for international cards. A debit card costs 2.35% online or by phone, but a flat $1.95 in person. The tax collector keeps none of the convenience fee. By mail, send a check payable to Lee County Tax Collector to 2480 Thompson Street, Fort Myers, FL 33901.
Service centers
You can pay at the Bonita Springs, Cape Coral (1039 SE 9th Avenue), Downtown Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres and South Fort Myers service centers, and appointments can be booked online. Standard hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., from 9 a.m. on Thursdays.
Charges that are not in the millage
Flat charges on the Lee County bill
In Cape Coral a large part of the bill can be flat assessments. The Lee County millage book notes that its listing does not include non-ad valorem special assessments. Depending on the parcel, Cape Coral bills may include assessments for fire service, solid waste, stormwater and, in some areas, utility expansion for water and sewer.
Utility assessments can be paid off or carried by the owner, which matters in a sale. Our guide to Cape Coral utility assessments explains how to check a parcel. Look at the last tax bill line by line rather than relying on the millage alone.
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.
How large the flat charges are in Lee's cities
The Department of Revenue's 2025-26 report shows Lee County's municipalities together levied about $193.5 million of non-ad valorem assessments, more than twice the county government's own $87.6 million. Across the cities, fire assessments came to $82.6 million, solid waste $44.7 million, drainage and stormwater $34.8 million and water and sewer $28.0 million. County government's own assessments were almost all solid waste ($86.7 million).
Appealing a Lee County value
The Lee County Property Appraiser mails TRIM notices in August, and you have 25 days from the mailing date to file a petition with the value adjustment board, which is administered by the Lee County Clerk. Start with an informal review by the appraiser, and check the Clerk's VAB page for the current fee and filing portal. The statewide rules, including the partial payment you must make while the petition is pending, are in our Florida property tax guide.
Storm damage and value
Lee homes damaged in a hurricane are valued as of January 1. If the damage is not reflected on the TRIM notice, raise it with the appraiser before the petition deadline, with photos, repair estimates and permit records.
Legislation and the 2026 ballot in Lee County
Amendment 3 would raise the non-school homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028 (see our Florida property tax guide). For a Cape Coral homesteader, the extra $98,589 of exemption at the 2025 non-school rate of 10.0616 would be worth about $992 a year before any rate changes. Because so much of a Cape Coral bill is flat assessments, the percentage saving on the whole bill would be smaller than in counties where millage makes up most of it.
Lee County tax data: values, bills and budgets
Median property tax paid in Lee County
The Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey puts the median real estate taxes paid by Lee County homeowners at $3,087 a year, with a median owner-occupied home value of $396,500.
How taxable value has changed
Department of Revenue data puts Lee County's total taxable value at $149.6 billion for 2025, up 8.3% from $138.1 billion in 2024. In the cities, Cape Coral's taxable value rose from $29.77 billion to $32.04 billion, Fort Myers' from $12.97 billion to $13.97 billion and Sanibel's from $4.69 billion to $5.61 billion. Bonita Springs had $18.82 billion of taxable value at a city rate of just 0.8470 mills.
Common questions
What is the property tax rate in Fort Myers?+
The 2025 total for the main City of Fort Myers district (090) was 16.5034 mills, the highest of Lee's six municipalities. It has fallen every year from 18.3762 in 2021. The city's own rate was 6.5000 mills in 2025, down from 7.5875 in 2021.
How much is the Lee County senior exemption?+
Lee County gives $50,000 on county millages, as do Cape Coral, Fort Myers Beach and Estero; Sanibel, Bonita Springs and Fort Myers give $25,000. Lee County, Fort Myers Beach and Estero also offer the long-term resident exemption of up to $250,000. Apply by March 1; income details are due by June 1.
Which Lee County city has the lowest property tax rate?+
Of the six municipalities, Bonita Springs had the lowest 2025 total, 12.7970 mills in its main district, because its city rate is only 0.8470. Estero followed at about 13.02. Some unincorporated districts are lower still, such as Lehigh Acres Fire at 10.9125.
What does it cost to pay Lee County property tax by card?+
Credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal cost 2.35% with a $1.85 minimum, and international cards 3.95%. A debit card is 2.35% online but a flat $1.95 in person. eCheck is free. The Lee County Tax Collector does not keep any of the convenience fee.
Where can I pay Lee County property taxes in person?+
The Lee County Tax Collector has service centers in Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, Downtown Fort Myers (2480 Thompson Street), Lehigh Acres and South Fort Myers. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., starting at 9 a.m. on Thursdays, and appointments can be booked online.
What is the median property tax in Lee County?+
The Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey puts the median real estate taxes paid by Lee County homeowners at $3,087 a year, with a median home value of $396,500. In Cape Coral, flat assessments for fire, solid waste and stormwater are billed on top.
Sources
- Lee County Property Appraiser: 2025 Taxing District Millage Book
- Lee County Property Appraiser: Tax roll
- Lee County Property Appraiser: Apply for homestead
- 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)
- Lee County Property Appraiser: 2021 taxing district millage book
- Lee County Property Appraiser: 2022 taxing district millage book
- Lee County Property Appraiser: 2023 taxing district millage book
- Lee County Property Appraiser: 2024 taxing district millage book
- Lee County Property Appraiser: General exemption information
- Lee County Property Appraiser: Important dates
- Lee County Tax Collector: Pay online (payment methods and fees)
- Lee County Tax Collector: Locations
- Florida Department of Revenue: 2025 municipal report (data book)
- Florida Department of Revenue: 2021 municipal report (data book)
- Florida Department of Revenue: 2025 taxable value by county (data book)
- Florida Department of Revenue: 2021 taxable value by county (data book)
- Florida Department of Revenue: Non-ad valorem assessments by county, FY 2025-26
- Florida Department of Revenue: Non-ad valorem assessments by municipality, FY 2025-26
- Census Reporter: Median real estate taxes paid (B25103), Lee County, ACS 2024 1-year
- Census Reporter: Median value (B25077), Lee County, ACS 2024 1-year