At a glance
| 2025 millage, City of Sarasota | 14.8815 |
|---|---|
| 2025 millage, unincorporated | 11.4737 |
| 2025 millage, Venice | 14.9292 |
| 2025 millage, North Port | 14.5104 |
| Homestead deadline | March 1 |
Sarasota County property tax rates by city
Millage is the tax per $1,000 of taxable value. These totals are built from the Sarasota County Tax Collector's 2025 millage sheet, for the roll certified on October 3, 2025.
2025 rates by city and taxing area
| Taxing area | School millage | Non-school millage | Total 2025 millage |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Sarasota | 6.0950 | 8.7865 | 14.8815 |
| Unincorporated Sarasota County | 6.0950 | 5.3787 | 11.4737 |
| City of Venice | 6.0950 | 8.8342 | 14.9292 |
| City of North Port | 6.0950 | 8.4154 | 14.5104 |
Why rates differ inside the county
The countywide levies total 4.6487: county general revenue (3.2273), mosquito control (0.0520), the hospital district (1.0420), West Coast Inland Navigation (0.0394), the Southwest Florida Water Management District (0.1831) and two debt levies. Schools add 6.0950.
The City of Sarasota and unincorporated areas also pay the emergency medical services levy of 0.7300, which Venice, North Port and Longboat Key do not. The city then adds 3.2730 for its general fund plus 0.1348 of voted debt. Venice (4.1855) and North Port (3.7667) add their own city rates to the 10.7437 countywide base.
Special districts can push individual parcels higher, such as the Sarasota Downtown Improvement District (2.0000) or the Siesta Key Village improvement district (2.4647).
Longboat Key, the fourth municipality
The Town of Longboat Key straddles the Manatee County line. On the Sarasota side it pays the 10.7437 countywide base without the EMS levy, plus a town rate of 1.9600, 0.0380 of debt service and a district debt levy that depends on which side of the key the home is on. That gives 2025 totals of 13.2980 on the Gulf side (town levies of 2.5543) and 12.8808 inland (2.1371), the lowest of the four municipalities.
City of Sarasota total millage, 2021 to 2025
| Tax year | Countywide incl. EMS | City levies | City of Sarasota total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 12.1600 | 3.3472 | 15.5072 |
| 2022 | 11.6857 | 3.1782 | 14.8639 |
| 2023 | 11.5638 | 3.1580 | 14.7218 |
| 2024 | 11.4789 | 3.1436 | 14.6225 |
| 2025 | 11.4737 | 3.4078 | 14.8815 |
The total fell each year from 2021 to 2024, mostly because the state-set school rate dropped from 3.4610 to 2.8830. In 2025 the city's general fund rate went from 3.0000 to 3.2730, which pushed the city total back up even though the countywide rate edged down. The EMS levy has also risen, from 0.6600 in 2021 to 0.7300 in 2025.
Worked example: tax on a typical Sarasota County home
This example uses Zillow's typical home value for Sarasota County in August 2026, $396,714, and the 2025 City of Sarasota millage of 14.8815. 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 | $396,714 | $396,714 |
| School taxable value | $396,714 − $25,000 = $371,714 | $396,714 |
| School tax | $371,714 × 6.0950 ÷ 1,000 = $2,266 | $396,714 × 14.8815 ÷ 1,000 = $5,904 (all levies) |
| Non-school taxable value | $396,714 − $50,722 = $345,992 | $396,714 |
| Non-school tax | $345,992 × 8.7865 ÷ 1,000 = $3,040 | Included above |
| Estimated ad valorem tax | $5,306 | $5,904 |
| If paid in November (4% discount) | $5,094 | $5,668 |
What the estimate leaves out
On these assumptions the homestead exemption is worth about $598 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 value in unincorporated Sarasota County, at 11.4737 mills, comes to about $4,127 with homestead and $4,552 without, before the fire and other assessments described below. For a wider budget, see the Sarasota cost of living guide.
Sarasota County exemptions: the local senior amounts
The homestead exemption and the statewide exemptions are explained in our Florida property tax guide. In Sarasota County you file with the Sarasota County Property Appraiser, Bill Furst, online or at his office, by March 1.
Senior exemption amounts differ by city
Each government in Sarasota County has set its own amount for the limited income senior exemption. The property appraiser lists $50,000 off city taxes in the City of Sarasota, Venice and Longboat Key, $25,000 in North Port, and $5,000 off Sarasota County taxes. School, hospital district, West Coast Inland Navigation and water management taxes are not reduced.
The 2026 income limit and paperwork
For 2026 the household adjusted gross income limit is $38,686, counting everyone who lives in the home. File form DR-501SC by March 1, and send copies of the prior year's federal tax returns for everyone in the household by June 1. The appraiser uses line 11 of Form 1040 as adjusted gross income.
Save Our Homes and portability in Sarasota County
Sarasota County's taxable value grew about 57% from 2021 to 2025, and the property appraiser warns buyers not to assume that the previous owner's exemptions and capped value carry over. They do not: the home is reassessed at just value on the next January 1. The appraiser's online estimator is the better guide to a new owner's bill. The cap and portability rules are in our Florida property tax guide.
Paying Sarasota County property taxes
Bills from the Sarasota County Tax Collector, Mike Moran, are payable from November 1 and go delinquent on April 1. Mortgage companies that pay from escrow must pay within the 4% discount period. If your bill has not arrived by November 15, contact the office or print a copy from its website.
Ways to pay
Online, an eCheck costs nothing and debit or credit cards carry a processor's fee. You can also wire funds, pay through your bank's bill pay, or mail a check drawn on a US bank to 101 S. Washington Blvd., Sarasota, FL 34236-6993. Leave enough time for a bank bill payment to settle by the due date.
Offices
There are four service centers: Downtown Sarasota (101 S. Washington Boulevard), Mid-County (6100 Sawyer Loop Road, which also has a drive-thru), Venice (Anderson Administration Center, 4000 S. Tamiami Trail) and North Port City Hall (4970 City Hall Boulevard). Cash is taken inside the offices but not at the drive-thru.
Installments and partial payments
The tax collector offers the quarterly installment plan and also accepts partial payments. Both are described on its property tax pages.
Charges that are not in the millage
Flat charges on the Sarasota County bill
In Sarasota County, county fire service is billed as a non-ad valorem assessment rather than millage where it applies, and the tax collector's 2025 sheet also lists solid waste districts, stormwater charges, sewer and water assessments and street lighting districts.
The same sheet lists more than a dozen community development districts. If you are considering new construction around Sarasota, ask for the CDD's assessment on the specific lot. The property appraiser also warns buyers not to assume the previous owner's exemptions and caps carry over, which they do not.
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 much Sarasota County bills in flat charges
According to the Department of Revenue's 2025-26 report, Sarasota County government levied about $158.4 million of non-ad valorem assessments, one of the highest totals among the counties on this site. Fire was the largest part at $77.0 million, reflecting the county's choice to fund fire service through an assessment rather than millage. Solid waste followed at $44.1 million and drainage and stormwater at $34.3 million. North Port bills its own fire and rescue, solid waste and road and drainage assessments.
Appealing to the Sarasota County value adjustment board
The VAB is run by the Sarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller. General rules are in our Florida property tax guide.
Filing in Sarasota County
Petitions are filed through the Clerk's online portal, with a $50.00 fee paid by credit or debit card plus a 3.5% processing fee. The deadline is the 25th day after TRIM notices are mailed, and the Clerk's page confirms that the 2026 deadline has now passed. Exemption denials and some classification decisions have 30 days from the mailing of the denial. The VAB clerk can be reached at (941) 861-7400. After filing, the clerk schedules a hearing before a special magistrate.
Legislation and the 2026 ballot in Sarasota County
Amendment 3 on the November 2026 ballot would raise the non-school homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028 (our Florida property tax guide has the details). Because unincorporated Sarasota has a low non-school rate of 5.3787 mills, the effect there is smaller: the extra $98,589 of exemption is worth about $530 a year at that rate, against about $866 at the City of Sarasota's 8.7865. Neither figure is a forecast.
Sarasota County tax data: values, bills and budgets
Median property tax paid in Sarasota County
The Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey puts the median real estate taxes paid by Sarasota County homeowners at $3,476 a year, with a median owner-occupied home value of $466,800. That is below the City of Sarasota worked example because most homes are outside the city and pay the lower unincorporated rate.
How taxable value has changed
Department of Revenue data puts Sarasota County's total taxable value at $109.9 billion for 2025, up 5.9% from $103.8 billion in 2024 and up from $70.1 billion in 2021. Among the cities, North Port's taxable value rose from $9.96 billion to $10.85 billion in a year and Longboat Key's Sarasota portion from $6.22 billion to $7.06 billion. The City of Sarasota reached $19.48 billion.
Common questions
How much is the senior exemption in Sarasota County?+
It depends on where you live. The property appraiser lists $50,000 off city taxes in the City of Sarasota, Venice and Longboat Key, $25,000 in North Port and $5,000 off Sarasota County taxes. For 2026 the household income limit is $38,686. School and hospital district taxes are not reduced, and you file form DR-501SC by March 1.
What is the property tax rate in Venice, Florida?+
For 2025 the City of Venice total was 14.9292 mills: the 10.7437 countywide base (Venice does not pay the county EMS levy) plus 4.1855 of city operating and voted debt levies. Venice's debt levy has fallen from 0.5570 in 2021 to 0.3405 in 2025.
Which part of Sarasota County has the lowest property tax rate?+
By millage, unincorporated Sarasota County, at 11.4737 mills in 2025, because it has no city levy. Among the cities, Longboat Key is lowest at 12.8808 inland and 13.2980 on the Gulf side. Unincorporated homes pay the county fire assessment as a flat charge on top of the millage, so compare whole bills, not just rates.
How do I file a VAB petition in Sarasota County?+
Use the Clerk and Comptroller's online VAB petition portal. The filing fee is $50.00 by credit or debit card, plus a 3.5% processing fee. Value petitions are due by the 25th day after TRIM notices are mailed, and the 2026 deadline has passed. Call the VAB clerk at (941) 861-7400 with questions.
Where can I pay Sarasota County property taxes in person?+
The Sarasota County Tax Collector has four service centers: Downtown Sarasota at 101 S. Washington Boulevard, Mid-County at 6100 Sawyer Loop Road, Venice at 4000 S. Tamiami Trail and North Port City Hall. Mid-County has a drive-thru, which does not take cash.
What is the median property tax in Sarasota County?+
The Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey puts the median real estate taxes paid by Sarasota County homeowners at $3,476 a year, with a median home value of $466,800. A new buyer usually pays more than the median because the Save Our Homes cap resets on a sale.
Sources
- Sarasota County Tax Collector: 2025 ad valorem taxes and non-ad valorem assessments
- Sarasota County Tax Collector: Millage rates
- Sarasota County Property Appraiser: 2025 roll certification
- Sarasota County Property Appraiser: Estimating taxes
- Sarasota County Property Appraiser: Apply online 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)
- Sarasota County Tax Collector: 2021 millage rates
- Sarasota County Tax Collector: 2022 millage rates
- Sarasota County Tax Collector: 2023 millage rates
- Sarasota County Tax Collector: 2024 millage rates
- Sarasota County Tax Collector: Property tax
- Sarasota County Tax Collector: Payment options
- Sarasota County Tax Collector: Service centers, locations and hours
- Sarasota County Property Appraiser: Senior exemptions
- Sarasota County Clerk and Comptroller: Value Adjustment Board
- Florida Department of Revenue: 2025 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
- Census Reporter: Median real estate taxes paid (B25103), Sarasota County, ACS 2024 1-year
- Census Reporter: Median value (B25077), Sarasota County, ACS 2024 1-year