St. Johns County property tax: rates and homestead

At a glance

2025 millage, unincorporated county	13.4686
2025 millage, City of St. Augustine	19.5552
2026 homestead exemption	Up to $51,411
Homestead deadline	March 1 (March 2 in 2026)
Where to file	St. Johns County Property Appraiser

St. Johns County property tax rates by district

Your rate depends on the taxing district printed on the parcel record, not just the city name on your address. Most of St. Johns County is unincorporated, so the county's special districts, such as lighting districts, beach restoration units and the Ponte Vedra municipal service district, create the differences. The figures below are the 2025 adopted rates from the St. Johns County Tax Collector's millage sheet, the latest final rates published.

What makes up the base rate

Every district starts from the same core levies. In the standard unincorporated district the total is 13.4686 mills:

Levy	2025 rate (mills)
St. Johns County general	4.4999
Road (transportation trust fund)	0.8444
Fire district	1.4700
Health	0.0160
School, state required	3.0240
School, local board	3.2480
St. Johns River Water Management District	0.1793
Mosquito control	0.1600
Florida Inland Navigation District	0.0270
Total, standard unincorporated district	13.4686

The two school levies add up to 6.2720 mills and everything else to 7.1966. That split matters because part of the homestead exemption does not apply to school taxes.

Totals by city and special district, 2025

Area (district codes)	Total 2025 millage	What is added or removed
Unincorporated county, most CDD districts (300 and others)	13.4686	Base levies only
Unincorporated with Port Authority (for example 450, 460, 550)	13.5252	Port Authority 0.0566
Vilano Beach lighting (500)	13.5555	Lighting 0.0303 and Port 0.0566
St. Augustine South lighting (401 / 451)	13.5954 / 13.6520	Lighting 0.1268, with or without Port
Ponte Vedra municipal service district (301, 607)	13.7150	PV Beach municipal service district 0.2464
Serenata Beach MSTU (812, 814)	14.0752	MSTU 0.5500 and Port
South Ponte Vedra Blvd dune and beach MSTU (712, 714)	15.5252	Beach restoration 2.0000 and Port
City of St. Augustine Beach (551)	16.1093	City 2.5000, city bond 0.0841 and Port
City of St. Augustine (452, 457)	19.5552	City 7.5000 and Port; no county fire levy
Summer Haven MSTU (601)	20.8644	MSTU 7.3392 and Port

Why the City of St. Augustine rate is highest

Inside the City of St. Augustine, the county fire levy drops off the bill because the city provides its own fire service, but the city's own 7.5000 mills is added. The net effect is about 6.1 mills more than the standard unincorporated district, which is roughly $610 a year for every $100,000 of taxable value. St. Augustine Beach levies a much lower 2.5000 mills. Before you compare homes in St. Augustine, check whether each parcel is inside city limits, since many St. Augustine mailing addresses are not.

Ponte Vedra and Nocatee

The older Ponte Vedra Beach area sits in the Ponte Vedra municipal service district at 13.7150 mills. Nocatee's St. Johns County neighborhoods are in the Tolomato CDD taxing district at the base 13.4686, with the CDD's own assessment added as a flat charge. Homes in the Duval County part of Nocatee pay City of Jacksonville rates instead; see the Duval County property tax guide. For buying in the area, see our Ponte Vedra guide.

Worked example: tax on a typical St. Johns County home

This example uses Zillow's typical home value for St. Johns County in August 2026, $488,938, the 2025 standard unincorporated rate of 13.4686 mills, and the 2026 homestead amounts ($25,000 on all levies plus $26,411 on non-school levies). It assumes the assessed value equals the Zillow figure. In practice the appraiser sets value as of January 1, and it often differs from a sale price.

The math, line by line

Line	Homesteaded	Not homesteaded
Assessed value	$488,938	$488,938
School taxable value	$488,938 − $25,000 = $463,938	$488,938
School tax (6.2720 mills)	$463,938 × 6.2720 ÷ 1,000 = $2,910	$488,938 × 13.4686 ÷ 1,000 = $6,585 (all levies)
Non-school taxable value	$488,938 − $51,411 = $437,527	$488,938
Non-school tax (7.1966 mills)	$437,527 × 7.1966 ÷ 1,000 = $3,149	Included above
Estimated ad valorem tax	$6,059	$6,585
If paid in November (4% discount)	$5,817	$6,322

The same home in other districts

Using each place's own Zillow typical value for August 2026, the same method gives:

City of St. Augustine ($429,114 at 19.5552 mills): about $7,552 with homestead and $8,391 without.
Ponte Vedra municipal service district ($821,628 at 13.7150 mills): about $10,729 with homestead and $11,269 without.

What the estimate leaves out

On these assumptions homestead is worth about $527 a year in the standard district and about $840 inside the City of St. Augustine, because the city's non-school rate is higher. The larger saving comes later, from the Save Our Homes cap. None of the figures include CDD, solid waste, stormwater or drainage charges, which are billed as flat amounts. Treat every number here as an estimate and use the appraiser's online tax estimator for a specific parcel.

St. Johns County homestead and other exemptions

You file every exemption with the St. Johns County Property Appraiser, online or at its office (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., 904-827-5500). The statewide rules are in our Florida homestead exemption guide; these are the local details.

Homestead exemption: $51,411 for 2026

The appraiser lists the 2026 amount as $51,411: the first $25,000 applies to all taxes and the second tier, now $26,411 after its inflation adjustment, applies to non-school taxes. The Department of Revenue confirms the second tier rose from $25,722 in 2025 to $26,411 in 2026 on a 2.7% CPI change. To qualify you need title and permanent residence on January 1, a Florida driver license or ID showing the homestead address, and no residency-based exemption in another state. A Social Security number is required to file online.

The 2026 deadline fell on March 2

The deadline is normally March 1, moved to the next business day when it falls on a weekend, which is why the appraiser gave March 2, 2026. Late applications are accepted for just cause through the end of the TRIM period, usually in August or September.

Senior exemption

Homeowners aged 65 or older on January 1 with limited household income can receive up to $50,000 more. The income limit is adjusted every year, so confirm the current figure with the appraiser before you apply.

Widow, blind and disability exemptions

The appraiser lists $5,000 exemptions for widowed residents, blind residents and totally and permanently disabled civilians, and a full exemption for quadriplegic owners and certain other totally and permanently disabled owners who meet the income limit.

Veteran and first responder exemptions

A veteran with a service-connected disability of 10% or more receives $5,000. A service-connected total and permanent disability, a surviving spouse of a veteran who died on active duty, and a first responder totally and permanently disabled in the line of duty can each qualify for a full exemption. Veterans aged 65 or older with a combat-related disability can receive a percentage discount equal to their disability rating.

Save Our Homes and portability in St. Johns County

After the first year, the assessed value of a homestead can rise by no more than 3% or the change in CPI, whichever is lower. The Department of Revenue sets the 2026 cap at 2.7%. Non-homestead property has a 10% cap on non-school levies.

Why your bill will not match the seller's

The cap resets when a home sells, and the property is reassessed at market value the next January 1. In a county that has grown as fast as St. Johns, a long-time owner's assessed value can be far below yours. Census Bureau survey data put the median real estate taxes paid by St. Johns County homeowners at $3,721 (ACS 2024 five-year), well below the $6,059 estimate above for a new buyer at today's typical value.

Portability

If you are moving from another Florida homestead, you can transfer up to $500,000 of the capped difference. If you downsize, the benefit is reduced proportionally. You have three tax years from giving up the old homestead to use it, and you apply with the new homestead application.

Paying St. Johns County property taxes

The St. Johns County Tax Collector mails bills around November 1. Taxes are due by March 31 and become delinquent on April 1.

Early payment discounts

Pay in November for a 4% discount, December for 3%, January for 2% or February for 1%. On the $6,059 homesteaded example, paying in November saves about $242.

Installment plan

If your bill is over $100, you can apply to pay in quarterly installments. The application is due by May 1 and the first payment by June 30.

Payment methods and card fee

You can pay online by eCheck or by American Express, Visa, Mastercard or Discover, by phone, by mail or in person. A 2.3% processing fee applies to all credit and debit card transactions, online or at the counter. Mail checks to the St. Johns County Tax Collector, P.O. Box 9001, St. Augustine, FL 32085-9001.

Where to pay in person

The main office is at 4030 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Branches at the Dupont Center (6658 US 1 South), Julington Creek (725 Flora Branch Blvd, St. Johns) and Ponte Vedra (151 Sawgrass Corners Drive, Suite 100) close at 4:30 p.m.

If a bill goes unpaid

From April 1, 3% interest and an advertising charge are added, and a tax certificate is sold on the parcel by June 1. The certificate earns interest for its buyer, and you then have to pay the delinquent tax plus interest and costs to clear it.

Charges that are not in the millage

Many St. Johns County bills have a second block of non-ad valorem assessments. They are flat amounts per unit or per acre, so homestead does not reduce them.

CDD assessments

The millage sheet lists dozens of community development districts, including Julington Creek Plantation, Durbin Crossing, Aberdeen, Tolomato (Nocatee), Rivers Edge, Grand Oaks, Bannon Lakes, Heritage Park and Madeira. Two FY 2026-27 examples show the scale:

Madeira CDD (St. Augustine): a 50-foot single-family lot in Assessment Area 1 pays $846.93 for operations plus $1,379.84 debt service, $2,226.77 a year. An 80-foot lot in Area 2 pays $3,805.17.
Tolomato CDD (Nocatee): operations charges run from $599.06 to $998.42 a year depending on lot size, and totals with debt service reach $3,538.63. A 70-foot lot in Austin Park pays $798.74 plus $1,422.52 debt service, or $2,221.26, unless the debt was paid off.

Our Florida CDD fees guide explains how debt and operations charges work.

Solid waste and stormwater

In unincorporated St. Johns County, weekly garbage, recycling and yard waste collection by FCC Environmental Services is paid through a solid waste non-ad valorem assessment on the tax bill. The millage sheet also lists stormwater utility charges that vary by parcel, and per-unit solid waste disposal, collection and recycling charges.

Drainage districts

Rural parcels can carry acreage charges: the sheet lists the Hastings drainage tax at $3.00 an acre, Flagler Estates road and water control at $179.00 an acre and Elkton drainage at $2.68 to $5.40 an acre.

How to check a parcel

Search the parcel on the tax collector's site and open the last bill. Each non-ad valorem line names the levying body and the amount. For a CDD home, ask the district for the remaining debt balance; Nocatee's district charges $250 for an estoppel letter that gives an exact payoff figure.

Appealing a St. Johns County value

The property appraiser mailed 2026 TRIM notices on August 17, 2026, and posted them online the same day on each property record card. The notice shows your proposed value, exemptions and the proposed rate of every taxing authority.

Start with the appraiser

If the value, exemption or classification looks wrong, contact the property appraiser's office first. Many problems are settled at this informal stage.

File with the value adjustment board

If you cannot agree, you can petition the Value Adjustment Board within 25 days of the TRIM mailing; the exact deadline is printed on the notice. The St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller runs the process (904-819-3600). The statewide rules are in our Florida property tax guide.

Legislation and the November 2026 ballot

Amendment 3

Amendment 3 on the November 3, 2026 ballot would raise the homestead exemption for non-school taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, then index it to inflation, and cut the cap on non-homestead assessment increases from 10% to 5%. New Florida residents after December 31, 2026 would get the larger exemption only from their fifth year. On the example home above, the extra $98,589 of exemption in 2027 at the standard non-school rate of 7.1966 mills would be worth about $710 a year, or about $1,310 inside the City of St. Augustine, before any rate changes.

What the county expects

County Administrator Joy Andrews told commissioners in July 2026 that the amendment could fundamentally change how Florida counties are funded. County staff estimated a revenue loss of $66 million in FY 2028 and up to $830 million cumulatively by 2032 if it passes.

The FY 2027 county rate

Commissioners voted 3-2 in July 2026 to set a preliminary rate matching the one levied last year and held budget hearings on September 3 and 15, 2026. The county described the FY 2027 tentative budget as $1,939,752,566 including capital carryforwards. Final 2026 rates for schools and other authorities will be on your November bill.

St. Johns County tax data: values, levies and growth

Home values

Zillow's typical home value for St. Johns County was $488,938 in August 2026, down 1.5% on the year and up 17.7% over five years. Census data put the median owner-occupied home value at $489,200 and median household income at $109,839 (ACS 2024 five-year).

What the county levied

The county commission's general levy raised $266,190,945 for 2025-26, 6.3% more than the year before, at a rate 1.9% above the rolled-back rate of 4.4180. The fire district levy rose 17.2% to $81,765,345 as its rate went from 1.3813 to 1.4700 mills. Homesteads paid 51.6% of the county's general levy and non-homestead homes 30.2%.

Who pays in the City of St. Augustine

The city levied $26,493,629 for 2025-26. Homesteads paid only 27.6% of it, non-homestead residential property 36.9% and commercial property 25.1%, a sign of how many homes in the historic city are second homes or rentals.

Growth

Census estimates put the county's population at 346,328 on July 1, 2025, up from 273,426 at the 2020 base, one of the fastest growth rates in Florida. See moving to St. Augustine for the homestead filing steps after you buy.

Common questions

How much are property taxes in St. Johns County, FL?+

It depends on the district. The 2025 rate was 13.4686 mills in most of the unincorporated county and 19.5552 in the City of St. Augustine. On Zillow's typical county value of $488,938, that is about $6,059 a year with homestead and $6,585 without, before CDD or solid waste charges. The Census median actually paid is $3,721, lower because of Save Our Homes caps.

How do I pay my property taxes in St. Johns County?+

Pay the St. Johns County Tax Collector online by eCheck or card, by phone at 904-209-2250, by mail to P.O. Box 9001, St. Augustine, FL 32085-9001, or in person at the Lewis Speedway main office or the Dupont Center, Julington Creek and Ponte Vedra branches. Card payments carry a 2.3% fee. Paying in November earns a 4% discount.

How much is the homestead exemption in St. Johns County?+

For 2026 it is up to $51,411. The first $25,000 applies to all taxes, including school taxes, and the second tier of $26,411 applies to non-school taxes on assessed value above $50,000. File with the St. Johns County Property Appraiser by March 1 if you owned and lived in the home on January 1.

What county is St. Johns, Florida in?+

The community of St. Johns, in the northwest of the county near Julington Creek, is in St. Johns County. The tax collector's Julington Creek branch has a St. Johns address (725 Flora Branch Blvd, St. Johns, FL 32259). The county seat is St. Augustine, where the tax collector's main office and the property appraiser are based.

When are St. Johns County property taxes due?+

Bills are mailed around November 1 and must be paid by March 31. Discounts are 4% in November, 3% in December, 2% in January and 1% in February. From April 1 the taxes are delinquent, with 3% interest and an advertising charge, and a tax certificate is sold by June 1.

Why is the property tax higher in the City of St. Augustine?+

The City of St. Augustine adds its own 7.5000 mills and the Port Authority levy, while the county fire levy of 1.4700 drops off, for a 2025 total of 19.5552 mills. That is about 6.1 mills more than the standard unincorporated district, or roughly $610 a year per $100,000 of taxable value. Check whether a parcel is inside city limits.

St. Johns County property tax: millage rates, homestead exemption and a worked bill

Discuss your purchase or sale.