The City of Bonita Springs is in Lee County, so property values, exemptions and tax bills for Bonita Springs homes are handled by Lee County offices. There is no separate Bonita Springs property appraiser. A few homes with Bonita Springs mailing addresses sit just across the county line in Collier County; for those, the Collier County offices apply. Learn more in What County Is Bonita Springs, Florida Located In.
Lee County Property Appraiser
The Lee County Property Appraiser determines the assessed value of every property in the county and administers tax exemptions. Its property search lets you look up any home by owner name, address or parcel number. The site also explains the annual TRIM notice, which shows a property's value and proposed taxes.
Homestead exemption: To qualify, you must hold title to the home and make it your permanent residence as of January 1. Applications are due by March 1 of the year in which you qualify and can be filed online.
Lee County Tax Collector
The Lee County Tax Collector bills and collects property taxes. Bills go out in November. Paying early earns a discount: 4% in November, 3% in December, 2% in January and 1% in February. Taxes are due by March 31.
Lee County Clerk of Court
The Lee County Clerk of Court maintains deeds, mortgages, liens, plats and other official records. Its records search is the place to confirm a property's ownership history or a recorded lien.
Insider Tools Most Owners Overlook
Homestead portability: Moving from one Florida homestead to another? You may be able to transfer all or part of your Save Our Homes benefit to the new home, up to $500,000. Apply with your new homestead application within three years of January 1 of the year you left your previous homestead. The new home does not inherit this benefit automatically.
Read the TRIM notice closely: The proposed tax notice arrives in mid-August. If you believe the assessed value is wrong, you have 25 days from the mailing date to file a petition with the Value Adjustment Board. Waiting for the November tax bill is too late.
Check your property record: Compare the recorded living area, year built, land size and building features with the home itself. Errors happen. A discrepancy may be worth raising with the Property Appraiser's office.
Aerials, past and present: The Property Appraiser's GeoView map shows parcel boundaries, neighboring parcels and aerial photography. Historic aerial photographs are also available for download, which can reveal how a lot and its surroundings have changed over time.
Reports for serious research: The Property Appraiser's online reports can generate subdivision reports, parcel listings and sales listings, revealing patterns that would take hours to piece together one property at a time.
Beyond the Public Record
Public records tell only part of a property's story. Assessed value and market value are rarely the same number. Neither reflects how a specific home compares with recent sales nearby. Our Bonita Springs market reports track current activity. If you are considering a sale, begin with the home valuator for an initial assessment, then reserve a one-on-one listing strategy session to position your sale.