Polk County, home to Bartow and 0.85 million Floridians, uses a millage-based property tax system with two of the most valuable protections in the country for homeowners: a $50,000+ Homestead Exemption (which increases annually with inflation) and the "Save Our Homes" 3% assessment cap. This guide explains every line of your bill, what Save Our Homes actually saves you, and the portability rule that lets you take your accumulated SOH benefit when you move within Florida.
How the bill is built
Florida property tax starts with your home's just value (market value, set by the property appraiser). If you qualify for the Homestead Exemption, two things happen. First, your assessed value is capped at a 3% annual increase over the prior year (the Save Our Homes cap) — so long-term owners often have assessed values far below market value. Second, your taxable value equals your assessed value minus the $25,000 + $25,000 Homestead Exemption (the second $25K only applies to non-school taxes and only above $50K AV; amended to $25,722 for 2025 with the Amendment 5 CPI adjustment).
Your taxable value is then multiplied by the combined millage rate (mills per $1,000 of taxable value) levied by every taxing authority covering your parcel: school board, county, city, water management district, and any special districts. A mill equals $1 of tax per $1,000 of taxable value, so a total of 20 mills on a $300,000 taxable value equals $6,000 of tax.
2026 Polk County rate breakdown (millage per $1,000 taxable value (÷10 from stored per-$100), Bartow district)
| Taxing entity | Rate |
|---|---|
| Polk County School Board | 0.6438 |
| Polk County (General) | 0.6863 |
| City of Bartow | 0.4278 |
| Southwest FL Water Management | 0.0212 |
| Combined total | 1.7791 |
Exemptions you should actually file
Homestead Exemption — every primary-residence owner
Florida's Homestead Exemption is two stacked exemptions on your property's assessed value. The first $25,000 is exempt from all property taxes — school, county, city, and special districts. The second $25,000 (technically $25,722 for 2025 due to the Amendment 5 CPI adjustment) is exempt from everything except school taxes, and only applies to the portion of assessed value above $50,000.
File Form DR-501 with the Polk County Property Appraiser by March 1 of the tax year. You need a Florida driver's license or ID showing the property address, a Florida voter registration or declaration of domicile, and vehicle registration reflecting the Florida address. Once granted, the exemption automatically renews every year as long as you still occupy the property.
Save Our Homes (SOH) Assessment Cap — 3% annual cap on AV growth
Once you've established a Homestead Exemption, your assessed value cannot increase by more than 3% or the change in the Consumer Price Index (whichever is lower) in any given year — regardless of what your market value does. The 2025 cap was 2.9%. The cap resets to full market value when the property sells, which is why buying a homesteaded home from a long-term owner almost always comes with "sticker shock" on the first new tax bill.
Portability — take your SOH savings when you move
Florida homeowners who sell a homesteaded home and buy another in Florida within three tax years can "port" up to $500,000 of their accumulated SOH savings (the dollar difference between market value and assessed value) to the new home. File Form DR-501T along with your new Homestead application.
Senior Exemption (local option) — additional $50,000 for qualifying seniors
Homeowners 65+ with total household income under $36,614 (2025 limit, indexed annually) may qualify for an additional $50,000 exemption from non-school taxes. Not all Florida counties offer this; it's a local-option exemption adopted by county or city ordinance. Contact the Polk County Property Appraiser to confirm availability in Polk County.
Disabled Veteran (100% service-connected) — full exemption
Veterans with a 100% service-connected disability receive a complete property tax exemption on their homesteaded primary residence. Partial disability ratings qualify for a $5,000 exemption. Apply with Form DR-501 or DR-501DV.
Appealing your assessment
If you believe the PCPA's just value is too high, you have 25 days after TRIM notices are mailed (mid-August) to file a petition with the county's Value Adjustment Board (VAB). The VAB holds hearings through the fall and can order reductions. The filing fee is typically $15 per parcel.