Tallahassee Property Records

Property records for Tallahassee are maintained by the Leon County Property Appraiser and cover all parcels within city limits. These records include ownership history, assessed values, legal descriptions, exemptions, and tax information. As Florida's capital city, Tallahassee is also home to state agencies that oversee property tax policy statewide, giving residents access to both local and state-level resources. This page explains how to find and use Tallahassee property records, where to go for exemptions, and how building and zoning documents factor into the full picture of property information in this city.

Leon County Property Appraiser

The Leon County Property Appraiser is the primary office for all Tallahassee property records. Located at 315 S Calhoun Street in downtown Tallahassee, the office handles property valuations, ownership records, exemption applications, and parcel data for every property within Leon County, including all properties inside city limits.

You can reach the office by phone at 850-606-6200. The office website at leonpa.org provides online search tools where you can look up parcels by owner name, address, or parcel identification number. Records available through the search include assessed value, taxable value, legal description, ownership history, land size, building characteristics, and exemption status.

The Leon County PA website is a solid starting point for most property research needs in Tallahassee. Most data is current and updated on a regular basis.

The screenshot below shows the Leon County Property Appraiser's website, where you can search all Tallahassee parcels online.

Visit leonpa.org to start a property search by address, owner name, or parcel ID.

Homestead and Other Exemptions

Florida homeowners who use their Tallahassee property as a primary residence may qualify for the homestead exemption, which reduces the assessed value used to calculate property taxes. The standard exemption is up to $50,000. The first $25,000 applies to all tax levies, and the second $25,000 applies to non-school levies only.

You must apply for the exemption through the Leon County Property Appraiser. The deadline to apply is March 1 of the tax year for which you want the exemption. New homeowners who miss the deadline must wait until the following year. Applications can be submitted in person at 315 S Calhoun Street or through the online portal on the PA's website.

Other exemptions available in Leon County include:

• Senior citizen exemption (age 65+, income limits apply)
• Disability exemption (total and permanent disability)
• Veteran exemption (honorably discharged, service-connected disability)
• Widow and widower exemption
• First responder total disability exemption

Each exemption has its own eligibility rules and required documentation. The Leon County PA office can answer questions about which exemptions you may qualify for. Florida law governing exemptions falls under Chapter 196 of the Florida Statutes, which sets the statewide framework for property tax exemptions.

Florida Department of Revenue: Tallahassee Headquarters

The Florida Department of Revenue (DOR) is headquartered in Tallahassee at 5050 West Tennessee Street, Tallahassee FL 32399, phone 850-717-6570. While the DOR does not maintain individual property records, it oversees the property tax system statewide, sets assessment rules, and publishes guidance that affects every county in Florida.

Tallahassee residents may find the DOR's resources useful when researching state-level property tax rules. The DOR provides data portals, taxpayer guides, and contact directories for county officials. If you have a dispute about how Florida property tax law applies to your situation, the DOR's Property Tax Oversight division is the right place to look for official guidance. Their online resources cover topics such as assessment limits, exemption rules, and how property values are calculated under state law.

As the state capital, Tallahassee gives residents direct geographic access to these state agencies, though most individual property records questions still go through the Leon County Property Appraiser.

City of Tallahassee: Building and Growth Management

The City of Tallahassee's Growth Management Department handles building permits, zoning records, development applications, and code enforcement. These records are separate from the Property Appraiser's database but are often needed alongside valuation data when researching a property's full history.

The Growth Management office is located at 435 N Macomb Street, Tallahassee FL 32301, phone 850-891-7001. Their website is at talgov.com/growth. You can look up active permits, issued permits, zoning classifications, and code violations through the city's online permit portal.

The City of Tallahassee's Growth Management portal is shown below. Use it to search permits and zoning records tied to any city property.

Permit and zoning searches are available at talgov.com/growth.

For general city services and records, contact the City of Tallahassee main office at 300 S Adams Street, Tallahassee FL 32301, phone 850-891-8200, or visit talgov.com.

Property Assessment and Florida Law

Florida's property assessment framework is set by state law. Chapter 192 covers general property tax rules. Chapter 193 sets the rules for how property appraisers assess real and personal property each year. Together, these chapters define what counts as taxable property, how values must be set, and what records must be kept.

Under Florida's Save Our Homes amendment, the assessed value of a homestead property cannot increase more than 3% per year (or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower). This cap can mean that a home's taxable value is well below its market value, especially for long-term owners. When a property sells, the cap resets to market value for the new owner.

Public access to property records is protected under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, Florida's Public Records Law. Under this law, property assessment records, deed information, and ownership data are generally available to the public. Some personal information, such as the home address of certain protected individuals (judges, law enforcement), may be exempt from disclosure.

How to Search Tallahassee Property Records

Most searches start at the Leon County Property Appraiser's website. You can search by:

• Owner name: useful if you know who owns a property
• Property address: the most direct way to find a specific parcel
• Parcel ID number: a unique identifier assigned to each taxable parcel in Leon County

Once you locate a parcel, the record typically shows current ownership, mailing address of the owner, assessed and taxable values, exemptions applied, land use codes, building data (square footage, year built, construction type), and recent sales history. The PA database is updated throughout the year as new deeds are recorded and as new assessments are completed.

For deed copies and recorded documents, you need the Leon County Clerk of Courts. Deeds, mortgages, liens, and other recorded instruments are filed with the clerk and are publicly searchable. The clerk's Official Records database can be searched at the Leon County Clerk's website. Certified copies of documents are available for a fee under Chapter 28 of the Florida Statutes, which governs clerk of court fees and records procedures.

Nearby Cities

Tallahassee is the largest city in north Florida's Big Bend region. No other Florida cities over 100,000 population are located nearby.