Glades County Property Records Lookup

Glades County property records are maintained by the Property Appraiser's office in Moore Haven, a rural south-central Florida county bordering Lake Okeechobee with a population of about 13,000. The county covers a large land area with a mix of agricultural operations, rural residential parcels, and lakefront properties. This page explains how to access property ownership data, assessed values, recorded deeds, and exemption information from the right county offices.

Glades County Property Appraiser

The Glades County Property Appraiser is located at 500 Avenue J, Moore Haven, FL 33471. The office phone is 863-946-6025. Their website is at myglades.com/property-appraiser, where you can search parcel records and find exemption forms. The appraiser's core job is to set the just value for all real property in Glades County each January 1, following the requirements of Florida's Chapter 193.

The screenshot below is from the Glades County Property Appraiser's website, showing the online tools available for parcel searches and records access.

The appraiser's site is the primary resource for parcel data, ownership records, and exemption information specific to Glades County properties.

Glades County handles a high proportion of agricultural land, including cattle ranches, citrus groves, and sugarcane operations near Lake Okeechobee. These parcels are often assessed under Florida's agricultural classification rules, which use use value rather than market value. That distinction can significantly change the tax burden on large rural parcels.

Parcel and Ownership Data Search

The online parcel search for Glades County lets you look up properties by owner name, street address, or parcel identification number. Results include the current owner of record, mailing address, legal description, land area, building information if any, and both the just value and assessed value. Any exemptions, including homestead and agricultural classification, appear in the record as well.

Because Glades County is rural and sparsely settled, street address searches can sometimes be unreliable for parcels in unincorporated areas. If you have trouble finding a property by address, try searching by the owner's name or use the parcel ID from a deed or prior tax bill. The appraiser's office staff can also help identify a parcel if you bring a legal description or tax receipt to the counter.

Tax year history for each parcel is also available through the search tool. This lets you track how values have changed over multiple years, which can be useful for due diligence on a potential land purchase or for verifying that your own assessment has remained within the Save Our Homes cap.

Note: Large Glades County parcels that cross section lines may have multiple parcel IDs. Confirm all relevant parcel numbers before drawing conclusions about the total assessed value of a large tract.

Deeds and Recorded Land Records

Recorded deeds, mortgages, easements, and other instruments affecting Glades County land are filed with the Glades County Clerk of Courts. Under Chapter 28, the clerk maintains all official recorded documents and makes them available to the public. Deeds recorded in Glades County include warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, personal representative deeds, and special warranty deeds used in various transfer situations.

Documentary stamp taxes on recorded deeds give you a way to estimate a sale price. The tax is $0.70 per $100 of the purchase price for most deeds. A deed showing $1,400 in stamps suggests a sale price near $200,000. This is a common method for verifying recent sale prices from the public record before the appraiser updates the assessment roll.

For older Glades County property records, some documents may be in paper or microfilm form at the Clerk's office. Staff can help you locate older records. More recent documents are generally available through the Clerk's online search portal.

Homestead and Agricultural Exemptions

Glades County property owners living in their home as a primary residence can apply for Florida's homestead exemption. This reduces the assessed value by up to $50,000. The March 1 deadline applies each year you want the exemption. The appraiser's office in Moore Haven handles all exemption applications and can walk you through the process.

Agricultural classification is especially important in Glades County, where ranching and farming are common. To get agricultural classification, a landowner must show that the land is being used for a bona fide agricultural purpose. The appraiser makes a judgment call based on evidence such as grazing leases, equipment on site, income from the operation, and management plans. If approved, the land is taxed on its agricultural value, not its market value, which can be a very significant difference on large tracts near the lake.

Senior and veteran exemptions are also available to qualifying property owners. Disabled veterans may receive partial or full exemptions depending on the nature and severity of their service-connected disability. The appraiser's office can tell you which forms and documentation each exemption requires.

Property Taxes in Glades County

The Glades County Tax Collector sends annual property tax bills in November. Under Chapter 192, taxes are due by March 31 and early payment discounts apply: 4% in November, 3% in December, 2% in January, and 1% in February. After the March 31 deadline, delinquent taxes accrue interest.

If taxes go unpaid for long enough, Glades County can sell a tax certificate against the property. If still unpaid after two years, the certificate holder can apply for a tax deed, which leads to a public auction. Buyers at a Glades County tax deed sale should carefully check all recorded liens and encumbrances before bidding, as some may survive the tax deed process.

Public Records Access

Florida's Chapter 119 guarantees public access to government records, including all property records held by Glades County offices. Ownership data, assessed values, deed records, tax payment history, and exemption files are all open for inspection without needing to state a reason. The Florida DOR also provides taxpayer-focused guidance at floridarevenue.com that explains owner rights and the appeals process in plain language.

Challenging Your Glades County Assessment

If you believe your Glades County property has been overvalued, start by contacting the Property Appraiser's office for an informal review. Bring evidence of lower comparable sales or a recent appraisal. If the informal review doesn't produce a correction, file a petition with the Glades County Value Adjustment Board by the deadline on your August TRIM notice.

The VAB schedules a hearing where you and the appraiser both present evidence. The board issues a decision. If you still disagree, circuit court is the final option. Most challenges are resolved at the informal review or VAB stage without going to court. Agricultural classification disputes follow a similar path but have their own specific evidence requirements.

Cities in Glades County

Glades County has no cities that meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. Moore Haven is the county seat. Other communities include Buckhead Ridge, Lakeport, and Palmdale, all small unincorporated areas without individual pages here.

Nearby Counties

Glades County borders six counties. Charlotte lies to the west, Collier to the south, Hardee to the north, Hendry to the south and east, Highlands to the northeast, and Okeechobee to the north and east. Each has its own property appraiser and recording office.