Holmes County Property Records

Holmes County property records are maintained by the county property appraiser and the clerk of court, giving anyone a direct way to look up ownership data, assessed values, exemption status, and deed history for parcels in this small northwest Florida county. Whether you are searching for a rural parcel near Bonifay, checking a timber tract along the Choctawhatchee River, or reviewing the assessment history of any piece of real estate in Holmes County, these records are public under Florida law and open to all.

Holmes County Property Appraiser

The Holmes County Property Appraiser office is located at 226 N Waukesha Street, Bonifay, FL 32425. You can reach the office by phone at 850-547-1113. The website is holmescountyonline.com/property-appraiser/, where you can access property search tools, find exemption information, and contact the office. Staff handle all real and tangible personal property valuations in the county and certify the tax roll each year in line with state requirements.

The office works under Florida Statutes Chapter 193, which sets out the rules for property assessment across all Florida counties. Holmes County is a small rural county with a mix of residential, agricultural, and timberland parcels. Agricultural and timber classifications can reduce assessed values significantly compared to market value, and the property appraiser handles those applications each year.

For smaller counties like Holmes, the property appraiser's office is often a single-stop resource for most property record questions. Staff tend to have detailed local knowledge of specific parcels, roads, and boundaries that can be valuable when researching rural tracts.

The property appraiser site for Holmes County provides access to the local records database along with contact information for the Bonifay office.

How to Search Holmes County Property Records

The online search tool linked from holmescountyonline.com/property-appraiser/ is the primary way to look up a property record in Holmes County. You can search by owner name, property address, or parcel identification number. Results include the legal description, current owner, assessed and just values, exemption status, and a sales history showing prior transactions with deed references. The database covers all parcels in the county regardless of size or type.

In-person searches are available at the Waukesha Street office in Bonifay. For older records or properties with complex descriptions, visiting the office in person is often the most effective approach. Staff can search historical records and assist with boundary or ownership questions that may not be easy to resolve through the online system. Bring whatever information you have: an address, a nearby road name, or a prior owner's name is enough to start.

Recorded instruments such as deeds, mortgages, and liens are kept by the Holmes County Clerk of the Circuit Court under Florida Statutes Chapter 28. The clerk's official records and the appraiser's database are separate systems but work together through parcel numbers and legal descriptions. Note: For rural parcels described by metes and bounds rather than a recorded plat, it is especially important to review the actual deed language at the clerk's office to understand the exact boundaries.

What Holmes County Property Records Contain

A typical property record from the Holmes County Property Appraiser includes the current owner's name and mailing address, the property's physical location, the parcel identification number, and the legal description from the recorded deed. The value section shows the just value (market value), the assessed value after applicable caps or classifications, and the taxable value after all exemptions are subtracted. Rural properties in Holmes County may carry agricultural or timber classifications that result in a much lower assessed value than the full market value.

Sales history is included in the record, listing each prior sale with a date, recorded price, and deed book reference. Florida Statutes Chapter 192 requires that all property be carried on the tax roll, so every parcel in Holmes County has an official record even if it has never been sold in a traditional market transaction. Building data shows structure size, construction type, year built, and condition. For agricultural parcels, outbuildings, fencing, and equipment sheds may be listed separately with their own valuations.

Land data shows acreage, land use classification, and zoning where applicable. For timber and agricultural land, the classification code on the record tells you what reduced-value benefit the owner is receiving and what activity must be maintained to keep the classification in place.

Homestead Exemption in Holmes County

Florida's homestead exemption reduces the taxable value of a primary residence by up to $50,000. The first $25,000 applies to all taxing authorities. The second $25,000 covers only non-school taxes on assessed value between $50,000 and $75,000. To qualify, you must own the property, use it as your permanent Florida residence, and file an application with the Holmes County Property Appraiser by March 1 of the first year you want the benefit.

After homestead is in place, Florida Statutes Section 193.155 sets the Save Our Homes cap, which prevents the assessed value from rising more than 3% or the rate of inflation per year, whichever is lower. For owners who have held their homes for several years, this cap can produce a significant difference between the assessed value and what the property would sell for on the open market. If you sell your home and buy a new one in Florida, you may be able to transfer part of that accumulated benefit to the new property through the portability process. Ask the appraiser's office for details when you are ready to apply.

Veterans with service-connected disabilities, surviving spouses, seniors who meet income requirements, widows and widowers, and people with total and permanent disabilities may qualify for extra exemptions. Each requires separate documentation and must be filed by March 1. Note: If you miss the March 1 deadline, you must wait until the following tax year to apply, so file as early in the year as possible if you are a new owner or newly eligible for an additional exemption.

Property Tax Process in Holmes County

Each August, the Holmes County Property Appraiser sends a Truth in Millage (TRIM) notice to every property owner. The TRIM notice is not a tax bill. It shows your proposed assessed value, the exemptions on file, and the proposed millage rates from the county, school board, and any special districts that apply to your parcel. It also tells you when public budget hearings are scheduled so you can attend and comment on proposed spending or rate increases.

If you disagree with the proposed value, contact the property appraiser's office. Many Holmes County disputes are resolved informally because the office is small and staff are accessible. If informal contact does not resolve the issue, you can file a petition with the Value Adjustment Board before the deadline on the TRIM notice. The VAB can reduce the value if your evidence supports a lower assessment.

Tax bills go out in November. You earn a 4% discount by paying in November, 3% in December, 2% in January, and 1% in February. The full amount with no discount is due by March 31. The Holmes County Tax Collector handles billing and payment separately from the property appraiser. The Florida Department of Revenue explains the property tax calendar and appeals process at floridarevenue.com/property/Pages/Taxpayers.aspx for owners who want more background on how the system works statewide.

Official Records at the Holmes County Clerk

Deeds, mortgages, liens, and other documents affecting real estate in Holmes County are recorded by the Clerk of the Circuit Court. Recording creates a public record and gives constructive notice of ownership to anyone who later searches the index. Florida's public records law, Chapter 119, makes virtually all of these instruments available to the public, whether you want to view them in person at the courthouse or request copies for legal purposes.

A complete review of any Holmes County parcel before buying should include both the appraiser's assessment records and the clerk's official recorded documents. The clerk's index tells you what instruments are on file against the title, including any liens or judgments that might need to be cleared before a clean transfer of ownership. Certified copies are available for a per-page fee set by state law. For rural and timber parcels in Holmes County, reviewing the actual deed language is particularly important because metes-and-bounds descriptions can be complex and boundary disputes are not uncommon on older tracts.

Nearby Counties

Holmes County is in the Florida Panhandle and borders several other northwest Florida counties, each with its own property records system.