Jackson County Property Records

Jackson County property records are kept by the county property appraiser and the clerk of court, giving anyone a direct way to find ownership data, assessed values, exemption status, and deed history for real estate in this Florida Panhandle county. Whether you are searching for a parcel near Marianna, reviewing farmland in the Chattahoochee area, checking a rural tract in Graceville, or tracing the title history of any piece of real estate across Jackson County, these records are public under Florida law and open to all.

Jackson County Property Appraiser

The Jackson County Property Appraiser office is at 2864 Madison Street, Marianna, FL 32446. You can reach the office at 850-482-9654. The website is jacksoncountyfl.net/property-appraiser/, where you can access property search tools, exemption information, and office contact details. Staff handle all property valuations, tax roll certifications, and exemption processing for real and tangible personal property throughout the county.

The office follows Florida Statutes Chapter 193, which sets out how counties must assess property, handle appeals, and certify the tax roll to the Florida Department of Revenue each year. Jackson County has a mix of residential, agricultural, and timber parcels typical of northwest Florida. The appraiser's office handles agricultural and timber classification applications that can reduce assessed value significantly on qualifying land, and staff review those classifications annually to confirm continued eligibility.

Jackson County was affected by Hurricane Michael in 2018, which prompted significant damage assessment work by the property appraiser's office in the years following the storm. The office worked to update records for damaged and rebuilt structures throughout the county.

The property appraiser website provides access to the county's property search database along with contact and location details for the Marianna office.

How to Search Jackson County Property Records

The online search tool linked from jacksoncountyfl.net/property-appraiser/ is the primary way to look up property records in Jackson County. You can search by owner name, property address, or parcel identification number. Results typically include the legal description, current ownership, assessed and just values, exemption status, and prior sales data with deed references. The database covers all parcels in the county, from residential lots in Marianna to large agricultural tracts in the county's rural areas.

For in-person searches, visit the Madison Street office in Marianna during regular office hours. Staff can assist with lookups that are difficult to complete online, including older records, properties with complex metes-and-bounds descriptions, or parcels where the digital record is incomplete due to age. Bring whatever you have: a street address, a prior owner's name, or a general location in the county is enough to start a search.

For recorded instruments, you need the Jackson County Clerk of the Circuit Court, not the property appraiser. The clerk maintains deeds, mortgages, liens, and other official records under Florida Statutes Chapter 28. The clerk's records and the appraiser's data are separate systems that link through parcel numbers and legal descriptions. Note: For properties in the western part of Jackson County that border Georgia, confirm that the boundary description in the deed clearly places the parcel within Florida jurisdiction before proceeding with any purchase.

What Jackson County Property Records Contain

A property record from the Jackson 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 deed. The valuation section shows the just value (market value), the assessed value after applicable caps or classifications, and the taxable value after all exemptions are subtracted. Agricultural and timber parcels often have a much lower assessed value than their market value because of the special classification programs available under Florida law.

Sales history in the record lists prior transactions with dates, recorded prices, and deed book references. Florida Statutes Chapter 192 requires that all property be listed on the tax roll each year, so every parcel in Jackson County has a record even if it has been held by the same family for generations without a formal sale. Building data includes square footage, year built, construction type, and condition. For rural and agricultural tracts, outbuildings, barns, and equipment sheds are often listed separately with individual value estimates.

Land records show acreage, land use classification, and zoning code where applicable. Parcels with special use classifications such as agricultural or timber greenbelt show both the classification value and the market value in the record, so you can see how much the classification is saving the owner each year on the tax bill.

Homestead Exemption in Jackson County

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

Once homestead is in place, the Save Our Homes cap under Florida Statutes Section 193.155 limits how much the assessed value can rise in any single year. The cap is 3% or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower. This protection stays in place as long as you keep the homestead exemption on that property. If you sell your home and buy a new one anywhere in Florida, you may be eligible to port the accumulated benefit to your new property, reducing the new home's assessed value at the time you apply. The appraiser's office can explain the portability application process in detail.

Veterans with service-connected disabilities, their surviving spouses, qualifying seniors, widows and widowers, and people with total and permanent disabilities may be eligible for additional reductions beyond the basic homestead exemption. Each requires its own application and supporting documents. Note: Exemption applications must be filed by March 1 each year; if you miss the deadline, the earliest you can get the exemption is the following tax year.

Property Tax Process in Jackson County

The property tax cycle in Jackson County begins each August when the property appraiser sends a Truth in Millage (TRIM) notice to all property owners. The TRIM notice is not a bill. It shows the proposed assessed value, the exemptions on file, and the proposed millage rates from the county, school board, and any special districts. It also lists public budget hearing dates so owners can attend and comment on proposed spending and tax rates before they are adopted.

If you believe the value shown on the TRIM notice is too high, contact the Jackson County Property Appraiser to discuss it. Most disagreements at this stage can be resolved informally. If the office does not agree to a change, you can file a petition with the Value Adjustment Board before the deadline printed on your TRIM notice. The VAB is independent of the appraiser and can order a reduction if you provide credible evidence of a lower value.

Tax bills go out in November. Paying in November earns a 4% discount. Paying in December saves 3%, January saves 2%, and February saves 1%. The full amount is due by March 31. The Jackson County Tax Collector handles billing and payments separately from the property appraiser. The Florida Department of Revenue maintains a taxpayer information page at floridarevenue.com/property/Pages/Taxpayers.aspx with plain-language explanations of the TRIM process and appeal rights.

Official Records at the Jackson County Clerk

Deeds, mortgages, liens, and other instruments that affect title to real property in Jackson County are recorded and maintained by the Clerk of the Circuit Court. When a deed is recorded with the clerk, it becomes part of the permanent public record and establishes constructive notice of the transfer. Anyone can search those records, and Florida's public records law, Chapter 119, makes them available to the public at no charge to view. Certified copies are available for a per-page fee.

A thorough review of any Jackson County parcel before purchase should include both the appraiser's assessment records and the clerk's official recorded documents. The clerk's index shows what instruments are on file against the title, including any judgment liens, lis pendens notices, or recorded easements that could affect the property. In a county where a significant portion of the land base is agricultural or timberland with older ownership histories, reviewing actual deed documents from the clerk's records often reveals boundary information or easement rights that do not show up clearly in the appraiser's database alone.

Nearby Counties

Jackson County is in the Florida Panhandle and borders several other northwest Florida counties as well as Alabama and Georgia. Each has its own property records system.