Find Jefferson County Property Records

Jefferson County property records are maintained by the county property appraiser and the clerk of court, giving residents, buyers, and researchers a straightforward way to find ownership data, assessed values, exemption status, and deed history for real estate in this small north Florida county. Whether you are searching for a parcel near Monticello, reviewing a timberland or farm tract in the county's rural areas, or tracing the title of any piece of real estate in Jefferson County, these records are public under Florida law and open to anyone who requests them.

Jefferson County Property Appraiser

The Jefferson County Property Appraiser office is located at 445 W Palmer Mill Road, Monticello, FL 32344. You can reach the office at 850-342-0141. The website is jeffersoncountyfl.gov/property-appraiser/, which provides access to the property search database, exemption information, and contact details for the office. Staff handle all property valuations, exemption processing, and tax roll certifications for the county under state law.

The office operates under Florida Statutes Chapter 193, which governs property assessment across all 67 Florida counties. Jefferson County is one of Florida's smaller counties by population, located just east of Tallahassee in the Big Bend region. It has a significant amount of rural and timberland, along with farms and some residential development, particularly along U.S. 19 and near the Monticello area. The appraiser's office handles both the residential and agricultural sides of the county's property base.

Because Jefferson County is small, the property appraiser's office tends to be a direct and accessible resource. Staff often have detailed local knowledge that helps with lookups for older rural parcels or properties with non-standard descriptions. The Florida Department of Revenue maintains statewide property tax data at its data portal, which can be useful when you need to compare information across county lines.

The state data portal includes archived roll data and county comparison tools, useful when researching property in Jefferson and neighboring counties like Leon, Gadsden, and Madison.

How to Search Jefferson County Property Records

The online search tool at jeffersoncountyfl.gov/property-appraiser/ is the starting point for any online lookup. 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 sales history with deed references. The database covers all parcels in the county regardless of size or use type.

For in-person searches, the office is on W Palmer Mill Road in Monticello. Staff are generally accessible and can help with records that are hard to find online, especially older parcels with metes-and-bounds descriptions or ownership histories that predate the digital records system. Bring whatever you have: an address, a prior owner's name, or a rough location is enough to start a search.

Recorded instruments including deeds, mortgages, and liens are kept by the Jefferson County Clerk of the Circuit Court, not the property appraiser. The clerk maintains those official records under Florida Statutes Chapter 28. The two systems link through parcel numbers and legal descriptions but are separate databases maintained by different offices. Note: For older rural properties in Jefferson County where land has passed through multiple generations without recent sales, the deed records at the clerk's office may be the most reliable source of boundary and ownership information.

What Jefferson County Property Records Show

A property record from the Jefferson County Property Appraiser includes the current owner's name and mailing address, the physical property location, the parcel identification number, and the legal description from the deed on file. The value section breaks the record into just value (reflecting market conditions), assessed value after applicable caps or classifications, and taxable value after all exemptions are subtracted. For timberland and agricultural properties, which are common in Jefferson County, the assessed value under a special classification can be much lower than the market value, and the record will typically show both figures.

Sales history is part of the record. Prior transactions are listed with dates, prices, and deed book references. Florida Statutes Chapter 192 requires all property to be on the tax roll, so every parcel in Jefferson County has a record even if it has not been sold in decades. Building data includes the structure's size, year built, construction type, and condition. For agricultural and timberland parcels, barns, pole sheds, and other outbuildings are often listed separately with individual value estimates. Land data shows acreage, zoning, and land use classification code.

Homestead Exemption in Jefferson 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 that levy against your property. The second $25,000 applies only to non-school millage and covers assessed values between $50,000 and $75,000. You must own the property, live there as your permanent Florida residence, and file an application with the Jefferson County Property Appraiser by March 1 of the first year you want the exemption to apply.

Once homestead is in place, the Save Our Homes cap under Florida Statutes Section 193.155 limits how much the assessed value can rise each year. The cap is set at 3% or the prior year's Consumer Price Index rate of inflation, whichever is lower. For Jefferson County homeowners who have lived in their homes for many years, this cap can mean the assessed value is well below the current market value, which keeps the tax bill lower than it would otherwise be. If you sell your home and buy a new one anywhere in Florida, you may be able to transfer the accumulated savings to your new home through the portability process.

Additional exemptions are available for veterans with service-connected disabilities, their surviving spouses, seniors who meet household income limits set annually by the state, widows and widowers, and people with total and permanent disabilities. Contact the appraiser's office to get the full list of exemptions and the documents required for each. Note: All exemption applications must be filed by March 1; there is no extension, and missing the deadline means waiting until the following tax year.

Property Tax Process in Jefferson County

The annual tax cycle begins in August when the Jefferson County Property Appraiser sends a Truth in Millage (TRIM) notice to each property owner. The TRIM notice is not a tax bill. It shows the proposed assessed value, the exemptions currently on file, and the proposed millage rates from the county, school board, and any special districts. Public budget hearing dates are also listed so you can attend and comment before rates are officially adopted.

If the proposed value on your TRIM notice seems wrong, call or visit the property appraiser's office to discuss it. Many disputes in a small county like Jefferson can be worked out informally. If you cannot reach an agreement, you can file a petition with the Value Adjustment Board before the deadline listed on the notice. The VAB is independent of the appraiser and can order a reduction if the evidence supports a lower value.

Tax bills go out in November. Early payment earns a discount: 4% in November, 3% in December, 2% in January, and 1% in February. The full amount is due March 31. The Jefferson County Tax Collector handles billing and payments. The Florida Department of Revenue provides statewide taxpayer guidance at floridarevenue.com/property/Pages/Taxpayers.aspx, which explains the TRIM process, exemptions, and appeal rights in plain terms that apply to Jefferson County and every other Florida county.

Official Records at the Jefferson County Clerk

Deeds, mortgages, liens, and other instruments affecting real estate in Jefferson County are recorded and maintained by the Clerk of the Circuit Court. Recording creates a permanent public record and gives constructive notice to anyone who later searches the index. Florida's public records law, Chapter 119, makes these instruments available to the public, and most can be viewed in person or through any online access the clerk provides. Certified copies carry a per-page fee set by state law.

Before buying any property in Jefferson County, reviewing both the appraiser's records and the clerk's official documents gives you the most complete picture of what you are purchasing. The clerk's index shows every instrument recorded against the title, including any liens, judgments, or easements that could affect ownership or use of the property. For older rural parcels in Jefferson County, reviewing the actual recorded deed and associated instruments is particularly important because long ownership chains and complex metes-and-bounds descriptions can create boundary ambiguities that only appear in the original documents. The county officials directory at the Florida Department of Revenue is a quick way to verify contact information for the clerk and other offices.

The DOR county officials page links to local office information for each of Florida's 67 counties, including Jefferson County property and clerk contacts.

Nearby Counties

Jefferson County is in north Florida's Big Bend region and borders several other counties, each with its own property appraiser and official records system.