Putnam County Property Records Lookup

Putnam County property records are held by the Property Appraiser's office in Palatka and are available to the public under Florida's open records law. You can search parcel data, request copies of records, or find exemption and assessment information online or in person.

Putnam County Property Appraiser

The Putnam County Property Appraiser's office is located at 312 Oak Street, Palatka, FL 32177. You can reach the office by phone at 386-329-0300. The official website is at putnamappraiser.com. Palatka serves as both the county seat and the location of most county government offices.

Putnam County sits along the St. Johns River in northeast Florida. It is a rural county with a mix of residential, timberland, agricultural, and recreational properties. The county has a smaller population than many Florida counties, but its real estate market includes a wide range of property types, from riverfront lots and hunting tracts to residential homes and commercial buildings in Palatka.

The Property Appraiser is responsible for valuing all real property in the county as of January 1 each year. That value determines the base for property taxes. The office keeps records on every parcel, including ownership, legal description, assessed value, exemptions, and sale history. Florida law requires the office to physically inspect each property at least once every five years.

The Putnam County Property Appraiser's website at putnamappraiser.com provides access to parcel search, exemption information, and contact details for the office in Palatka.

Finding County Officials and State Resources

If you are trying to locate the right office for a property-related matter, the Florida Department of Revenue maintains a directory of county property officials across all 67 Florida counties. This is useful if you are not sure whether to contact the Property Appraiser, Tax Collector, or another county office for your specific question.

The Florida DOR local officials directory at floridarevenue.com lists contact information for property appraisers, tax collectors, and other county officials across Florida, including Putnam County.

For Putnam County, the main contacts are the Property Appraiser for valuation and exemption matters, and the Clerk of Circuit Court for recorded documents such as deeds, mortgages, and liens. The Tax Collector handles property tax payments and billing. Each office is separate, and contacting the wrong one can cause delays in getting help.

Public Records Access

Florida's Public Records Act, found in Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, gives the public broad access to government records, including those kept by the Putnam County Property Appraiser. Most parcel records, assessment rolls, and ownership data are open to the public. You can request records orally or in writing, and there is no required format for a request.

Copy fees apply for printed records. If a request takes significant time to fill, the office may charge for that staff time in addition to copy costs. Contact the office at 386-329-0300 to ask about fees before making a large request.

Deeds, mortgages, and other instruments recorded against real property are not held by the Property Appraiser. Those documents are at the Putnam County Clerk of Circuit Court. Under Chapter 28 of the Florida Statutes, the Clerk is required to maintain and provide access to official records. The Clerk also provides internet access to most recorded documents.

Homestead Exemption and Assessment Caps

Property owners in Putnam County who use their home as their primary residence may qualify for up to $50,000 in homestead exemption. This reduces your assessed value before taxes are calculated. You must own and occupy the home on January 1 of the tax year and file an application by March 1.

The Save Our Homes cap limits annual increases in assessed value to 3% or the Consumer Price Index change, whichever is lower. This applies only to homesteaded properties. For properties without homestead, the cap is 10% per year. Over many years, these caps can create a large difference between your assessed value and what the property might actually sell for in the current market.

Additional exemptions are available to certain property owners. Seniors 65 and older with income below the state limit may qualify for a local option exemption. Veterans with service-connected disabilities get extra relief. Some disabled veterans pay no property taxes at all. Widows, widowers, and people with total and permanent disabilities may also qualify. Call the office at 386-329-0300 to find out which programs apply to your situation.

If you recently bought a home in Putnam County and had homestead on a previous Florida property, you may be able to transfer your Save Our Homes benefit through portability. This can lower your assessed value on the new home from the start. File the portability application along with your new homestead application by the March 1 deadline.

Assessment Process and TRIM Notices

The Putnam County Property Appraiser sets assessed values for all parcels each year as of January 1. In August, property owners receive a TRIM notice showing the proposed assessed value, applicable exemptions, and estimated property taxes based on proposed millage rates from the county, school district, and other taxing authorities.

Review your TRIM notice carefully. If you believe your assessed value is too high, contact the Property Appraiser's office to request an informal review. You can also petition the Putnam County Value Adjustment Board before the deadline on your notice. The VAB is an independent body that can reduce your assessment if you present solid evidence such as comparable sales or an independent appraisal.

Timberland and agricultural property owners should note that classification applications must also be filed before March 1. Land that qualifies as agricultural may be assessed based on its use value rather than market value, which often results in a much lower tax bill. The Property Appraiser's office handles these applications and can tell you what documentation is needed.

Florida Assessment Law

Chapter 192 of the Florida Statutes covers the general framework for property taxation, including definitions, deadlines, and taxpayer rights. Chapter 193 sets out how the Property Appraiser must value property each year. These laws apply in Putnam County just as they do in every other Florida county. The Florida Department of Revenue oversees compliance by local appraisers and publishes guidance on how different types of property should be valued.

Cities in Putnam County

Putnam County's largest city is Palatka, with a population of approximately 10,000. No city in Putnam County has a population over 100,000, so there are no qualifying city pages for this county. All Putnam County properties are assessed by the Property Appraiser's office at 312 Oak Street, Palatka.

Nearby Counties

Putnam County is bordered by six other Florida counties in the northeast part of the state.