Union County Property Records

Union County property records are publicly available through the Property Appraiser's office in Lake Butler, Florida. This guide explains where to search ownership data, assessed values, exemptions, and sales history, and outlines the key laws and processes that apply to property records in one of Florida's smallest counties by population.

Union County Property Appraiser

The Union County Property Appraiser's office is at 15 NE 1st Street, Lake Butler, FL 32054. The main phone number is 386-496-3432. The official website is unionpa.com, where you can search parcel records and get information about exemptions and assessments. The Property Appraiser is an elected constitutional officer, independent of the Board of County Commissioners.

Union County is one of Florida's smallest counties in terms of population, with approximately 15,000 residents. The county is largely rural, with a mix of residential parcels, agricultural land, and timberland. The small size means the Property Appraiser's office serves a modest number of parcels, but the same Florida statutes apply here as in every other county. Your rights as a property owner are the same regardless of where you live in the state.

The office values all real and tangible personal property as of January 1 each year. That assessed value becomes the starting point for tax bills sent by the Tax Collector. The Property Appraiser does not set rates or collect taxes. It strictly handles valuation and exemption administration. If you have questions about your tax bill, contact the Tax Collector. If you have questions about your assessed value, contact the Property Appraiser.

Searching Property Records Online

The Union County Property Appraiser's website provides a parcel search tool. You can look up any parcel by owner name, property address, or parcel ID number. Results show ownership information, the property's legal description, land and building characteristics, assessed values by year, and any exemptions on file.

The online system is free and does not require an account. You can search without knowing the parcel number by using the owner name or address fields. If you are researching a property and know the general area but not the specific address, the GIS map viewer can help. Click on any parcel on the interactive map to pull up basic record information.

Sales data is included for most parcels, showing past arm's-length transactions with dates and prices. This gives you useful context when reviewing the current assessed value or comparing a property to similar sales. For older records not available online, contact the Property Appraiser's office directly or visit in person.

Recorded instruments such as deeds, mortgages, and liens are held by the Union County Clerk of the Circuit Court. These are separate from the Property Appraiser's database but are equally public records. The Clerk's office is also in Lake Butler. Some records have been digitized, but older instruments may require an in-person visit or a written request.

Homestead Exemption and Save Our Homes

Florida's Homestead Exemption is available to Union County property owners who use their home as their permanent primary residence as of January 1. The exemption reduces assessed value by up to $50,000. Apply at the Property Appraiser's office by March 1 each year. You need a Florida driver's license or ID, Florida vehicle registration, and Florida voter registration, all showing the property address.

The first $25,000 of the exemption applies to all tax levies. The second $25,000 applies to value between $50,000 and $75,000 and does not reduce school taxes. Together, the two tiers lower your taxable value and reduce your total tax bill.

Once you have Homestead Exemption, Florida's Save Our Homes cap limits how much your assessed value can rise each year. The cap is the lower of 3% or the Consumer Price Index rate. Over many years, this protection keeps taxable value well below market value in a rising real estate environment. If you sell and move to another Florida home, portability lets you transfer up to $500,000 of that accumulated benefit to the new property. Apply for portability at the same time you apply for Homestead on the new home.

Agricultural Classification in Union County

Agricultural classification is relevant for many Union County property owners given the rural character of the county. Under Florida's Greenbelt Law, land used for bona fide agricultural purposes is assessed at its agricultural use value rather than market value. For large rural tracts, this can produce a very significant reduction in taxable value.

Qualifying uses include cattle operations, crop farming, timber production, aquaculture, and similar activities. The Property Appraiser reviews applications and may inspect the property. Simply owning rural land does not qualify. You need to show active agricultural use through documentation such as sales receipts, leases, timber management plans, or farm income records.

Applications are due March 1. If you own agricultural land in Union County and are not currently classified under the Greenbelt Law, it may be worth calling the Property Appraiser's office at 386-496-3432 to discuss whether your land qualifies. Getting the right classification can meaningfully reduce your annual tax burden.

Other Exemptions Available

Union County property owners may qualify for several additional exemptions:

• Senior low-income exemption for residents age 65 and older who meet income limits set by the county
• Veterans' exemption for honorably discharged veterans with a service-connected disability rating
• Total and permanent disability exemption
• First Responder disability exemption for qualifying first responders injured in the line of duty
• Widow and widower exemption of $500
• Tangible personal property exemption for qualifying businesses

Call the office at 386-496-3432 to ask which exemptions apply to your situation and what documentation you will need. Staff can help you identify programs you may not know about.

Florida Property Tax Officials Directory

The Florida Department of Revenue maintains a statewide directory of county property tax officials, including Property Appraisers, Tax Collectors, and Value Adjustment Board contacts. This is useful if you need to find or verify contact information for Union County or a neighboring county.

The DOR directory is updated regularly and links to each county's official government website. For Union County, the directory confirms the Property Appraiser's contact details and provides links to state-level resources. If you have a question about how the Property Appraiser's office handled your case and want to reach the state oversight office, the DOR Property Tax Oversight division is also accessible from this page.

Appealing Your Assessment

If you think the Union County Property Appraiser has overvalued your property, start by calling 386-496-3432 and asking for an informal review. Bring evidence such as recent sales of comparable properties, a recent independent appraisal, or documentation of the property's condition. Many disputes are resolved at this stage with a direct conversation and review of the records.

If the informal review does not resolve the issue, file a petition with the Union County Value Adjustment Board. The deadline is shown on your TRIM notice, which the Property Appraiser mails in August. The filing fee is $15. A special magistrate hears the case, reviews evidence from both sides, and makes a recommendation. The board then issues a final order.

The circuit court is available if you disagree with the VAB ruling. This is a more involved and expensive process, and most property owners stop at the VAB level. But the option exists for cases where the stakes are high enough to justify it.

Legal Framework

Union County property records are governed by Florida Statutes. Chapter 192 sets out the general property tax framework. Chapter 193 covers assessment procedures, including how property is classified and valued. Chapter 119, the Public Records Law, ensures that most records held by government offices including the Property Appraiser are open to any member of the public. Chapter 28 governs the Clerk of the Circuit Court and the recording of documents affecting real property in Union County.

Cities in Union County

Union County includes Lake Butler and the small communities of Raiford, Worthington Springs, and Brooker. None of these communities meet the population threshold for a dedicated city records page. For property records in any Union County location, use the county Property Appraiser's resources above.

Nearby Counties

Union County borders Alachua to the south, Baker to the northeast, Bradford to the east, Columbia to the northwest, and Putnam to the southeast.