What is a property tax appeal?

A property tax appeal (also called a protest in Texas, or a VAB petition in Florida) is a formal process where you challenge your county appraiser's assessed value of your home. You file with the county Appraisal Review Board (Texas) or Value Adjustment Board (Florida), present comparable-sales evidence that your home is overvalued, and the board issues a ruling.

When is the Florida property tax appeal deadline?

Florida property owners have 25 days from the date the TRIM (Truth in Millage) notice is mailed to file a VAB petition (Form DR-486). TRIM notices typically mail mid-August, putting the petition deadline in early-to-mid September. The deadline varies by county and is printed on the TRIM notice itself.

When is the Texas property tax appeal deadline?

In Texas, the deadline to file a property tax protest is May 15 each year (or 30 days after your appraisal notice is mailed, whichever is later). The 2026 deadline has passed; the next protest window is April-May 2027.

How much can I save by appealing my property taxes?

Homeowners who appeal save an average of $774 per year in Texas and several hundred to several thousand dollars per year in Florida (Save Our Homes locks in the savings for 10+ years). Success rates range from 80-91% when you bring 3-5 comparable sales as evidence.

What's the difference between AppealMyTax and Ownwell?

AppealMyTax charges a flat $49 for a complete personalized appeal packet you file yourself, or $199-$249 for our done-for-you filing service. Ownwell charges a 25-35% contingency on whatever you save — meaning a $2,000 reduction costs you $500-$700 every year forever. We keep 100% of your savings.

When is the property tax appeal deadline in Alachua County?

Alachua County VAB petitions are due 25 days after the TRIM notice is mailed by the ACPAFL. TRIM notices typically mail Aug 17, 2026, making the petition deadline approximately Sept 11, 2026. Petitions must be RECEIVED by the Clerk of Court — postmark date does not count.

How do I appeal property taxes in Alachua County?

File Form DR-486 with the Alachua County Value Adjustment Board (VAB), administered by the Clerk of Court. The filing fee is $15 per parcel. Strong appeals include 3-5 comparable sales from the last 12 months, adjusted for size, age, and condition. Florida property owners may petition the county Value Adjustment Board (VAB) using Form DR-486 within 25 days of the TRIM notice mailing date. The filing fee is $15 per parcel. Petitions can usually be filed online through the County Clerk's office.

What is the average property tax savings in Alachua County?

Alachua County homeowners with successful VAB petitions save approximately $550 per year. Savings compound — Florida's Save Our Homes 3% cap means a one-time reduction protects against future increases for as long as the home is your homestead.

What is the median home value in Alachua County?

The median home value in Alachua County is approximately $285,000, with an effective property tax rate around 1.02% (~$2,907/year in property taxes).

Florida County · Petition deadline Sept 11, 2026

Alachua County Property Tax Appeal Guide

Gainesville-area homeowners save an average of $550/year by filing a DR-486 petition with the ACPAFL Value Adjustment Board. Save Our Homes 3% cap protects every dollar reduced.

★ Live from FL DOR 2025 NAL roll

$17,476,101 in projected annual overpayments across Alachua County

24,401 of 78,105 residential homes analyzed in 17 Alachua County ZIPs are assessed above the neighborhood norm — that's 31.2% of Alachua County properties likely overassessed. See the full leaderboard →

Florida Launch · Get notified when Alachua County goes live

Early Access

Alachua County packets coming soon

We're building county-specific appeal packets for Alachua County. Drop your email and we'll send you the Alachua County ARB filing checklist today, plus notify you the moment packets launch.

Phone optional. We'll only contact you about Alachua County appeals — no spam.

TRIM notices mail Aug 17, 2026. We'll email your overassessment estimate the day yours hits the mailbox.

$285,000

Median Home Value

1.02%

Effective Tax Rate

$2,907

Avg Annual Tax

$550/yr

Avg Appeal Savings

How property tax appeals work in Alachua County

Florida property owners have a right to challenge their assessed value under Florida Statutes §194.011. In Alachua County, petitions are filed with the Value Adjustment Board (VAB), administered by the Clerk of Court — the ACPAFL (Alachua County Property Appraiser) handles the underlying valuation.

The petition window is 25 days after the TRIM notice is mailed. For Alachua County, TRIM notices typically mail around Aug 17, 2026 — putting the 2026 petition deadline at approximately Sept 11, 2026. The filing fee is $15 per parcel.

Florida property owners may petition the county Value Adjustment Board (VAB) using Form DR-486 within 25 days of the TRIM notice mailing date. The filing fee is $15 per parcel. Petitions can usually be filed online through the County Clerk's office.

The strongest petitions include 3-5 comparable sales from the last 12 months in your immediate neighborhood, adjusted for square footage, year built, and condition. Many counties use the Axia e-filing portal for VAB submissions — your packet works with both online and paper filing.

File With

Alachua County Value Adjustment Board

Property Appraiser: Alachua County Property Appraiser
County Seat: Gainesville
PAO Website: www.acpafl.org
VAB Filing Portal: www.alachuaclerk.org/vab
TRIM Mails: Aug 17, 2026
Petition Deadline: Sept 11, 2026
Petition Form: Form DR-486 (statewide)
Filing Fee: $15 per parcel

Most overassessed ZIPs in Alachua County

Ranked by total annual projected overpayment. Drill into any ZIP for the top flagged homes.

ZIP	City	Flagged	% Over	Annual $
32608	Gainesville	4,619	35.9%	$4,258,140
32607	Gainesville	2,659	34.4%	$2,213,349
32669	Newberry	1,902	27.7%	$2,050,440
32615	Alachua	2,034	34.8%	$1,563,581
32643	High Springs	1,874	38.4%	$1,169,527

Cities we'll cover in Alachua County

When Alachua County goes live, our DR-486 packets will work for homeowners across:

Gainesville, FLAlachua, FLHigh Springs, FLNewberry, FLArcher, FL

Early Access

Alachua County packets coming soon

We're building county-specific appeal packets for Alachua County. Drop your email and we'll send you the Alachua County ARB filing checklist today, plus notify you the moment packets launch.

Phone optional. We'll only contact you about Alachua County appeals — no spam.

Other Florida county appeal guides

Miami-Dade County →Broward County →Hillsborough County →Palm Beach County →Orange County →Duval County →Pinellas County →Polk County →Lee County →Brevard County →Pasco County →Volusia County →Seminole County →Sarasota County →Manatee County →Osceola County →

See all 67 Florida counties →