Was your residential dwelling rendered uninhabitable by Hurricane Ian or Hurricane Nicole? You may be eligible for a partial refund of your 2022 property taxes.
On December 16, 2022, section 197.3181, Fl. Stat., was signed into law, which provides for a prorated refund of ad valorem taxes for residents whose homes were impacted by Hurricane Ian or Hurricane Nicole. To qualify for the partial refund, the applicant’s property must have been determined “uninhabitable” due to Hurricane Ian or Hurricane Nicole, which means there was a loss of use and occupancy of a residential improvement which resulted from damage to or destruction of the residential improvement, or from a condition that compromises the structural integrity of the residential improvement.
The refunds are processed and calculated by the tax collector, but the application for relief must be submitted to the property appraiser’s office for review and approval or denial. No later than June 1, 2023, the property appraiser must notify the applicant of its decision. If approved, the refunds are issued upon timely payment of the 2022 property taxes by the homeowner, or immediately if the 2022 taxes have already been paid.
The deadline to apply for a partial property tax refund is fast approaching – you must submit the application and documentation to your respective property appraiser by April 3, 2023.
In Lee County, the process to apply is quick and easy by using the following link. If you prefer to complete a paper application, you may access the paper application from the same link and return your completed application via email to hurricaneupdate@leepa.org or by mail to P.O. Box 1546, Fort Myers, Florida 33902-1546.
Six months after Hurricane Ian made landfall, many southwest Floridians are continuing to recover from the 2022 hurricane season. Taking advantage of the partial property tax refund can help alleviate some of the impacts on your wallet.