Complete guide to appealing your Miami-Dade property taxes in 2026. Challenge your TRIM notice with VAB petition evidence. 25-day deadline, receipt required. All Miami-Dade cities covered.
The Miami-Dade Property Appraiser is an elected official responsible for valuing all real property in Miami-Dade County as of January 1st each year. The office uses computer-assisted mass appraisal (CAMA) technology to estimate market value for hundreds of thousands of properties simultaneously. Like all mass-appraisal systems, it applies statistical trends across broad geographic areas — which means individual properties with unique features, condition issues, or location disadvantages are systematically mispriced. Under Florida Statute § 193.011, the property appraiser must consider multiple factors including location, land use, size, condition, and comparable sales. If the appraiser's estimate exceeds your property's actual market value, you have grounds to petition the VAB.
Every August, the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser mails a Truth in Millage (TRIM) notice to all property owners. This is not your tax bill — it is a proposed assessment showing your assessed value and an estimate of your tax bill based on proposed millage rates. The TRIM notice contains several critical figures.
Miami-Dade TRIM notices are typically mailed in mid-to-late August, making the VAB petition deadline fall in mid-September. Florida law is explicit and strict: your VAB petition must be RECEIVED by the Value Adjustment Board by the deadline — not just mailed or postmarked. If you mail your petition on the deadline date and it arrives the next day, it is late and will be rejected. TaxAppeal mails at least 7–10 days before the deadline by tracked USPS First Class mail, so it arrives in good time and you have a dated record that it was sent.
Florida's Save Our Homes (SOH) amendment limits annual assessment increases on homestead properties to 3% or the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower. This cap can significantly reduce your taxable value over time — but it creates complications. If you purchased your Miami-Dade home recently, the SOH cap resets to market value. If prices have since declined, your new assessment may exceed current market value. You can appeal this regardless of the cap. Additionally, if your property's just/market value exceeds its actual fair market value — meaning the appraiser overestimated your home's worth — you can appeal the market value even if the SOH cap applies. The VAB can reduce your market value, which in turn reduces your assessed value and tax bill.
A successful VAB petition is built on evidence that the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser overvalued your property. The strongest evidence is comparable sales — recent sales of similar properties in your area that closed for less than your assessed market value. Miami-Dade's diverse submarkets mean neighborhood-specific comps are critical.
After you file your VAB petition, a Special Magistrate — an independent hearing officer appointed by the VAB — will be assigned to your case. The Special Magistrate reviews comparable sales evidence presented by both you and the property appraiser's office, then issues a recommended decision to the VAB. The property appraiser bears the burden of proving their assessment is correct under Florida Statute § 194.301. If the appraiser cannot prove their methodology was sound and their value is supported by the market, the Special Magistrate can recommend a reduction. The VAB adopts the recommendation unless it finds error. TaxAppeal prepares petitions structured to meet the burden-shifting requirements of Florida VAB proceedings.
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TaxAppeal USA is a self-service document-preparation and mail filing service. In every state we serve, including Florida, we are not property tax consultants, agents, or representatives, we do not provide tax or legal advice, and we do not represent customers before any appraisal district, board of equalization, value adjustment board, or review board. Every protest and petition is prepared for the property owner, signed by the owner, and filed in the owner’s name. In Florida we also pay your county’s Value Adjustment Board filing fee on your behalf and mail your petition to the Clerk of the Value Adjustment Board. Your petition is signed by you as the property owner under section 194.011(3), Florida Statutes. TaxAppeal USA does not sign as your representative, does not appear before the Board, and does not present evidence or argument at a hearing.