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Frequently Asked Questions By Departments
Q. My notice says, "DO NOT PAY" I don't have an escrow account. A. Mortgage companies frequently request the wrong property, please submit your payment promptly in order to ensure advantage of the discount. Q. I paid my taxes and you sent me another bill. A. Please check the area below your name and address for paid information. It is the intention of the tax collector to send receipts to all taxpayers. Q. I just bought this property, is this bill for my portion only? A. The tax notice covers the calendar year as described on the bill. If you check your closing statement you will find the taxes were probably pro-rated at closing and the purchase price is adjusted accordingly. Therefore, the tax bill is due in full. If you have any further questions, contact your closing agent for assistance. Q. What year is this bill for? A. The taxes are for the calendar year as stated on the top of the bill. Non-Ad Valorem assessments have their own fiscal period. Contact the specific district for further information. Q. Can I pay my taxes with my credit card? A. The tax collectors office does accept credit card payments. There is a charge by the credit card company for processing credit card charges of 2.9% of the tax amount. Q. What is the Non-Ad Valorem charge for? A. The individual districts provide the Non-Ad Valorem assessment information to the Tax Collector. Any questions should be directed to the specific district. Q. Where do I get information about exemptions or the value of my property? A. Contact the Property Appraisers office at (239) 252-8141 or their web site www.collierappraiser.com. Q. What does it mean on my bill "PRIOR YEARS TAXES REMAIN UNPAID"? A. This is our way of notifying you of delinquent taxes. Please note delinquent taxes continue to accrue interest each month until paid. Q. I sold this property, what should I do with this bill? A. Please forward the bill to the new owner if possible. You may wish to contact your closing agent for assistance, or you may return the bill to our office. A. Florida law provides a discount for early payment. Pay the amount in the box for the month you are paying in. i.e.: in November pay the November amount, in January pay the January amount, OR in March pay the March amount. PAY ONLY ONCE! Q. The notice I received is only one copy, what do I send with my payment? A. Please send the entire notice with payment, a receipt will be returned to you. Q. When do tax bills come out? A. Tax notices are mailed on the last working day of October. Taxes become due and payable November 1st and delinquent April 1st. Q. How do I change my mailing address? A. Contact the Property Appraisers office at (239) 252-8141 or their web site www.collierappraiser.com. Q. What do I do if I think there is an error on my bill? A. Contact the Property Appraisers office at (239) 252-8141 or their web site www.collierappraiser.com. Q. Do you offer a senior citizen discount? A. Contact the Property Appraisers office at (239) 252-8141 or their web site www.collierappraiser.com. Q. Why doesn't my tax bill say the same amount as my notice of proposed taxes? A. The notice of proposed taxes gives you a general idea of what taxes could be. Keep in mind the notice of proposed taxes does not include any non-ad valorem assessments. Q. I don't understand this tax notice, what amount do I pay? The State allows you a discount for early payment, please see explanation of tax notice. Q. Why haven't I received my tax notice? A. You may have changed your address recently and if you have you need to give notice to the office of the Property Appraiser. Q. Why haven't I received my paid receipt yet? A. Our mail is very heavy in the months of November and December. It may take awhile for your payment to be processed. However, we process by the post-mark date. Also there may be an exception with your remittance such as a notice of prior year taxes, or a change of address, or if you have sent correspondence with your payment. The receipt may have been sent to a northern address and it is being forwarded. Q. We are a title company, how do we get tax information on a folio number? A. You may call our convenient "Tax Talk Line" at (239) 732-5660. You will receive the current and delinquent information. This information can be faxed to you free of charge. Q. Can I get a duplicate receipt for a beach-parking sticker if I left my receipt up north? A. We will be happy to provide you with a duplicate receipt at the main office or any of our satellite offices for a one dollar charge.
Q. How to avoid waiting in line? A. When you renew by mail you avoid the possibility of waiting in line. When you send your renewal card in please be sure the information on the front of the card is correct. Sign and complete the insurance information on the back of your card to avoid any delay in receiving your registration. Allow two weeks response time. Q. WHEN do tags and registrations EXPIRE? A. Motor vehicles, trailers and mobile homes (on rented land) must be registered each year. The annual fee is due on or before the following dates: Personal Vehicle - Owner's Birthday Vehicle leased by an individual - Leasee's Birthday Company -owned Vehicles (except trucks over 5000 lbs.) -June 30 Trucks over 5000 lbs., Tractors and Semi-Trailers - December 31 Mobile Homes - December 31 A. The annual registration fee is based on either the empty weight (for private passenger vehicles), gross weight (for large trucks and truck -trailers) or length (for mobile homes). Q. How do I renew the registration on my vehicle? A. Renewal notices are mailed as a courtesy of the State, but neither the State nor the Post Office is perfect and so, you may not receive one. It is the owner's responsibility to make sure that his registration is renewed each year on time. If you do not renew the registration by the 10th day of the month following expiration, a penalty will be added to the regular registration fees. However, please note that for law enforcement purposes the registration expires on the owner's birthday. If you do not receive a renewal notice please bring a copy of your current registration along with proof of insurance (for passenger vehicles) into any of our offices. Or, renew by mail for merely an additional 65 cents postage and handling charge. If you decide to renew by mail, you may wish to telephone to verify correct fees. You now have the option of renewing your registration for either one or two years. Q. I purchased a vehicle from an individual and she left her tag on it. Can I use the tag? A. NO. A tag is not transferable between individuals. Q. Does Florida offer "Special Tags"? A. Yes, indeed. There are currently over 100 specialized tags available, including but not limited to Commemorative Challenger, Panther, Manatee, Florida Salutes Veterans, Olympic, Special Olympic and Collegiate tags. They may be purchased at any of our agencies. The above mentioned tags may also be personalized. There are, of course, additional fees and some tags would have to be ordered. For fees and tag availability, contact any of our offices or click here. Q. How do I get a disabled person's parking permit? A. A certification form may be obtained at any tag office and should be completed by a licensed physician. These permits are issued for 4 years at a time. Temporary parking permits may also be obtained upon a physician's request. The individual applying for the permit must have either a Florida driver's license or a Florida identification card. There is no fee for a permanent permit. The fee for a temporary permit is $15.00. Q. When I purchase a vehicle from a dealer, how are tag and title handled? A. Florida licensed car dealers are required by law to apply for title and registration when they sell a vehicle. The dealership has 30 days from the date of the sale to submit the application to our office for processing. The tag/registration is then returned to the dealership within 2-3 days. Q. I just moved to Florida. How soon must I register my vehicle in this state? A. Once Florida residency is established you have 10 days to register your vehicle. In addition, anyone who accepts employment or engages in a trade, profession or occupation in this state or enters his child in Florida public schools must register his motor vehicles here within 10 days, if the vehicles are to be operated on Florida roads. Q. How do I register my small trailer? A. Florida does not title trailers unless they have an empty weight of 2000 lbs. or over. Therefore, most boat and utility trailers need registration only. If an out-of-state proof of ownership shows an empty weight, our offices will accept that proof weight, or a weight slip may be obtained at Better Roads (official weigh station) in Naples. When a non-titled trailer is sold by an individual, the seller should give the purchaser a notarized bill of sale and a copy of the registration. A. All registrations may be renewed up to three months in advance. In other words, yours could be paid as early as April. Q. What is required when I purchase a vehicle from a private party? A. Transfer of title by the seller (on the front bottom of Florida title) must be properly completed for transfer by seller. All purchasers must be present, with picture Id at the time of the title transfer. If a new tag is to be purchased at the time of the title transfer, proof of insurance is required. Remember that sales tax must be paid at the time of the title transfer. Q. What type and proof of insurance is required? A. To protect yourself and other persons, any motor vehicle you drive, including motorcycles (except mopeds), should have property damage liability insurance and "Personal Injury Protection" (PIP) insurance in the amount of at least $10,000 each. This is required on any motor vehicle with four or more wheels, both private passenger and commercial. Failure to carry motor vehicle liability and PIP insurance could result in the loss of your driver's license, motor vehicle registrations and tags. Up-to-date insurance cards or documents must be presented and must show that the vehicle has Florida coverage. The vehicle identification number must appear on these documents. A. The following is necessary in order to apply for a Florida tag and title:
In addition, vans, pick-up trucks and motor homes may require a weight slip specifying the empty weight of the vehicle. Large trucks and tractors (empty weight in excess of 5000 lbs.) must have gross weight declared. Q. When does the initial registration fee apply? A. Florida statues provide for a $100.00 fee to be imposed upon any initial application for registration for a motor vehicle or recreation vehicle. This fee is not due if a tag is transferred to your newly acquired vehicle from your disposed of vehicle. Q. Can I get copies of various forms through the Internet?
Q: Who is required to have a fishing license? A: Any Non-Resident, Florida Resident fishing from a boat and Florida Resident fishing in Freshwater. Q: If I own property in Florida can I purchase a resident fishing License? A: No, you must give up your out-of-state driver license and purchase a valid Florida driver license and register to vote or show us you have homestead exemption on your property. A: No, you just need to carry your Florida Driver License. Q: If I purchase a fishing license from a sub-agent is there an additional fee? A: Yes, for each privilege you purchase there is an additional $.50 fee. Q: Can I purchase a Fishing/Hunting license over the phone? A: Yes, an additional fee of $3.95 is charged for this service and the phone numbers are listed below: for Fishing License: 1-888-347-4356 for Hunting License: 1-888-486-8356 A: A County Occupational License, Captain License from Coast Guard, Vessel Registered Commercial and Driver License. Q: What are the different fees for these licenses: A: Eleven or more customers - $801.50 Five to ten customers - $401.50 Four or fewer customers - $201.50 ** These licenses can only be obtained at the Main Tax Collectors Office and at our Marco Island Branch Location. Q: When is the Mini Lobster season in the Keys? A: The last Wednesday and Thursday in July each year. Q: Where may I obtain a Fishing License? A: At any locate Tax Collectors Office, our Sub-agents:Walmarts, Kmart's, Sunshine Hardware, Anglers Answer Master Bait & Tackle, Cedar Bay Marina, Marco River Marina, Lake Trafford Marina and Sports Authority. Q: Is my child required to pass a Hunters Safety Course? A: Yes, any person born on or after April 1, 1975 must have passed an approved Hunter Education Course before he or she can purchase a Hunting license. Call our Everglades Region Office at 1-561-625-5122 for the next classes. Q: Can I obtain a Lifetime or 5-Year License? A: Yes, the only people eligible for these licenses are Florida Residents. This license can only be purchased at the Main Tax Collectors Office at the Government Building in the Fishing Department.
Q: What do I need to bring in to change my vessel over to Florida? A: Title (if applicable), registration and a pencil tracing of the Hull Identification number. Make sure that all of the owners listed on the title bring in the paperwork along with identification. Q: What do I do if I purchased a new vessel? A: Most boat dealers will take care of the registration for you. If you wish to turn the paperwork in you will need the Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin. In addition a receipt for the vessel will be needed to prove purchase price and if sales tax was paid. Q: How do I know if I need to register a vessel that I built? A: Any vessel that is going to be used with a motor needs to be titled and registered. If the homemade vessel is 16’ or longer it will also need to be inspected by the Florida Marine Patrol. A statement of builder form will need to be completed by the builder in order for the Marine Patrol to inspect the vessel. Q: We often bring our vessel into Florida water. Is it required to register it in Florida? A: Florida recognizes valid registration certificates and numbers issued to visiting vessel owners by other states for a period of 90 days. Q: How old do my children have to be before I can allow them to drive our wave runners? A: No one under the age of 14 may operate a Personal Watercraft. Any one who knowingly allows someone under the age of 14 to operate a Personal Watercraft is guilty of a second-degree misdemeanor. Q: Is there any certain time that I can not operate a Personal Watercraft? A: You may not operate a Personal Watercraft from ½ hour after sunset to ½ hour before sunrise. Q: Does my child need to wear a personal floatation device? A: Florida law requires every child under the age of six to wear a PFD (Personal Floatation Device) while aboard any vessel less than 26’ when it is underway. Q: How do I know if my child needs to take a boating course or take a safety exam? A: Effective 10/1/96, Florida Law requires persons born after 9/30/80 to complete a NASBLA boaters education course or competency exam prior to operating a vessel powered by a motor of 10 horsepower or more. The law requires persons affected by this legislation have in their possession a boater safety I.D. card issued by the Department of Environmental Protection and photo I.D. while operating a vessel. A: Yes, the documentation papers on a vessel only take the place of the title not the registration. A Florida registration number will not be issued, but a decal and registration will be issued. Q: When I sell my Florida titled boat do I have to have my signature notarized? A: No, the seller’s signature does not require notarization any longer in the State of Florida. Q: If I lose my Florida title am I still able to sell my vessel? A: Yes, Florida now allows a duplicate title and a transfer in the same transaction. The owners and the purchasers would need to go into the nearest Tax Collectors Office to do the transfer. A: Yes, if you purchase a boat, outboard motor and trailer from an individual, not a business, and you can provide us with a notarized Bill of Sale signed by the owner that separately details the cost of the boat, outboard motor and trailer (if one is purchased), you only have to pay sales tax on the boat and trailer not the outboard motor.
Question: What is required to open up a business at a commercial
location?
A: Fire inspection ($75.00 fee); zoning certificate ($125.00
fee); business tax receipt application and fee; fictitious name registration or
cover page to articles of incorporation; food inspection if serving food
(1-850-487-1395) and a state license if required for your profession. The forms
for fire inspection, zoning certificate and business tax receipt can be
downloaded from this website under occupational. A: Home zoning certificate ($50.00 fee); business tax receipt
application and fee; state license if required for your profession; fictitious
name registration or cover page to articles of incorporation. A: Both a City and County license. The City license should be
purchased first then we require a copy of your city license to issue a county
license. Their phone number is the city is 239-213-1800. A: You first must obtain your zoning certificate for either a
home occupation or commercial location from the City of Marco at
239-389-5000;business tax receipt application with our fee;fictitious name
registration or cover page to article of incorporation;state license if
profession requires and fire inspection from the Marco Island Fire Dept. if
business is at a commercial location. Phone number for Marco Fire Dept. is
239-389-5040. A: Yes, both. A: Their current business tax receipt(s); a bill of sale or
closing statement; new fire inspection if commercial location; health inspection
if serving food; copy of state license if profession requires ones; fictitious
name registration or cover page to articles of incorporation showing the new
owners name. A: Yes, their phone number is 239-643-9473. A: Either on line at
www.sunbiz.org or call 1-800-755-5111. A: Yes, contact the Department of Agriculture at 1-800-435-7352. A: Yes, one or the other. Q: How long is the business tax receipt valid? A: It is valid for one year with a renewal
period from July 1st to September 30th. Employment Under Construction
Q: Who actually pays the Tourist Development Tax? A: Any renter who resides for 6 months or less. It is the owners responsibility to collect the 4% Tourist Tax and submit it to the Collier County Tax Collector. Q: Is the 4% Tourist Development Tax the only tax due on short-term rentals? A: No, there is also a 6% State Sales Use tax, payable to the Department of Revenue, for the State of Florida. You can call them at (239) 434-4858 or 1-800-352-3671 for details. Q: Is the Tourist Development Tax enforced? A: Yes, the Tourist Development Tax, Ordinance 2005-43, is enforced by the Collier County Tax Collector. It is considered a violation if the owner does not collect and remit this tax. Among other statutory remedies, a Warrant can be issued and filed in Collier County. This will create a lien against the taxpayer's property. Q: If I only rent to relatives or friends do I charge them Tourist Tax? A: Yes, if you receive money or any other form of compensation in lieu of rent, you are required to collect the Tourist Tax. This is based upon the amount of rent paid, or upon fair market value of the rent. Q: If I rent to a Florida resident do I still collect the Tourist Development Tax? A: Yes, if you are renting on a short term basis. Q: How do I get the proper forms for submitting the Tourist Development Tax? A: Call the Collier County Tourist Development Tax department at (239) 252-TTAX (8829) and request an application. For your convenience Tourist Tax Registration Application is now available On-Line. Click Here. Q: When is the Tourist Development Tax due? A: There are four reporting frequencies: monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annually. Each has specific qualifications. Businesses report on a monthly basis. Businesses with limited activity, based on volume, can qualify to report on a quarterly basis. The semi annual reporting frequency is assigned to accounts who rent throughout the year (both summer and winter rentals.) The reports for semi annual accounts are due in October (for their summer rentals) and April (for their winter rentals.) Most individuals, who rent only during the season, qualify for an annual payment plan. For individuals assigned to the annual plan, the payment is due on April 20th. Q: Will forms be sent to me when my Tourist Tax is due? A: We do not automatically send forms. There is a place on each Tourist Tax Return for you to circle YES, if additional forms are needed. Please allow two weeks for delivery. Q: If I do not have any renters for a report period, what should I do? A: To avoid penalties, you must file for each collection period assigned to you - even if no tax is due. A zero return must be submitted by the due date. A: There are four (4) agencies you are required to notify IN WRITING, when there are ANY changes to your account. Collier County Tax Collector 3301 Tamiami Trail East Bldg C-1 Naples, Florida 34112-4997 (239) 252-TTAX (8829) ------------------------------------------------- Community Development & Environment Services Attn: Rental Registration 2800 North Horseshoe Drive Naples, FL. 34104-6917 (239) 252-2440 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Florida Department of Revenue 3073 Horseshoe Dr S Suite # 110 Naples, FL. 34104-6145 (239) 434-4858 or 1-800-352-3671 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Collier County Property Appraiser Attn: Personal Property
3825 Tamiami Trail E Naples, FL. 34112-5758 (239) 252-8542 WHEN YOU MAKE ANY CHANGES TO YOUR ACCOUNT - PLEASE USE THE ACCOUNT NUMBER ASSIGNED FOR EACH SPECIFIC AGENCY INVOLVED. Q: If I use a Rental Agency or Realtor do I need a Tourist Tax account number? A: In most cases, rental agencies and realtors have their own account number and must submit your Tourist Development tax under their master account account number. Q: I use a Rental Agency but occasionally I rent on my own, do I need a Tourist Tax number? A: Yes, you will need a number assigned to you personally for the times you rent your property yourself. Always notify the Collier County Tourist Tax Office if you are not renting under your personal account number. Q. Where can I find Florida Driver License on the Internet? A. Click here
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