Behind on Property Taxes in Charlotte County, FL?

Back Taxes in Charlotte County: Your Options

This page explains what happens in Charlotte County, Florida when property taxes on a lot go unpaid. It covers the due dates, the street and drainage (MSBU) charges on the bill, the tax certificate sale, the Clerk's tax deed sale, how to find out what you owe, and the choices you have. It is written for owners of vacant lots in places like Port Charlotte, Rotonda West, Englewood and Punta Gorda, including people who inherited a lot with back taxes.

Back taxes do not stop you from selling. Until a tax deed is issued, you still own the land, and you can pay, redeem the certificates, or sell the lot and have the taxes paid from the sale at closing. This page is general information, not legal advice; for your own case, ask the Tax Collector, the Clerk or a Florida attorney.

When taxes are due, what is on the bill, and when they become delinquent

The Charlotte County Tax Collector mails tax bills on or before November 1. Florida law makes taxes due on November 1, or as soon after that as the certified roll reaches the Tax Collector (s. 197.333, F.S.). If you pay early, you get a discount: 4 percent in November, 3 percent in December, 2 percent in January and 1 percent in February (s. 197.162, F.S.).

Taxes become delinquent on April 1 (s. 197.333, F.S.). The Tax Collector then adds 3 percent interest and advertising costs. The delinquent list is advertised in a local newspaper once a week for 3 weeks, and advertising and collection fees are added to the bill. The Tax Collector accepts only cashier's checks, money orders or cash for delinquent taxes.

Most platted areas in Charlotte County sit inside one or more Municipal Service Benefit Units (MSBUs) or Taxing Units (MSTUs). The county creates each unit by ordinance to pay for a service in a set area, such as road and drainage upkeep, canal dredging or stormwater work. These are non-ad valorem assessments. They do not depend on what the lot is worth, so a vacant lot often pays a full yearly charge. They appear on the same tax bill as the property tax, so unpaid assessments become part of the back taxes.

Rates differ by unit and are set each year. The county's MSBU Records Search lists these yearly rates per equivalent residential unit under Resolution 2025-286. Check the search for your parcel's units and the current rates.

• Greater Port Charlotte Street and Drainage: $163.73 for vacant property, $149 for occupied
• Englewood East Street and Drainage: $292
• Gulf Cove Street and Drainage: $125
• South Gulf Cove Street and Drainage: $119, plus a $300 paving charge in phases 2 to 5
• Rotonda West Street and Drainage: $445
• Placida Area Street and Drainage: $367
• Fire Rescue, vacant lot with road access: $125.61

What happens next: tax certificates, tax deed applications and the Clerk's sale

Beginning on or before June 1, the Tax Collector holds the tax certificate sale (s. 197.402, F.S.). Charlotte County runs it online through Lien Hub (lienhub.com/county/charlotte), with registration opening in May. The certificate covers the taxes, interest, advertising and sale costs. Bidding starts at 18 percent, and the certificate goes to the bidder who accepts the lowest yearly interest rate (s. 197.432, F.S.). If no one bids, the certificate goes to the county at 18 percent.

A tax certificate is a lien, not a sale of your land. You still own the lot, but the debt now earns interest for the holder.

If the certificate is not redeemed, the holder can apply for a tax deed once 2 years have passed since April 1 of the year the certificate was issued (s. 197.502, F.S.). The Tax Collector gives this example: 2006 taxes became delinquent April 1, 2007, so a tax deed application could be made after April 1, 2009. The applicant must redeem all other certificates on the parcel and pay the required fees. The county must apply for a tax deed on its own certificates when the property is valued at $5,000 or more. Notice goes to the titleholder of record and others with recorded interests.

The Charlotte County Clerk of the Circuit Court then sells the land online at charlotte.realforeclose.com. Sales start at 9:00 a.m., and the winning bidder must pay in full by 9:00 a.m. the next business day. If the land sells for more than the opening bid, the surplus goes first to lienholders and then to the former owner, who must file a claim within 120 days of the Clerk's notice (s. 197.582, F.S.). A certificate with no deed application is canceled after 7 years (s. 197.482, F.S.).

How much you owe and how to get a payoff amount

You can look up your bill and any certificates online. For an exact payoff, call the Tax Collector at (941) 743-1350 and ask for the amount to pay all delinquent years and redeem all certificates through the date you plan to pay. Interest is counted by month, so the amount changes over time.

To redeem a certificate, you pay its amount plus interest from the month of the sale to the month you redeem. Florida law sets a minimum of 5 percent interest unless the certificate was bid at 0 percent, and a $6.25 redemption fee applies (s. 197.472, F.S.). If a tax deed application is filed, you can still redeem by paying all back taxes and fees to the Tax Collector before the deed is issued. The Clerk's tax deed search shows parcels that are scheduled for sale.

• Certificate search: charlotte.county-taxes.com/public/reports/real_estate
• Tax Collector: 18500 Murdock Circle, Port Charlotte, FL 33948, (941) 743-1350
• Clerk tax deed search: taxdeeds.charlotteclerk.com, (941) 637-2130
• MSBU rates for your parcel: msbu.charlottecountyfl.gov

Your options if you are behind

Which option fits depends on the lot, the amount owed and your plans.

• Pay it off. Pay the delinquent years and redeem the certificates through the Tax Collector, in certified funds or cash. You can redeem at any time before a tax deed is issued (s. 197.472, F.S.).
• Use the installment plan for future years. If your estimated taxes are more than $100, you can pay the coming year's taxes in four quarterly payments, with discounts of 6, 4.5 and 3 percent on the first three (s. 197.222, F.S.). The state deadline to apply is April 30; check the Tax Collector's page for its current date. You must make the June 30 payment or you are dropped for that year. The plan does not apply to taxes that are already delinquent.
• Sell the lot. A buyer can pay the back taxes and assessments from the price at closing. See the next section.
• Do nothing. The certificate holder can apply for a tax deed after 2 years and the Clerk can sell the lot. You would lose the land. You could still claim any surplus within 120 days of the Clerk's notice, but liens are paid first (s. 197.582, F.S.).

How selling works when taxes are owed

You can sell a Charlotte County lot with back taxes and unpaid MSBU charges, as long as no tax deed has been issued. At closing, the title company or closing attorney gets the payoff from the Tax Collector and pays it from the sale price. That redeems the certificates, and the buyer gets the lot free of the tax lien. You receive the rest.

If a tax deed application is already on file, tell your buyer or closing agent right away. The redemption has to reach the Tax Collector before the deed is issued, and the Clerk's sale date sets the clock.

What EasyLotBuyer does

EasyLotBuyer buys vacant land in Charlotte County for cash, including lots with back taxes, liens, title issues or no road access. We make a cash offer within 24 hours. There are no fees or commissions, and we pay the closing costs. We can close in as few as 7 days.

Back taxes and assessments are paid off at closing from the sale, so you do not need to pay them first. If you plan to keep the land, the Tax Collector and Clerk contacts below are the right places to start.