Putnam County Property Records Parcels, Taxes, Deeds, Maps

How to Look Up Land in Putnam County

Putnam County property records sit with three offices in Palatka. The Property Appraiser values land and runs the parcel search and the GIS map. The Tax Collector bills and collects taxes. The Clerk of the Circuit Court records deeds. Many owners hold vacant lots in the county's older subdivisions, and some have never seen the land.

The links below go to each office's official pages. After them is a step by step guide to finding your parcel, reading the record and the bill, checking for unpaid taxes, finding the deed and using the GIS map for flood zones and wetlands.

Step 1: Find your parcel number

Open the Property Appraiser's property search and search by owner name. Most vacant lots have no street address. You can also use the parcel number from an old tax bill.

If you only know roughly where the land is, open the GIS map, zoom to the road or subdivision and click the lot with the identify tool. Write down the parcel number. Every other office uses it.

• Search by last name only if the full name returns nothing.
• Lots inside Palatka, Crescent City, Interlachen or Welaka follow that town's zoning, but the Property Appraiser still keeps the record.
• Each lot has its own parcel number and bill.

Step 2: Read the parcel record

The record shows the owner and mailing address, the legal description, the land use, the acreage, the values and the sales history with deed references. Check the mailing address first, because bills and tax deed notices go there.

Compare the legal description with your deed. In older subdivisions, lot and block numbers matter, and two lots with similar numbers can be in different units or plats.

Step 3: Read the tax bill and check for unpaid taxes

Bills are mailed November 1. Look up your parcel on the Tax Collector property tax page and check each year listed. The bill may also carry non-ad valorem assessments, such as road assessments in some subdivisions.

Taxes not paid by March 31 become delinquent on April 1. The Tax Collector then sells a tax certificate on the lot, and interest runs until you redeem. Call the Tax Collector for an exact payoff amount, which changes with time.

• Pay in November for a 4 percent discount, then 3, 2 and 1 percent through February.
• A certificate holder can apply for a tax deed two years after April 1 of the sale year. Sales are run by the Clerk.
• Our Putnam County back taxes guide has the full timeline.

Step 4: Find the deed and confirm ownership

Deeds are recorded by the Clerk of the Circuit Court. Use the Clerk's free official records search. Search by name, or use the book and page from the sales list on your parcel record.

The grantee on the latest deed owns the land. If the owner on the record has died, the land usually needs a probate or other court step before heirs can sell. The same search shows mortgages, liens and tax deeds. Call the Clerk at (386) 326-7600 for certified copies.

Step 5: Use the maps for flood zones, wetlands and zoning

The Property Appraiser's GIS map shows parcel lines over aerial photos. The county notes that its GIS data is a general picture and not a legal boundary. For flood zones, use the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and search your address or coordinates.

Putnam County has many lakes, creeks and low areas along the St. Johns River. For a first look at wetlands, use the National Wetlands Inventory mapper. It is a planning map, not a legal wetland line. Zoning questions go to Planning and Zoning.

What assessed value means, and what it does not

Florida values property at just value as of January 1. Just value is the Property Appraiser's estimate of market value. Assessed value can be lower, because for vacant land the yearly increase is capped at 10 percent for taxes other than school taxes. Taxable value is assessed value minus exemptions, and the tax rate applies to it.

These values come from mass appraisal. They do not reflect every fact about your lot, such as a missing road, wetlands or a flood zone. A real sale price can be higher or lower. If you disagree with the value, ask the Property Appraiser for an informal review, and file a Value Adjustment Board petition within 25 days after the proposed tax notice is mailed.

Selling your Putnam County land

Our Putnam County land guide covers the local market and building rules. Our back taxes guide covers selling when taxes are owed.

EasyLotBuyer makes a cash offer within 24 hours, charges no fees or commissions, pays the closing costs and can close in as few as 7 days. We buy lots with back taxes, liens, title problems or no road access, and from heirs. Back taxes are paid at closing from the sale. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Confirm dates, amounts and rules with the county office.