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Act Now: 2026 TRIM Notices Are Out Across Lee County

If you own residential or commercial real estate in Lee County—from Sanibel and Captiva to Fort Myers and Cape Coral—keep an eye on your mailbox. The Lee County Property Appraiser has officially mailed the 2026 TRIM (Truth in Millage) Notices.

The single most important fact to understand upfront is that your TRIM notice is NOT a tax bill. Rather, it provides an estimate of your proposed property taxes based on preliminary property valuations and local taxing authority budgets.

Reviewing this document promptly is your best opportunity to verify accuracy, check your exemptions, and challenge excessive valuations to potentially lower your tax bill before official bills are mailed in November.

How to View Your 2026 TRIM Notice Online

Did not receive your paper notice, or prefer digital records? You can access your full notice online through the Property Appraiser’s database in a few simple steps:

  1. Visit the official portal at www.leepa.org.

  2. Navigate to the Real Property Search and enter your name, address, or parcel STRAP number.

  3. Locate your property in the results and click “2026 TRIM Notice” on the right side of the page.

  4. View or download the full document displaying your property’s valuation and taxing breakdown.

The 4 Key Numbers Every Owner Must Check

To evaluate whether your proposed taxes are fair, focus on four critical numbers listed on page one of your notice:

                     HOW YOUR TAXABLE VALUE IS CALCULATED
  
  [ MARKET / JUST VALUE ]  ──► Assessed open-market value as of January 1
           │
         MINUS
           ▼
  [ SAVE OUR HOMES (SOH) ] ──► Accumulated value capped above the annual 3% limit
           │
         MINUS
           ▼
  [ EXEMPTIONS ]           ──► Homestead ($25k–$50k), senior, veteran, or disability
           │
        EQUALS
           ▼
  [ ASSESSED TAXABLE VALUE]──► Net baseline multiplied by local millage rates

  1. Market (Just) Value: The appraiser’s estimate of what your property would sell for on the open market as of January 1. Ask yourself: Is this valuation realistic based on actual comparable closed sales from 2025?

  2. Save Our Homes (SOH) Benefit: For primary homesteaded properties, Florida law caps annual assessed value increases at 3% or the rate of inflation (whichever is lower). Over years of market appreciation, this built-up difference represents your non-taxed SOH savings.

  3. Exemptions: Deductions subtracted from your valuation, including standard Florida Homestead ($25,000 to $50,000), widow/widower, disability, or veteran exemptions. Ensure all qualified credits are applied.

  4. Assessed / Taxable Value: The final calculated amount after deducting the SOH cap and eligible exemptions. This is the figure to which local millage rates are applied.

Understanding SOH Portability: Take Your Tax Savings With You

One of Florida’s most valuable homeowner benefits is Save Our Homes Portability. If you have built up a significant SOH tax cap benefit on your primary residence, you do not lose those savings when you move.

  • Upgrading: When moving to a higher-priced home, you can transfer up to $500,000 of accumulated SOH tax savings to your new property.

  • Downsizing: If you “buy down” to a less expensive home, you can still transfer a proportional share of your SOH tax savings.

  • Timeframe: Florida allows homeowners up to three tax years from abandoning a previous homestead to apply portability to a new primary residence.

Critical Deadline & How to Dispute Your Value

Property owners have a strict statutory window of 25 days from the TRIM mailing date to challenge their valuation.

Important Deadline: All formal petition filings with the Lee County Value Adjustment Board (VAB) must be submitted by September 11, 2026.

                 HOW TO FILE A DISPUTE OR INQUIRY
  
  [ STEP 1: CHECK CODE ] ──► Use the personalized online filing code on your notice
  [ STEP 2: REACH OUT ]  ──► Contact LeePA by phone or email to initiate an informal review
  [ STEP 3: SUBMIT COMPS]──► Attach recent comparable sales and condition evidence
  [ STEP 4: FORMAL VAB ] ──► Submit a formal VAB petition before the Sept. 11 cutoff

Your TRIM notice includes a personalized online filing code that allows you to initiate an inquiry directly. When contesting value, the goal is to supply clear market evidence (such as recent closed sales, appraisals, or repair estimates) demonstrating why the property’s January 1 valuation should be adjusted downward.

Millage Meetings: Where Your Tax Rates Are Set

While the Property Appraiser determines your property’s value, they do not set the tax rates.

The second page of your TRIM notice outlines each independent taxing authority—including the Board of County Commissioners, School Board, municipal city councils, fire districts, and water management districts. Next to each entity, you will find the dates, times, and locations of upcoming public budget hearings. Attending these meetings gives citizens a direct voice to speak on proposed tax millage increases before final budgets are adopted.

Next Steps: How LeAne & Alec Can Help

Do not leave money on the table. Many property owners successfully secure tax reductions simply by identifying errors or presenting accurate sales data.

  • Request a Custom Comps Report: Contact LeAne and Alec at the LeAneSuarezGroup. We will pull recent closed comparable neighborhood sales from 2025/early 2026 to verify whether your market valuation is justified.

  • File an Inquiry: If your property’s condition, hurricane repair status, or nearby sales indicate an over-assessment, start the dispute process early with the Property Appraiser’s office before the September 11 deadline.

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