Selling a Jupiter Home: How Property Taxes Are Prorated at Closing

Short answer: when you sell a Jupiter home, the year's property taxes are split between you and the buyer as of the day before closing. Because Palm Beach County bills are mailed by November 1 and payable through March 31, most sellers who close before paying the current bill give the buyer a credit for their share. Under the standard Florida contract, that share is figured on the tax after the maximum 4% discount.

I am Kyle Camerlinck, broker and owner of Taiter Realty in Jupiter. I have been a licensed Florida real estate professional since December 15, 2020, and I hold Florida broker license BK3487029. Tax prorations are one of the line items sellers ask about most on a settlement statement. With 2026 bills going out this week, here is how it works.

When are Palm Beach County property taxes billed and due?

The Palm Beach County Tax Collector mails property tax bills by November 1, and taxes are payable November 1 through March 31. Unpaid taxes become delinquent April 1. The office's important dates calendar lists November 1 as the date 2026 property taxes open for collection.

Early payment discounts are set by section 197.162, Florida Statutes: 4% in November, 3% in December, 2% in January, 1% in February, and none in March. So the 2026 bill covers calendar year 2026 but is paid from November 2026 through March 2027.

How does the standard contract prorate taxes?

Standard K of the Florida Realtors/Florida Bar AS IS Residential Contract provides that real estate taxes, association fees and certain special district assessments are prorated as of the day prior to closing. For taxes it sets an order of operations:

• Use the current year's tax.
• If the current millage is not fixed but the current assessment is available, use that assessment with the prior year's millage.
• If the current assessment is not available, use the prior year's tax.
• In all cases, allow for the maximum discount and applicable homestead and other exemptions.
• A proration based on an estimate can be readjusted at either party's request once the actual bill arrives.

The same standard notes that escrow deposits held by the seller's lender are paid to the seller. Your contract may differ if it was attorney-drafted, so confirm the language in yours.

A hypothetical example

Assume, hypothetically, a gross annual tax of $30,000 and a closing on June 30. With the 4% discount, the base is $28,800. The seller's share covers January 1 through June 29, which is 180 days. $28,800 times 180 divided by 365 is about $14,203, credited to the buyer at closing. This is an illustration only. Your figure comes from your parcel's actual tax and your closing date.

If you close after the current bill is out but unpaid, your closing agent will handle how it is paid and split on the settlement statement. If you already paid it, the proration typically runs the other way and the buyer reimburses you for their share. Confirm the mechanics with your closing agent.

What should Jupiter sellers check now?

• Your parcel record. Look up assessed value, exemptions and tax history on the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser site.
• The new bill. If you are under contract or listing this winter, watch for the 2026 bill and decide with your closing agent whether to pay it before closing.
• Homestead reset for your buyer. Under section 193.155, Florida Statutes, a homestead is reassessed at just value as of January 1 after a change of ownership. Your buyer's future bill may be well above yours, which I explain in how buyers should model the Jupiter tax bill after closing.
• Association and district charges. Dues and CDD or special district assessments are also prorated under Standard K.

For the other line items on a seller settlement statement, see my guide to Palm Beach County closing costs and documentary stamps.

Frequently asked questions

Who pays property taxes for the year a Jupiter home sells?

Both parties, by proration. Under the standard Florida Realtors/Florida Bar AS IS contract, taxes are prorated as of the day prior to closing, so the seller bears the share from January 1 through the day before closing and the buyer bears the rest.

Why does the seller usually give the buyer a credit?

Florida property taxes are billed after the year is underway. In Palm Beach County, bills are mailed by November 1 and payable November 1 through March 31. If you close before the current year's bill is paid, the buyer will pay it later, so you credit your share at closing.

Is the proration based on the full tax or the discounted amount?

The standard AS IS contract says due allowance is made for the maximum allowable discount and applicable homestead and other exemptions. The maximum discount under section 197.162, Florida Statutes, is 4% for payment in November.

What if the current year's tax is not known at closing?

The standard contract uses the current year's assessment with the prior year's millage if the millage is not fixed, or the prior year's tax if the assessment is not available. A proration based on an estimate can be readjusted at either party's request when the actual bill arrives.

Will the buyer's taxes be the same as mine?

Often not. If you have homestead, your assessed value may be capped. Under section 193.155, Florida Statutes, the property is reassessed at just value as of January 1 after a change of ownership.

My recommendation

Pull your tax record before you list and build the proration into your net sheet. It is rarely a surprise in size, but it often is in direction, and the settlement statement should never be the first time you see it.

If you are thinking about selling in the next 6 to 24 months, send me your address and I will put together a private value range built on recent closed sales, not list prices. No obligation, and nothing goes on the market until you decide.

This article is general information, not legal, tax, insurance, or financial advice, and it is not an appraisal. Tax figures in the example are hypothetical; confirm your actual tax and proration with your closing agent. Items marked TBD are figures I have not verified.

Kyle Camerlinck | Taiter Realty, Jupiter FL Luxury Real Estate
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