Time really does seem to be speeding up. March is here already, and before we know it, we'll be halfway through the year. So, while we are already talking about jumping ahead, I wanted to talk about the month of April. The month of April holds particular significance for the Citrus County Property Appraiser’s Office due to the important deadline on April 1st. This date marks the statutory deadline for both our Tangible Personal Property (TPP) and Geographic Information System (GIS) departments. Let’s explore these departments in more detail to understand why this deadline is so critical for us.

First, let’s discuss our TPP department. This department is responsible for tracking all tangible personal property used in a business, excluding inventory and real estate. TPP, also known as business personal property, includes items such as machinery, equipment, furniture, fixtures, signs, supplies, and leased equipment or furnishings in rental units.

In 2008, Florida voters approved Amendment 1, which provides a $25,000 exemption for certain tangible personal property. To qualify for this valuable exemption, a return must be filed by April 1st. If your tangible personal property is valued under $25,000, you still need to file an initial return. Taking the time to file for this exemption could save your business hundreds of dollars.

Many new business owners may not be familiar with the TPP return or may not realize they are required to file one. Florida State Statute 193.052 mandates that all businesses, regardless of size, report their tangible personal property to the Citrus County Property Appraiser’s Office each year. We often receive questions about the TPP return, such as: “What happens if I miss the April 1st filing deadline?” “What if I’m no longer in business—should I still file a return?” and “If I buy or sell a business during the year, who is responsible for the TPP taxes?” Let’s address these questions now.

“What if I missed the April 1st filing deadline?” We encourage you to still submit your TPP return. Failing to file could result in penalties, loss of exemption, and an estimation of assets. I certainly don’t want that to happen to you, so please take the time to complete the application for this exemption.

“I am no longer in business. Should I still file a return?” Yes, absolutely. If your business closes, changes ownership, or relocates, you must file a CC-405 TPP tax return to inform us of the change in status. If you need help locating the form, please don’t hesitate to contact us, and we will assist you.

“If I buy or sell an existing business during the year, who is responsible for the TPP taxes?

The responsibility for TPP taxes lies with the person or entity in possession of the assets or equipment. Tangible property taxes generally are not prorated at the closing of a business transaction.

Now that you’re more familiar with our TPP department and its April 1st deadline, let’s move on to our second department, the Geographic Information System (GIS) department, which also follows an important April 1st deadline.

A Geographic Information System (GIS) is more than just a computer system that produces maps; it’s a comprehensive collection of personnel, computer hardware, software, and geographic data that is used to capture, store, analyze, and display geographic data. GIS helps us analyze this data and present the results in map form.

In our office, the GIS system also serves as a parcel ownership database, assisting the appraisal staff in determining just value. It also plays a crucial role in locating and identifying individual properties. Per Florida Statute 193.1142, our office is required to submit our GIS map data to the Florida Department of Revenue on or before April 1st. If our maps are not approved, we cannot proceed with certifying our tax roll. In preparation for this deadline, our staff diligently maintains public land survey system lines, parcel lines, lot lines, block lines, easement lines, right-of-way lines, hydrographic lines, and jurisdictional and municipal boundary lines.

While our GIS department has a small staff, their impact on the tax roll is immense. They put in countless hours to ensure that our maps are accurate and up-to-date. We receive positive feedback from the community about our mapping system, and this is a direct reflection of the hard work and dedication of our GIS team. Just like the rest of our staff, I am incredibly proud of their efforts.

If you have any questions about our TPP or GIS departments, please don’t hesitate to contact us at (352)-341-6600. Be sure to follow us on Facebook at @CitrusCountyFLPropertyAppr. This month, we are continuing our department dedications on our social media platforms and will be discussing our GIS department in more detail.

Until next time, it’s a great day to have a great day!