The county office of the Tax Collector was established in the 1885 state constitution. It was thought that local taxes could best be collected by a local official, who would be more responsive to the needs of the community that elected him or her. The Tax Collector serves a four year term and is elected in the same year as the Presidential election.
The Tax Collector is responsible for the collection of ad valorem (real estate) taxes, tangible personal property taxes and other taxes set at the local level, including those by special taxing authorities and state agencies. The Tax Collector also acts as an agent of several state departments, including the Department of Revenue, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee.
As an agent of the Department of Revenue, the Tax Collector bills and collects real and tangible personal property taxes. The amount of the tax is based on the assessed value of the property and the millage rate, which is set by various taxing authorities. The Tax Collector also collects state sales tax on title purchases and submits to the Department of Revenue. As an agent of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the Tax Collector issues license plates and registrations, vessel registrations, processes applications for titles on automobiles, trucks, trailers (over 2,000 lbs.), mobile homes, vessels and issues disabled parking permits. As an agent of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Tax Collector sells hunting and fishing licenses, submits disabled hunting and fishing license applications online and provides the customer with accurate information on the rules and regulations for hunting and fishing.