Clermont cut its city tax rate to 4.20 mills for 2026. Lake County tax bills go out by Nov. 1; pay in November for a 4% discount. Taxes due March 31.
Last checked Oct. 8, 2026. Facts on this page come from the Lake County Tax Collector, the Lake County Property Appraiser and the City of Clermont’s Sept. 24 budget hearing summary.
Property taxes in Clermont are set by several bodies: the city, Lake County, the Lake County School Board, the Lake County Water Authority and a regional water management district. The Lake County Property Appraiser values your property; the Lake County Tax Collector sends the bill and collects it.
Who to call
- Your bill, payments, installment plan: Lake County Tax Collector, 352-343-9602, laketax.com
- Your value, homestead and other exemptions, address on the tax roll: Lake County Property Appraiser, 352-253-2150, lakecopropappr.com
- The city’s budget and rate: City of Clermont, 685 W. Montrose St., 352-394-4081
Key dates for the 2026 tax bill
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Aug. 21 | Property Appraiser mailed TRIM notices (proposed taxes) |
| Sept. 15 | Deadline to petition the Value Adjustment Board (passed) |
| Sept. 24 | Clermont City Council adopted the 2026 city rate |
| Oct. 5 | Final 2026 tax roll certified to the Tax Collector |
| By Nov. 1 | Tax bills mailed |
| Nov. 30 | Last day for the 4% discount |
| Dec. 31 | Last day for the 3% discount |
| Jan. 31, 2027 | Last day for the 2% discount |
| Feb. 28, 2027 | Last day for the 1% discount |
| March 1, 2027 | Homestead exemption deadline for 2027 |
| March 31, 2027 | Full amount due |
| April 1, 2027 | Unpaid taxes delinquent; 3% interest added |
Dates are from the Property Appraiser’s 2026 tax roll calendar (PDF) and the Tax Collector’s property tax page. Discounts on mailed payments are set by the postmark. The Tax Collector also offers quarterly installment payments; sign up through its office.
Clermont’s city rate: 4.20 mills
The Clermont City Council voted 5-0 on Sept. 24 to set the 2026 operating rate at 4.2000 mills, lower than the 4.2900 it had proposed and below the rolled-back rate of 4.3665, the rate that would raise the same money as last year from existing property. A mill is $1 of tax for every $1,000 of taxable value, so the city’s share on a home with $250,000 of taxable value is $1,050 a year.
The city rate since 2023
The city’s rate has dropped from 5.06 mills in 2023, according to the Property Appraiser’s final millage sheets.
The other rates on the bill
These are the proposed 2026 rates the Property Appraiser published on Aug. 12, beside the rates adopted for 2025. Each board set its final rate at a September hearing; the Property Appraiser posts the final sheet on its millage page.
| Taxing authority | 2025 adopted | 2026 proposed |
|---|---|---|
| Lake County general fund | 5.0254 | 5.0254 |
| School Board, state required | 3.0870 | 3.0560 |
| School Board, local | 2.9980 | 2.9980 |
| Lake County Water Authority | 0.2940 | 0.2940 |
| St. Johns River Water Management District | 0.1793 | 0.1793 |
| Southwest Florida Water Management District | 0.1831 | 0.1831 |
| City of Clermont | 4.5900 | 4.2000 (final) |
Source: 2026 proposed millage rate comparison (PDF). A property pays one of the two water management district rates, depending on where it sits. In 2025 the combined rate inside Clermont was 16.6766 or 17.1351 mills, depending on the tax district, according to the 2025 final millage sheet (PDF). Your TRIM notice and tax bill list every rate that applies to your parcel.
Homestead exemption
If you own your home and it is your permanent residence on Jan. 1, you can apply for a homestead exemption. The Property Appraiser says it can cut assessed value by up to $51,411.
- File by March 1 of the year you want it to start. The application and instructions are on the Property Appraiser’s site.
- A homestead does not move with you. Moving within Lake County means a new application.
- Coming from another Florida homestead, you may be able to carry up to $500,000 of your Save Our Homes benefit with a portability application filed alongside it.
- Other exemptions cover widows and widowers, people with disabilities and low-income seniors.
How to appeal
- Call the Property Appraiser at 352-253-2150 after your TRIM notice arrives in August.
- File a petition with the Value Adjustment Board within 25 days of the TRIM mailing. For 2026 that deadline was Sept. 15. Forms are on the Lake County Clerk’s VAB page.
- An owner denied an exemption has 30 days from the date of the denial letter to petition.
What this means for you
- Your city rate is 8.5% lower than last year’s, but your bill depends on your value and every other board’s rate.
- Pay in November and you save 4%.
- New owners: file for homestead by March 1, 2027.
Related: moving to Clermont, home prices in Clermont and who to call at City Hall.
Frequently asked questions
When are Lake County property taxes due?
Bills are mailed by Nov. 1. The full amount is due by March 31, and unpaid taxes become delinquent April 1, when 3% interest is added.
What is the discount for paying Lake County property taxes early?
4% if paid in full by Nov. 30, 3% by Dec. 31, 2% by Jan. 31 and 1% by Feb. 28. Mailed payments count by postmark.
What is the City of Clermont’s property tax rate for 2026?
4.2000 mills, or $4.20 for every $1,000 of taxable value, adopted 5-0 by the City Council on Sept. 24, 2026. The 2025 rate was 4.5900 mills.
When is the deadline for homestead exemption in Lake County?
March 1 of the year the exemption starts. You must own the home and live in it as your permanent residence on Jan. 1. Apply with the Lake County Property Appraiser, 352-253-2150.
How do I appeal my property value in Lake County?
Call the Property Appraiser first. If that does not settle it, file a petition with the Value Adjustment Board within 25 days of the August TRIM notice; for 2026 that deadline was Sept. 15.
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