Information for Disabled Persons
The Tax Collector's Office facilitates many types of transactions that benefit disabled
persons.
To learn more about these transactions, please click on the following links:
Disabled Person Placards (Permits) & License
Plates
Disabled Person Hunting And Fishing Licenses
Local Business Tax Exemptions
Property Tax Exemptions
Disabled Person Parking Placards (Permits) & License Plates
Long Term Disabled Person Parking Placards
A long-term disabled person parking placard is available to any individual with
permanent mobility problems or those who are legally blind.
The disability must be certified by:
- A Florida or out-of-state Physician;
- Osteopathic Physician;
- Podiatrist;
- Chiropractor;
- Optometrist;
- The Florida Division of Blind Services;
- The Adjudication Office of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs;
- The U.S. Veterans Administration; or,
- The Florida Department of Veterans Affairs.
A current application form with the completed certification is required for both
the initial issuance and renewal of a disabled person parking placard. Only application
forms revised after December 1996 or later may be accepted.
Disabled persons must have either a current Florida Driver License or a Florida
Identification Card issued by the Florida Division of Driver Licenses.
Long-term permits are issued for a period of four years and expire on the disabled
person’s birthday.
Individuals seeking the long-term parking placard must submit a completed application.
There is no fee for a long-term disabled parking placard. Individuals are limited
to two placards. Applications may be obtained at at one of the
Tax Collector's Offices.
Click here
to retrieve the Disabled Person Parking Placard Application.
(This form is made available through the Florida Department of Highway Safety and
Motor Vehicles website.)
Warning: Knowingly providing false information on an application
to obtain a disabled parking placard is a misdemeanor of the first degree. The penalty
for which is up to 1 year in jail and/or a fine of $1,000.
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Temporary Disabled
Person Parking Placards
Temporary disabled person parking placards are available to any individual with
a temporary disability.
The disability must be certified by:
- A Florida or out-of-state physician;
- Osteopathic Physician;
- Chiropractor;
- Optometrist;
- The Florida Division of Blind Services; or,
- The Adjudication Office of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Individuals seeking the temporary parking placard must submit a completed application.
The fee is $15. The permit may be valid as determined by your physician, not to
exceed 1 year. (If an additional 6 months is needed after the original issuance,
qualified individuals may obtain a second 6 month permit at no charge.)
Applications may be obtained at one of the
Tax Collector's Offices.
Click here
to retrieve the Disabled Person Parking Placard Application.
(This form is made available through the Florida Department of Highway Safety and
Motor Vehicles website.)
Warning: Knowingly providing false information on an application
to obtain a disabled parking placard is a misdemeanor of the first degree. The penalty
for which is up to 1 year in jail and/or a fine of $1,000.
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Renewal Of Long
Term Disabled Person Parking Placards
The Tax Collector's Office mails out renewal cards for permanent parking placards.
Effective October 1st, any person issued a blue permanent disabled parking permit must
renew their permit every four years and, when doing so, provide a certificate of
disability completed and have it signed by a certifying medical authority within the last 12 months. This means every blue disabled parking permit holder will, at least every
four years and within 12 months of the date of their renewal, fill out Form HSMV
83039 and have it signed by a certifying medical authority within the last 12 months.
There is no fee for the renewal of a long-term disabled parking placard.
Renewals may also be conducted by mail or by visiting one of the
Tax Collector's Offices.
If a renewal card is not received, qualified individuals may
mail-in a request for the renewal or visit one of the
Tax Collector's Offices.
The request should include the parking placard number(s).
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Disabled Person Parking
Tags
The
Tax Collector's Office initially issues and replaces the Wheel Chair Symbol
tag (license plate). Fees: $28 Original Plate Issue fee, the regular registration
taxes due and $1.50 Plate Mail fee. These license plates may only be issued for
use on the following types of vehicles: Automobiles for private use; trucks weighing
5,000 pounds or less; automobiles which seat under nine passengers and are for hire;
and, motor homes or truck campers not for hire or commercial use.
In addition to regular registration requirements, proof of eligibility that the
applicant is permanently confined to a wheelchair or qualifies for a long term Disabled Person Parking Placard
must be submitted in one of the following forms: The physician's statement certifying
permanent confinement to a wheelchair; or, a statement on letterhead stationary
from any physician licensed to practice in the United States stating that the applicant
is permanently confined to a wheelchair; or, a completed HSMV 83039 form.
Click her to
access HSMV 83039 form (in PDF). |Get Adobe Reader|
To obtain the application, please contact the Tax Collector's Office by email
Mail@PolkTaxes.com,
written correspondence, telephone
or visit one of the Tax Collector's
Offices.
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Disabled Person Hunting And Fishing Licenses
DISABLED PERSON PRIVILEGES
A disabled person who is a resident of the State of Florida may apply for a resident disability hunting and fishing license from one of the
Tax Collector's Offices.
To qualify for a resident disability hunting and fishing license, a disabled person
must present proof of residency and a certification of total permanent disability
by the U.S. Veterans Administration (VA), any branch of the Armed Services, or a
Notice of Award from the Social Security Administration (SSA) for Supplemental Security
Income or Supplemental Security Disability Income Benefits.
The telephone number for the VA Service Office in Polk County is (863) 534-5220.
The toll free telephone number for the SSA is (800) 772-1213.
To qualify for any resident hunting and fishing license proof of residency is required.
You must provide date of birth along with any one of the following for proof of
residency:
- Florida DL Number (Florida ID not acceptable)
- Customer ID Number (number already in TLS system)
- Social Security Number & FL Homestead Exemption
- Social Security Number & FL Voter Registration
- Social Security Number & FL Landlord Certification
- Social Security Number & FL Military Orders
- Social Security Number & FL Student ID Card - 18 or Under
- Social Security Number & Parents Proof of Residency
Note: Non-resident hunting and fishing licenses may be purchased
by anyone.
A resident disability hunting and fishing license authorizes the holder to take
or attempt to take or possess freshwater fish, marine fish, and game consistent with
state and federal regulations.
Holders of a disability hunting and fishing license are exempt from permit requirements,
including the no-cost migratory bird permit, and from making application for most
quota hunt permits to hunt on a wildlife management area.
A disability license does not allow the holder those privileges found in the commercial
fishing license, commercial or state trapping license, antlerless deer permits, or
the federal waterfowl stamp. A disabled person wishing to participate in these activities
must also acquire the required permits for each of these activities.
All disability licenses, including replacement licenses, issued after January 1,
1997, will expire five years from the date of issuance and are no longer valid if
the holder moves out of the State of Florida.
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Local Business Tax Exemptions
Click here to search
County Local Business Tax records.
The State of Florida and the Polk
County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) do provide for some exemptions
regarding County Local Business Tax requirements. For more information on exemptions,
please refer to the following information.
Exemption Sought for County Local
Business Tax Receipt Requirement
To obtain an exemption with the issuance of an original Polk County Local Business
Tax Receipt, please provide a written request for the specific exemption sought
(see the List of Exemptions provided below).
If documentation is required to be submitted for consideration of the exemption
request, please attach the required documentation to the written request.
If the exemption request is being made with regard to the issuance of an original
Polk County Local Business Tax Receipt, please include a completed
County Local Business Tax Account Application Form.
If an exemption is denied, the application will be returned to the applicant along with an explanation for the denial and further instructions on how to obtain a Local County Business Tax Receipt. County Local Business Tax Receipts with exemptions may also be obtained, under the same criteria set forth above, at one of the Tax Collector's Offices.
Exemption Sought From Current
Tax Receipt Holder
If the holder of a current Polk County Local Business Tax Receipt seeks an exemption,
they must provide a written request for the specific exemption they are seeking
(see the List of Exemptions provided below). If documentation is required to be
submitted for consideration of the request, please attach the required documentation
to the written request.
With the written request, please include the Polk County Local Business Tax Account
Number.
If an exemption is approved, the exemption will be applied for the following Polk
County Local Business Tax Receipt tax year and every year thereafter until a status
change is reported to the Tax Collector's Office. If an exemption is denied,
the Polk County Local Business Tax Receipt Holder will be notified along with an
explanation for the denial.
Polk County Local Business Tax Receipts may also be amended to include exemptions, under the same criteria provided above, at one of the Tax Collector's Offices.
For more information on exemptions, please refer to F.S. 205 of the Florida Statutes and/or the Polk County Local Business Tax Ordinance (in PDF).
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Tax Collector's Office.
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Property Tax Exemptions
The
Property Appraiser is responsible
for property tax exemptions, such as:
- Homestead Exemptions
- Widow and Widower Exemptions
- Disability Exemptions
First-time applications for homestead, widow and widower, or disability exemptions
must be filed with the
Property Appraiser's
Office by March 1st of the tax year. After that, all exemptions are automatically
renewed; you need not reapply.
You must notify the
Property Appraiser
when you no longer qualify for any of the exemptions.
About The Property Appraiser
In addition to exemptions, the
Property
Appraiser is responsible for the preparation of the current ad valorem taxroll
assessed value of property, taxable value, assessed owner’s name and address,
including address changes; and, the legal description of property.
For more information on these subjects, please visit the
Property Appraiser's Office website.
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