December is a busy month for the Tax Collector’s Office. Trays of property tax payments come rolling in each day in the mail in addition to increased lobby traffic due to property tax season. To assist customers who need to visit the office this month, here are a few things to keep in mind as the holiday season approaches:
Holiday Office Closure
The Bay County Tax Collector’s Office will be closed Friday, December 23 through Friday, December 30 for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Offices will reopen on Monday, January 2 at 8 a.m. Please keep this in mind when making plans to complete business and if possible renew vehicles or pay property taxes online at BayTaxCollector.com. You can pay online with an e-check for FREE!
Road Test Eligible Drivers
If you have a driver who is eligible to take the road test in December, please make an appointment at BayTaxCollector.com. Appointments are available at all four offices and are required to take a road test. When you bring in your driver for his/her road test, you will need the following:
• A parent/guardian must accompany the driver to the office if the driver is under 18.
• Proof of Florida insurance on the vehicle being driven for the test.
• Vehicle horn, brake lights, turn signals and seat belts must all be working and windshield be free of cracks to pass safety inspection.
• Driver must have held a learner’s permit for one full year if under 18 to be eligible to take the road test.
Heavy Vehicle Use Tax Renewals
The HVUT is a fee assessed by the federal government for vehicles over 55,000 pounds operating on public roadways. The fee is due in August of each year, but proof of submitted tax (IRS Form 2290) OR proof of payment (credit/debit card receipt or front/back of cancelled check or other receipt for payment) is required, along with proof of insurance when renewing the registration for these large vehicles, each December.
If you have a fleet of HVUT vehicles in need of renewal, please plan accordingly to ensure you have the correct paperwork and your renewals are submitted on time. Please note the office closure above for the Tax Collector’s Office. Additionally, the IRS will be closed the last week of December and first two weeks of January. If you need a copy of your 2290, you’ll need to request it early.
Heavy Trucks
In addition to HVUT vehicle requirements, vehicles with a gross weight of 26,001 pounds or more are also required to provide a proof of commercial vehicle insurance in the form of a Certificate of Liability Insurance or the ACORD form. These must be presented at renewal time as they contain information that must be entered into the state renewal system for a registration to be issued.
Mobile Home Renewals
In the state of Florida, mobile homes must be registered. A numbered decal, instead of a metal license plate, is issued for identification. State statute requires mobile home registrations be renewed annually by December 31, unless assessed as real property. A delinquent fee is charged if the registration is not renewed by the 10th of the following month.
During the holiday closure, many services can be accessed at BayTaxCollector.com or through the State’s website at https://mydmvportal.flhsmv.gov. A self-service registration renewal kiosk is also available in the Publix on 23rd Street. You can renew your vehicle registration and print your decal on site. Please note vehicle registrations more than eight months delinquent as well as vessel and mobile home registrations do require a visit to our office.
Have questions? Many of the transactions we complete can be a bit complicated. We understand you may have some questions. We encourage you to visit our website BayTaxCollector.com to get many of your questions answered. Website visitors can use the search bar to search by topic, click on the green question mark in the bottom right to chat with our chat bot, Scout, or click the expanded menu in the middle right of the page.
Please visit BayTaxCollector.com for more information related to property taxes and the other services provided by the Tax Collector’s Office.
