Relocation Information
Newcomer Information
Palm Beach County offers new residents a
breathtaking landscape of 2,578 square miles (including lakes and waterways), a
flourishing business environment, a rich multicultural scene and ideal weather
year-round.
The
City of West Palm Beach
is the largest, in the county, in terms of size (53 square miles) and
population (110,000). Newcomers and residents alike enjoy an ensemble of
performing and fine arts, multicultural events, and the acclaimed Clematis by
Night fountain-side concert series.
If
you’re a newcomer to the area, the Chamber staff is well equipped to assist you
with many of your relocation needs. If you cannot find answers to your
questions in this section, please call upon us anytime.
Establishing
Residency
Under
Florida law,
you automatically establish residency when being employed, enrolling children
in school or registering to vote. You may document your residency by obtaining
and filing a Declaration of Domicile with the office of the Clerk &
Comptroller, (561) 355-2962. For more information, visit www.pbcountyclerk.com
Voter
Registration Supervisor of Elections
You
must be a U.S. Citizen, Florida resident and
18 years old to register to vote in the state of Florida
(you may pre-register if you are 16 and have a Florida driver’s license). If you have been
convicted of a felony or declared mentally incompetent, you must have had your
civil rights or mental competency restored before you can register. Proof of
residency is not required and there are no residency requirements; however you
must be a legal resident of the county you are registering in the state of Florida.
Voter
registration applications are available at the Supervisor of Elections offices
located at 345 S. Congress Ave. in Delray Beach, (561) 276-1226; 240 S.
Military Trail in West Palm Beach, (561) 656-6200; 3188 PGA Blvd. in Palm Beach
Gardens, (561) 624-6555; or at the County Office Building at 2976 State Road 15
in Belle Glade, (561) 992-1114. You can also obtain applications at libraries,
post offices and the Department of Motor Vehicles. A copy of the application
can also be downloaded at www.pbcelections.org. You will need to provide a
current and valid Florida
driver’s license or Florida Identification Card number. If you do not have a
valid driver’s license or identification card, you must provide the last four
digits of your social security number. The voter registration books close 29
days prior to each election.
Motor
Vehicle Registration
The
Tax Collector serves as the agent for the Department of Highway Safety and
Motor Vehicles for titling and registering all motorized vehicles, boats and
mobile homes (commercial and private), including motorcycles and mopeds
(registrations only). The Tax Collector’s office also issues disabled parking placards.
New
residents should register their vehicle(s) and obtain a Florida license plate within 10 days of
establishing legal residency, accepting employment or upon placement of a child
in school. Contact the Florida Department of Financial Services’ Bureau of
Consumer Services at (800) 342-2762 regarding insurance requirements.
Take
your proof of Florida insurance, along with
the original title, to your county
Tax Collector. Many
transactions can be conducted online at www.taxcollectorpbc.com. Call the Tax
Collector’s office at (561) 355-2622 with any questions.
Driver’s
License
New
state residents who wish to drive in Florida
must obtain a Florida
driver’s license within 30 days of moving. U.S.
citizens, take your driver’s license, social security card and proof of United States
citizenship (U.S. Birth Certificate, U.S. Passport or U.S. Naturalization
Certificate). You may be able to convert without taking a written or road test.
You will be required to take a vision screening.
Non-U.S.
citizens must have proof of legal presence from United States Citizenship and
Immigration Services (USCIS) and identification. Canadians without USCIS
documents must provide two forms of Canadian citizenship.
Additional
information is available at www.flhsmv.gov. Many transactions such as license
renewal and address changes can now be made online at www.gorenew.com.
Seat
Belts
Florida law requires
all drivers and passengers in the front seat of a vehicle to wear seat belts.
Effective July 1, 2005, Florida
law now allows law enforcement officials to stop any vehicle if the driver or
occupants under 18 are not wearing seat belts. The driver will be held
responsible for passengers under 18 found not wearing their seat belts. Seat
belt violations for those 18 and older are handled as secondary violations.
For
information on child-restraint devices and requirements or updates on Florida law, please
visit the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle’s Web site at
www.hsmv.state.fl.us.
Vessel
Registration
Motorized
vessels used in freshwater or saltwater must be registered at the Tax
Collector’s office. You need to bring a Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin
(MCO) or its equivalent when you register the vessel.
Florida recognizes
valid registration certificates and numbers issued to non-resident vessel
owners by other states for 90 days. If you plan to use the vessel in Florida longer than 90 days, you need to register in Florida. Bring your
out-of-state title and registration with you when you come to the Tax Collector’s
office. You may visit the home page at www.taxcollectorpbc.com, call (561)
355-2329 or visit the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle’s Web site
at www.hsmv.state.fl.us.
Licensing
Fishing
In
Florida, both
freshwater and saltwater fishing licenses may be required. To protect our
natural resources, there are some legal minimum lengths and limits on the
number of fish you may possess. There is also closed season on some shellfish
and snook. To obtain a resident license for fishing and hunting, you must be a
resident of Florida
for six months. Residents 65 years of age or older can obtain a complimentary
hunting and fishing license when they show a valid Florida driver’s license.
Licenses
and information may be obtained at the Tax Collector’s office or at any state
agent (bait shops, sporting goods stores, etc.). Additional information is
available at www.taxcollectorpbc.com, or call the Tax Collector’s office at
(561) 355-2329.
Hunting
A
valid license is required for anyone taking or attempting to take game or
furbearing animals. Hunters must also pay a fee to the owner of commercial
shooting preserves for the privilege of hunting game. There are many special
seasons, legal methods, bag limits, requirements and regulations that affect
hunters in Florida.
Call (561) 355-2329 for additional information, or visit www.taxcollector
pbc.com.
Marriage
Main
Courthouse
205 N. Dixie
Highway
West Palm
Beach
Both
individuals must present photo identification (driver’s license, passport or
identification card) to receive a marriage license. There is a three-day
waiting period between the date the license is issued and the date the ceremony
is performed, unless the couple has attended a pre-marital course or both are
from out of state. The license fee is $93.50. If previously married, the date
of divorce must
be
provided. For more information, call the Clerk & Comptroller’s West Palm
Beach
office at (561) 355-2996 or visit www.pbcountyclerk.com.
Houses
of Worship
The
Palm Beaches provide a sanctum for most major religious denominations, and
newcomers will almost certainly find one compatible with their beliefs. Area
clergy and religious leaders are continually engaged in community activities
and are eager to help families settle into their new homes.
For
further information about places of worship in Palm Beach County,
consult the local telephone directory.
Pet
Regulations & Vaccinations
All
dogs and cats are required to wear a rabies license tag on or before the date a
dog or cat is six (6) months of age; or within thirty (30) calendar days of
acquiring a dog or cat; or within thirty (30) calendar days after a dog or cat
resides in Palm Beach County, PBC Ordinance 98—22. The non—sterilized rabies
license tag is $75 and the sterilized rabies license tag is $15. Senior
citizens 65+ receive a 25% discount. Tags are available at Palm Beach County
Animal Care and Control, 7100
Belvedere Road, West Palm Beach
or from any private veterinary office.
All
dogs and cats are required to be vaccinated against rabies at four months of
age in accordance to Florida State Statute 828.30. Ask your veterinarian about
the three—year vaccine. Animals must have a one year history of a rabies
vaccination before a three—year rabies vaccination can be administered. The
purchase of a non—sterilized tag without a hobby breeder permit number
certifies the pet will not be used for breeding. Breeding dogs and cats is
prohibited in Palm Beach
County without a special
permit. For more information, call (561) 233-1209
or
1227.
Animal
Care and Control encourages pet owners to have a permanent electronic
identification chip implanted in their animals. For further information, call
(561) 233—1272 or 1271. To review the Palm Beach County Animal Ordinance 98—22
in its entirety, visit www.pbcgov.com/pubsafety/animal.
Tax
Information
Palm Beach County Property Tax
The
Palm Beach County Tax Collector collects property taxes for every government
agency in Palm Beach
County that has the
authority to levy taxes. Property taxes on most homes are usually around 2
percent of the purchase price. Ad valorem and non-ad valorem assessments are
payable on November 1, or as soon as the tax role is certified.
Property
taxes are payable from November 1 until March 31 and delinquent as of April 1.
Discounts for early payment apply according to the following schedule: 4
percent in November, 3 percent in December, 2 percent in January and 1 percent
in February.
Property
taxes can be paid quarterly, with the first installment due by June 30.
Registration forms for the installment payment plan are available at
ww.taxcollectorpbc.com or by calling (561) 355-2266, and must be received on or
before May 1.
Exemptions
such as homestead, disability and widow/widower are filed with the Property
Appraiser’s office. Call the Property Appraiser at (561) 355-2866 for filing
dates.
Homestead Exemption
Florida’s Homestead
Exemption law exempts the first $25,000 of the assessed value from ad valorem
taxes for property owned and established as a permanent residence. On January 29,
2008, voters approved Amendment One, a change to Florida’s Constitution that
enhances the Homestead Exemption law in three ways:
•
Residents with a Save Our Homes assessment cap may transfer all, or a
significant portion, of their tax savings to a new property in Florida.
•
The Homestead Exemption doubles to $50,000 for properties valued at $75,000 or
more for all tax levies except school districts.
•
Effective January 1, 2009, owners of non-homestead properties may file to
receive a 10 percent annual assessment cap similar to Save Our Homes.
Call
the Property Appraiser at (561) 355-2866 for filing dates.
Tangible
Tax
Florida’s
tangible tax is applied to businesses’ personal property, with the first
$25,000 in value exempt from taxation (an initial return must be filed to
qualify for the exemption). A penalty of 25 percent of the value is assessed by
the Property Appraiser’s office for failure to file a return. For more
information, call the Tax Collector’s office at (561) 355-2266, or the Property
Appraiser at (561) 355-2896.
Business
Tax Receipts
All
businesses, professionals and professional offices are issued a Local Business
Tax Receipt for the privilege of operating a business in the county. Renewed
annually, business tax receipts may be obtained from the county Tax Collector’s
offices. Visit the Tax Collector’s home page at www.taxcollectorpbc.com or call
(561) 355-2272 for more information.
Tax
Collector’s Office Locations
The
Palm Beach County Tax Collector’s office collects and distributes over $3
billion annually in taxes and fees. There are six permanent office locations
and one mobile office at convenient sites throughout the county. Call (561)
355-2264 or visit www.taxcollectorpbc.com for a complete list of office
addresses and hours.
State
Taxes
Department
of Revenue
Taxpayer
Services
The
Florida Department of Revenue administers 36 taxes and fees while collecting in
excess of $38 billion for the state. Free tax seminars and workshops are held
throughout Palm Beach County. For more information, visit
www.myflorida.com/dor, or contact the Department of Revenue’s Regional Service
Center in West Palm Beach at (561) 640-2800.
Sales
Tax
The
State of Florida has a 6 percent statewide sales tax rate. The tax is due at
the time of a retail sale, admission charge, storage or rental transaction as
well as when certain services are performed. Some items and types of services
are exempt from the tax. Palm Beach County charges an additional discretionary
sales tax of .5 percent, for a total of 6.5 percent.
New
business owners may register to collect sales tax by contacting the Department
of Revenue online at www.myflorida.com/dor or at the Regional Service Center
located at 2468 Metrocentre Blvd., West Palm Beach.
Use
Tax
This
tax is a component of the state’s sales tax and is due on purchases made out of
state and brought into Florida within six months where no sales tax was
initially paid. This tax is also due on tax-exempt purchases that are not
offered for sale at retail but consumed in the manufacturing process where such
items are not part of the end product.
Utilities
Electric
Electric
service is provided by Florida Power and Light Company except in parts of Lake
Worth where it is provided by the Lake Worth Utilities.
Florida
Power & Light
(561)
697-8000
Lake
Worth Utilities
(561)
586-1666
Natural
Gas
Florida
Public Utilities is the only supplier of natural gas and serves the county’s
eastern municipalities.
Florida
Public Utilities
(561)
832-0872 • (800) 427-7712
Telephone
In
order to establish residential phone service, please check the AT&T Real Yellow Pages for a complete
listing of all the telephone service providers available.
AT&T
Residential:
(888) 757-6500
Business: (866) 620-6000
Water
Palm
Beach County Water Utilities
(561)
740-4600
South
County - (561) 278-5135
Public
Utilities
City
of West Palm Beach
(561)
822-1300
Seacoast
Utility Authority
North
County - (561) 627-2920
Village
of Wellington
(Wellington
and surrounding areas)
(561)
791-4010
Garbage
& Recycling
Solid
Waste Authority of Palm Beach County collects garbage, trash and recyclable
materials.
Solid
Waste Authority
(561)
697-2700
Palm
Beach Resource Recovery Corp.
(561)
478-3800
Southern
Waste Systems, LLC
(561)
582-6688
Sunburst
Sanitation
(561)
478-9590
Waste
Management of Palm Beach
(561)
547-4000
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