Florida Statutes
Fla. Stat. § 197.522 (2025)
Notice to owner when application for tax deed is made.
✓ 2025 Florida Statutes — current through the 2025 Regular Session
Find cases:
SyfertCases citing this section
FL-LEGleg.state.fl.us
JustiaFla. Statutes
CornellLII Search
CasesGoogle Scholar
197.522 Notice to owner when application for tax deed is made.—
(1)(a) The clerk of the circuit court shall notify, by certified mail with return receipt requested or by registered mail if the notice is to be sent outside the continental United States, the persons listed in the tax collector’s statement pursuant to s. 197.502(4) that an application for a tax deed has been made. Such notice shall be mailed at least 20 days prior to the date of sale. If no address is listed in the tax collector’s statement, then no notice shall be required.
(b) The clerk shall enclose with every copy mailed a statement as follows:
WARNING: There are unpaid taxes on property which you own or in which you have a legal interest. The property will be sold at public auction on (date) unless the back taxes are paid. To make payment, or to receive further information, contact the clerk of court immediately at (address) , (telephone number) .
(c) The clerk shall complete and attach to the affidavit of the publisher a certificate containing the names and addresses of those persons notified and the date the notice was mailed. The certificate shall be signed by the clerk and the clerk’s official seal affixed. The certificate shall be prima facie evidence of the fact that the notice was mailed. If no address is listed on the tax collector’s certification, the clerk shall execute a certificate to that effect.
(d) The failure of anyone to receive notice as provided herein shall not affect the validity of the tax deed issued pursuant to the notice.
(e) A printed copy of the notice as published in the newspaper, accompanied by the warning statement described in paragraph (b), shall be deemed sufficient notice.
(2)(a) In addition to the notice provided in subsection (1), the sheriff of the county in which the legal titleholder resides shall, at least 20 days prior to the date of sale, notify the legal titleholder of record of the property on which the tax certificate is outstanding. The original notice and sufficient copies shall be prepared by the clerk and provided to the sheriff. Such notice shall be served as specified in chapter 48; if the sheriff is unable to make service, he or she shall post a copy of the notice in a conspicuous place at the legal titleholder’s last known address. The inability of the sheriff to serve notice on the legal titleholder shall not affect the validity of the tax deed issued pursuant to the notice. A legal titleholder of record who resides outside the state may be notified by the clerk as provided in subsection (1). The notice shall be in substantially the following form:
WARNING
There are unpaid taxes on the property which you own. The property will be sold at public auction on (date) unless the back taxes are paid. To make arrangements for payment, or to receive further information, contact the clerk of court at (address) , (telephone number) .
In addition, if the legal titleholder does not reside in the county in which the property to be sold is located, a copy of such notice shall be posted in a conspicuous place on the property by the sheriff of the county in which the property is located. However, no posting of notice shall be required if the property to be sold is classified for assessment purposes, according to use classifications established by the department, as nonagricultural acreage or vacant land.
(b) In addition to the notice provided in subsection (1), the clerk shall notify by certified mail with return receipt requested, or by registered mail if the notice is to be sent outside the continental United States, the persons listed in the tax collector’s statement pursuant to s. 197.502(4)(h) that application for a tax deed has been made. Such notice shall be mailed at least 20 days prior to the date of sale. If no address is listed in the tax collector’s statement, then no notice shall be required. Enclosed with the copy of the notice shall be a statement in substantially the following form:
WARNING
There are unpaid taxes on property contiguous to your property. The property with the unpaid taxes will be sold at auction on (date) unless the back taxes are paid. To make payment, or to receive further information about the purchase of the property, contact the clerk of court immediately at (address) , (telephone number) .
Neither the failure of the tax collector to include the list of contiguous property owners pursuant to s. 197.502(4)(h) in his or her statement to the clerk nor the failure of the clerk to mail this notice to any or all of the persons listed in the tax collector’s statement pursuant to s. 197.502(4)(h) shall be a basis to challenge the validity of the tax deed issued pursuant to any notice under this section.
(3) When sending or serving a notice under this section, the clerk of the circuit court may rely on the addresses provided by the tax collector based on the certified tax roll and property information reports. The clerk of the circuit court has no duty to seek further information as to the validity of such addresses, because property owners are presumed to know that taxes are due and payable annually under s. 197.122.
(4) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent the tax collector, or any other public official, in his or her discretion from giving additional notice in any form concerning tax certificates and tax sales beyond the minimum requirements of this chapter.
History.—s. 4, ch. 17457, 1935; CGL 1936 Supp. 999(139); s. 28, ch. 20722, 1941; s. 11, ch. 22079, 1943; ss. 1, 2, ch. 69-55; s. 1, ch. 72-268; s. 20, ch. 73-332; s. 1, ch. 75-192; s. 1, ch. 77-174; s. 8, ch. 79-584; s. 3, ch. 81-284; s. 189, ch. 85-342; s. 1026, ch. 95-147; s. 3, ch. 2003-284; s. 2, ch. 2018-160.
Note.—Former ss. 194.18, 197.505, 197.256.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 48
cases (5 in the last 5 years), 1986–2025 · leading case: Vosilla v. Rosado, 944 So. 2d 289 (Fla. 2006).
Vosilla v. Rosado, 944 So. 2d 289 (Fla. 2006). “Next, we explore case law addressing the effect of a titleholder's change of address on the notice requirements of section 197.522. Finally, we explain why the notice provided in this case did not comport with constitutional due process requirements.”
Dawson v. Saada, 608 So. 2d 806 (Fla. 1992). “Section 197.522 sets forth the procedure for giving notice to property owners that a tax sale purchaser has applied for a deed to their property.”
Delta Prop. Mgmt. v. Profile Inv., Inc., 87 So. 3d 765 (Fla. 2012). “In the instant case, however, Delta raises an as-applied challenge to the notice requirements of section 197.522. Delta asserts that because the Clerk knew the notice mailed pursuant to section 197.”
Jones v. Flowers, 547 U.S. 220 (2006). “68, § 3118(A), or as a followup measure when personal service cannot be accomplished or certified mail is returned, see Fla. Stat. § 197.522 (2)(a) (2003); Minn.”
Hutchinson Island Realty v. Babcock, 867 So. 2d 528 (Fla. 5th DCA 2004). “§ 197.522(1), Fla. Stat. (2000); Dawson v.”
Delta Prop. Mgmt., Inc. v. Profile Investments, Inc., 875 So. 2d 443 (Fla. 2004). “See § 197.522(1), Fla. Stat. (1999). In this case, the clerk, some three months after receipt of the statement from the tax collector, mailed the notice of the tax sale to Delta at the address listed in the statement.”
Patricia Weingarten Assocs., Inc. v. Jocalbro, Inc., 974 So. 2d 559 (Fla. 5th DCA 2008). “Based on the holding in Jones , we reversed the final judgment and remanded the case, writing: In the present case, Weingarten alleges the notice sent by the Clerk pursuant to the mandatory notice requirements of section 197.522, Florida Statutes, was returned as undeliverable.”
Rosado v. Vosilla, 909 So. 2d 505 (Fla. 5th DCA 2005). “Section 197.522 states, in pertinent part: (1)(a) The clerk of the circuit court shall notify, by certified mail with return receipt requested or by registered mail if the notice is to be sent outside the continental United States, the persons listed in the tax collector's…”
Delta Prop. Mgmt. v. Profile Investments, Inc., 830 So. 2d 867 (Fla. 1st DCA 2002). “Profile and Delta each moved for summary judgment, with the dispositive legal issue being whether the clerk had complied with the statutory notice requirements of section 197.522(1), Florida Statutes, when he relied exclusively upon the tax collector's statement in preparing the…”
Rahimi v. Global Discoveries, 252 So. 3d 804 (Fla. 3d DCA 2018). “As one of “the persons” required to be notified, payment to Regions Bank was presumed once the clerk sent the notice following the sale. Third time.”
Baron v. Rhett, 847 So. 2d 1032 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003). “" The court further stated: Section 197.522, Florida Statutes should be construed to required that the clerk set the tax sale and mail advance notice thereof within a reasonable time after the filing an application for tax deed so as to minimize the chance that persons who…”
Deutsch v. Global Fin. Servs., LLC, 976 So. 2d 680 (Fla. 2d DCA 2008). “522(1)(a) requires the clerk of the circuit court to give notice by certified mail to those persons listed in the statement provided by the tax collector pursuant to section 197.”
— 197.522(1) — 24 cases
Vosilla v. Rosado, 944 So. 2d 289 (Fla. 2006). “Next, we explore case law addressing the effect of a titleholder's change of address on the notice requirements of section 197.522. Finally, we explain why the notice provided in this case did not comport with constitutional due process requirements.”
Dawson v. Saada, 608 So. 2d 806 (Fla. 1992). “Section 197.522 sets forth the procedure for giving notice to property owners that a tax sale purchaser has applied for a deed to their property.”
Hutchinson Island Realty v. Babcock, 867 So. 2d 528 (Fla. 5th DCA 2004). “§ 197.522(1), Fla. Stat. (2000); Dawson v.”
Delta Prop. Mgmt., Inc. v. Profile Investments, Inc., 875 So. 2d 443 (Fla. 2004). “See § 197.522(1), Fla. Stat. (1999). In this case, the clerk, some three months after receipt of the statement from the tax collector, mailed the notice of the tax sale to Delta at the address listed in the statement.”
Delta Prop. Mgmt. v. Profile Inv., Inc., 87 So. 3d 765 (Fla. 2012). “In the instant case, however, Delta raises an as-applied challenge to the notice requirements of section 197.522. Delta asserts that because the Clerk knew the notice mailed pursuant to section 197.”
— 197.522(1)(a) — 19 cases
Vosilla v. Rosado, 944 So. 2d 289 (Fla. 2006). “Next, we explore case law addressing the effect of a titleholder's change of address on the notice requirements of section 197.522. Finally, we explain why the notice provided in this case did not comport with constitutional due process requirements.”
Rahimi v. Global Discoveries, 252 So. 3d 804 (Fla. 3d DCA 2018). “As one of “the persons” required to be notified, payment to Regions Bank was presumed once the clerk sent the notice following the sale. Third time.”
Delta Prop. Mgmt., Inc. v. Profile Investments, Inc., 875 So. 2d 443 (Fla. 2004). “See § 197.522(1), Fla. Stat. (1999). In this case, the clerk, some three months after receipt of the statement from the tax collector, mailed the notice of the tax sale to Delta at the address listed in the statement.”
Kidder v. Cirelli, 821 So. 2d 1106 (Fla. 5th DCA 2002).
Delta Prop. Mgmt. v. Profile Investments, Inc., 830 So. 2d 867 (Fla. 1st DCA 2002). “Profile and Delta each moved for summary judgment, with the dispositive legal issue being whether the clerk had complied with the statutory notice requirements of section 197.522(1), Florida Statutes, when he relied exclusively upon the tax collector's statement in preparing the…”
— 197.522(1)(c) — 1 case
Dafero Investments, LLC v. Estrella De Oro, LLC (Fla. 3d DCA 2025).
— 197.522(1)(d) — 10 cases
Vosilla v. Rosado, 944 So. 2d 289 (Fla. 2006). “Next, we explore case law addressing the effect of a titleholder's change of address on the notice requirements of section 197.522. Finally, we explain why the notice provided in this case did not comport with constitutional due process requirements.”
Dawson v. Saada, 608 So. 2d 806 (Fla. 1992). “Section 197.522 sets forth the procedure for giving notice to property owners that a tax sale purchaser has applied for a deed to their property.”
Evans v. Ireland, 707 So. 2d 1135 (Fla. 2d DCA 1998).
Rosado v. Vosilla, 909 So. 2d 505 (Fla. 5th DCA 2005). “Section 197.522 states, in pertinent part: (1)(a) The clerk of the circuit court shall notify, by certified mail with return receipt requested or by registered mail if the notice is to be sent outside the continental United States, the persons listed in the tax collector's…”
Patricia Weingarten Assocs., Inc. v. Jocalbro, Inc., 974 So. 2d 559 (Fla. 5th DCA 2008). “Based on the holding in Jones , we reversed the final judgment and remanded the case, writing: In the present case, Weingarten alleges the notice sent by the Clerk pursuant to the mandatory notice requirements of section 197.522, Florida Statutes, was returned as undeliverable.”
— 197.522(1)(e) — 1 case
Dafero Investments, LLC v. Estrella De Oro, LLC (Fla. 3d DCA 2025).
— 197.522(2) — 12 cases
Dawson v. Saada, 608 So. 2d 806 (Fla. 1992). “Section 197.522 sets forth the procedure for giving notice to property owners that a tax sale purchaser has applied for a deed to their property.”
Vosilla v. Rosado, 944 So. 2d 289 (Fla. 2006). “Next, we explore case law addressing the effect of a titleholder's change of address on the notice requirements of section 197.522. Finally, we explain why the notice provided in this case did not comport with constitutional due process requirements.”
Delta Prop. Mgmt. v. Profile Inv., Inc., 87 So. 3d 765 (Fla. 2012). “In the instant case, however, Delta raises an as-applied challenge to the notice requirements of section 197.522. Delta asserts that because the Clerk knew the notice mailed pursuant to section 197.”
Hutchinson Island Realty v. Babcock, 867 So. 2d 528 (Fla. 5th DCA 2004). “§ 197.522(1), Fla. Stat. (2000); Dawson v.”
Little v. D'ALOIA, 759 So. 2d 17 (Fla. 2d DCA 2000).
— 197.522(2)(a) — 3 cases
Patricia Weingarten Assocs., Inc. v. Jocalbro, Inc., 974 So. 2d 559 (Fla. 5th DCA 2008). “Based on the holding in Jones , we reversed the final judgment and remanded the case, writing: In the present case, Weingarten alleges the notice sent by the Clerk pursuant to the mandatory notice requirements of section 197.522, Florida Statutes, was returned as undeliverable.”
Surna Constr., Inc. v. Morrill, 50 So. 3d 47 (Fla. 5th DCA 2010).
Dafero Investments, LLC v. Estrella De Oro, LLC (Fla. 3d DCA 2025).
— 197.522(2)(b) — 1 case
Surna Constr., Inc. v. Morrill, 50 So. 3d 47 (Fla. 5th DCA 2010).
— 197.522(3) — 5 cases
Patricia Weingarten Assocs., Inc. v. Jocalbro, Inc., 974 So. 2d 559 (Fla. 5th DCA 2008). “Based on the holding in Jones , we reversed the final judgment and remanded the case, writing: In the present case, Weingarten alleges the notice sent by the Clerk pursuant to the mandatory notice requirements of section 197.522, Florida Statutes, was returned as undeliverable.”
Kerr v. Broward Cnty., 718 So. 2d 197 (Fla. 4th DCA 1998).
Errol Rainess v. Jose Perez 1031 4, LLC (Fla. 3d DCA 2024).
Pallardy LLC v. CPIF Lending LLC (Bankr. M.D. Fla. 2022).
Dafero Investments, LLC v. Estrella De Oro, LLC (Fla. 3d DCA 2025).
— 197.522(4) — 1 case
Dafero Investments, LLC v. Estrella De Oro, LLC (Fla. 3d DCA 2025).
— 197.522(4)(h) — 1 case
Surna Constr., Inc. v. Morrill, 50 So. 3d 47 (Fla. 5th DCA 2010).
— 197.522(l)(a) — 9 cases
Delta Prop. Mgmt. v. Profile Inv., Inc., 87 So. 3d 765 (Fla. 2012). “In the instant case, however, Delta raises an as-applied challenge to the notice requirements of section 197.522. Delta asserts that because the Clerk knew the notice mailed pursuant to section 197.”
Turnberry Investments, Inc. v. Streatfield, 48 So. 3d 180 (Fla. 3d DCA 2010).
Venn v. Bazzel (In Re Lambert), 273 B.R. 663 (Bankr. N.D. Fla. 2002).
Srygley v. Capital Plaza, Inc., 82 So. 3d 1211 (Fla. 1st DCA 2012).
Kerr v. Broward Cnty., 718 So. 2d 197 (Fla. 4th DCA 1998).
— 197.522(l)(b) — 1 case
Venn v. Bazzel (In Re Lambert), 273 B.R. 663 (Bankr. N.D. Fla. 2002).
— 197.522(l)(d) — 1 case
Crane v. Martin, 741 So. 2d 1251 (Fla. 1st DCA 1999).
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the
Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and
treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.