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Lee County · FL

Property taxes in Alva

By Mariela Lovo Ol, REALTOR® · Updated

Property taxes in Alva are set by Lee County's taxing authorities. The Lee County Tax Collector collects them. There is no city layer, because Alva is unincorporated. Your bill depends on the taxable value, the millage rates and any exemptions you file. In planned communities, CDD assessments add to it. Here is how each piece works.

How is an Alva property tax bill built?

The Lee County Property Appraiser sets each property's value. Local taxing authorities, such as the County Commission and the School Board, set millage rates. A mill is one dollar of tax per $1,000 of taxable value.

Taxable value times the millage gives your ad valorem taxes (taxes based on value). Non-ad valorem assessments, such as solid waste, are added for services. They do not depend on value.

What is the TRIM notice and when is the bill due?

In August, the Property Appraiser mails the Notice of Proposed Property Taxes, known as the TRIM notice. It shows market value, exemptions and proposed taxes before rates are final. Did you buy after January 1 and see a homestead exemption? It was the prior owner's, and it will be removed.

Bills go out in November and are due by March 31. Early payment earns 4% off in November, 3% in December, 2% in January and 1% in February.

How does the homestead exemption work in Alva?

If the home is your permanent home on January 1, file with the Lee County Property Appraiser by March 1. The exemption takes the first $25,000 of assessed value off all taxes. For 2026, it also takes up to $26,411 off non-school taxes on assessed value above $50,000.

From the next year, Save Our Homes caps the rise in assessed value. The cap is 3% or the CPI change, whichever is less. With portability, you can bring up to $500,000 of Save Our Homes savings from a prior Florida homestead. You must set up the new one within three years.

What if an Alva property is not my homestead?

Second homes and vacant land get the 10% non-homestead assessment limit. It does not apply to school taxes. After a sale, the property is reassessed at full market value the next January 1.

Farm land is treated differently and is left out of the 10% cap. Buying acreage with an agricultural classification? Ask the Property Appraiser how the sale affects it.

How do CDD assessments affect taxes in Alva?

Homes in River Hall sit inside the River Hall Community Development District. A CDD can levy taxes or assessments in addition to county taxes. Florida law requires a bold notice in the contract for the first sale. Ask for the current tax bill to see the CDD amount.

Add taxes to the mortgage calculator, and see new construction homes near Alva for more on buying in a CDD.

Common questions

When is the homestead exemption deadline in Alva?

March 1. You must own the home and live in it as your permanent residence on January 1 of that year. File with the Lee County Property Appraiser.

Will my taxes be the same as the seller's in Alva?

Often not. The seller's exemptions and Save Our Homes cap end with the sale, and the home is reassessed at market value the next January 1. Estimate taxes using your own price and exemptions.

Does River Hall have a CDD?

Yes. River Hall is inside the River Hall Community Development District, established in 2005. Its taxes or assessments are in addition to county taxes, so check the current bill.

Sources

  1. 2024 Gazetteer Files: Places, Florida, U.S. Census Bureau (read 2026-09-24)
  2. Alva Park and Community Center, Lee County Parks & Recreation (read 2026-09-24)
  3. Caloosahatchee Regional Park, Lee County Parks & Recreation (read 2026-09-24)
  4. Hickey Creek Mitigation Park, Lee County Parks & Recreation (read 2026-09-24)
  5. Bob Janes Preserve, Lee County Parks & Recreation (read 2026-09-24)
  6. HCA Florida Lehigh Hospital, HCA Florida Healthcare (read 2026-09-24)
  7. Solid Waste (Find My Waste Pickup Days), Lee County Government (read 2026-09-24)
  8. General Exemption Information, Lee County Property Appraiser (read 2026-09-24)
  9. Frequently Asked Questions, Lee County Property Appraiser (read 2026-09-24)
  10. Transfer of Homestead Assessment Difference or "Portability", Lee County Property Appraiser (read 2026-09-24)
  11. 10% Assessment Limitation Frequently Asked Questions, Lee County Property Appraiser (read 2026-09-24)
  12. Florida's Property Tax System, Lee County Tax Collector (read 2026-09-24)
  13. Real Estate Property Taxes, Lee County Tax Collector (read 2026-09-24)
  14. River Hall Community Development District (official site), River Hall CDD (read 2026-09-24)
  15. Florida Statutes 190.048 (CDD sales disclosure), The Florida Senate (read 2026-09-24)
  16. Sales and Use Tax, Florida Department of Revenue (read 2026-09-24)
  17. Discretionary Sales Surtax Information for Calendar Year 2026 (DR-15DSS), Florida Department of Revenue (read 2026-09-24)
  18. Constitution of the State of Florida, Article VII, Section 5 (estate, inheritance and income taxes), The Florida Senate (read 2026-09-24)
  19. Student Enrollment Plan 2026-2027 (Board approved December 1, 2025), The School District of Lee County (read 2026-09-24)
  20. School Zones, The School District of Lee County (read 2026-09-24)
  21. School Grades, Florida Department of Education (read 2026-09-24)
  22. 2025-2026 School Grades Report (posted July 1, 2026), The School District of Lee County (read 2026-09-24)
  23. Charter Schools, The School District of Lee County (read 2026-09-24)
  24. Hurricane Season, City of Fort Myers (read 2026-09-24)
  25. Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Ian (AL092022), NOAA National Hurricane Center (read 2026-09-24)
  26. Flood Insurance, FEMA (read 2026-09-24)
  27. Substantial Improvement/Substantial Damage, Lee County Government (read 2026-09-24)
  28. Wind Mitigation Resources, Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (read 2026-09-24)
  29. Florida Case Study, International Code Council (read 2026-09-24)
  30. LeeTran, Lee County Government (read 2026-09-24)

Last reviewed: 2026-09-24. Descriptions cover places and amenities, not the people who live there. We are committed to the Fair Housing Act.