ServicesCounty DR-504AFH Filing
County DR-504AFH Filing in Hallandale Beach
The DR-504AFH is the form that turns your FHFC certification into a lower tax bill. We build the unit schedule, attach the certification and rent records, and file it with the county property appraiser before March 1, so the exemption shows up on your assessment.
What the DR-504AFH does and when you need it
Under the Live Local Act, the owner of a qualifying multifamily rental property can claim an ad valorem exemption on units rented to residents at set income levels. Certification from Florida Housing Finance Corporation is only half the job. The property appraiser applies nothing until you file Form DR-504AFH, the Department of Revenue application, with your county by March 1 of the tax year.
The form wants specific numbers: total units, units set aside for residents at or below 80 percent of area median income, units between 80 and 120 percent, and the rents charged. Those figures have to agree with your FHFC certification and your rent roll. When they don't, the appraiser can reduce or deny the claim, and many owners only learn about it when the August notice of proposed property taxes arrives.
We handle each filing the way we would for a neighbor down the street. We check the math twice, show you every page before it goes in, and tell you plainly when a unit doesn't qualify.
What our DR-504AFH work includes
- A unit-by-unit schedule
- We build the schedule from your rent roll and sort each unit into the 80 percent or the 80 to 120 percent tier, based on the resident's documented income and the rent charged. Units over either limit stay off the claim. One overstated unit can push the whole application into extra review.
- Cross-check against your FHFC letter
- The unit counts and income tiers on the DR-504AFH must line up with the certification from Florida Housing Finance Corporation. If they differ, we find the cause before filing, not after the appraiser does.
- Organized supporting records
- The certification, resident income certifications, leases and rent schedule are assembled in a clear order so the appraiser's exemption staff can verify each unit without hunting.
- Filing and proof of the filing date
- We file the packet with the county property appraiser and keep a record of the date it was received. You get a full copy of everything exactly as filed.
- Answers to appraiser questions
- If the exemption office asks for more information, we prepare the response with you and track the deadline they give.
- A check of the result
- When the proposed tax notice arrives, we confirm the exemption appears on the correct parcel at the value the schedule supports.
Signs your DR-504AFH needs attention
You have the FHFC letter but no exemption
Certification alone does not change your assessment. If your tax notice shows no Live Local exemption, the county application was likely never filed or never accepted.
The exemption came back smaller than expected
A partial approval usually traces to a mismatch: a unit counted in the wrong tier, a rent above the limit, or a unit count that differs from the certification.
Your unit mix or rents changed
Turnover, new leases and rent increases can move units in or out of a tier. Last year's schedule is not safe to copy forward.
The property recently changed hands
A change in ownership usually means the filing needs a fresh look, since the application is made by the owner of record.
March 1 is close
Pulling income certifications and reconciling a rent roll takes time. Starting in January leaves room to fix problems.
What drives the price of your DR-504AFH work
Pricing tracks the effort it takes to build a unit schedule the appraiser will accept. When the rent roll is clean and income certifications are current, the work moves fast. Gaps in the records, or numbers that disagree with the FHFC certification, add hours. A savings estimate by phone shows roughly what the exemption is worth before you commit to anything.
Number of units and parcels
Each unit gets its own line and tier check. A property spread across several parcels needs the schedule split correctly for each one.
Condition of your records
Expired or missing resident income certifications have to be updated before a unit can be claimed. That is often the largest variable.
Certification status
If you still need FHFC certification, that work comes first and is handled under our FHFC Certification Filing service.
Timing
Filings started close to March 1 leave less room to fix problems and can require more concentrated work.
How a DR-504AFH filing runs with us
- 1
Eligibility check by phone
We ask about unit count, current rents, resident income levels and whether FHFC certification is in hand. You'll know where the property stands before any work begins.
- 2
Gathering the records
You or your property manager send the rent roll, FHFC certification, parcel number, leases and resident income certifications. We meet by phone or video, or at our office.
- 3
Drafting and your review
We prepare the DR-504AFH and the unit schedule, then walk you through each figure. As the owner, you sign the application.
- 4
Filing and follow-up
We file with the county property appraiser, confirm receipt, and handle any request for more information until the exemption is decided.
Questions about the county application
I have FHFC approval. Isn't the exemption already mine?
Not by itself. The FHFC letter shows the property meets the act's affordability rules, but the county only sees it if you file. The DR-504AFH is the request for the property appraiser to apply the exemption to your parcel, so you need both.
What if I miss the March 1 date?
A missed deadline can mean losing the exemption for that tax year. If the date has already passed, call us and we will tell you straight what options are left, if there are any.
Does this have to be filed again next year?
Yes. The exemption covers one tax year at a time, and the FHFC certification and county application both renew annually. Our Annual Recertification service keeps that cycle on track so nothing expires.
Is every unit in the building exempt?
No. The property has to meet the act's minimum set-aside, and after that only qualifying units are exempt. Units at or below 80 percent of area median income get a different exemption level than units between 80 and 120 percent, so each unit's tier matters.
Do you file for properties outside Hallandale Beach?
We do. We prepare filings for owners in Hollywood, Dania Beach, Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach and nearby. Every county property appraiser reviews in its own way, and we build the packet for the office that will receive it.
See what your qualifying units could save
Share your unit count and rents, and we will run a savings estimate ahead of the next March 1 deadline. You will get a plain answer on what qualifies.