Is FHFC certification required before the county return goes in?

It is. The property appraiser leans on the Florida Housing Finance Corporation's finding that the units meet program rules, and a return without that letter is unlikely to be approved. If the letter has not been issued yet, our FHFC certification filing service takes care of that step first.

Who receives the form in Broward County?

The DR-504AFH goes to the Broward County Property Appraiser, not to the state. Clients in Plantation, Sunrise, Davie and Fort Lauderdale all file with the same office.

Does the exemption cover the whole building?

Not necessarily. The exemption applies to the qualifying units, so a building with market-rate units alongside affordable ones receives a partial exemption. The unit schedule on the return is what determines the amount.

Do I have to file every year?

Yes. The exemption must be claimed each year with updated unit information, because rents and tenant incomes change. Our annual recertification service keeps the schedule current from year to year.

What happens if the appraiser denies the return?

We review the denial notice to find the specific reason, often a records mismatch or a missing document. We then prepare a correction or a response. If the issue is eligibility itself, we explain your options plainly.

ServicesCounty DR-504AFH Filing

County DR-504AFH Filing in Plantation

The DR-504AFH is the county-level return that turns a Live Local Act qualification into an actual reduction on your tax bill. We prepare the unit schedule, match it to your FHFC certification and file it with the property appraiser. One person handles it from start to finish.

Get a free eligibility check at (954) 738-3397

Man in a black polo seated in a mesh office chair, typing on a laptop at a dark wooden desk with a file tray, pen cup and travel tumbler

What the DR-504AFH does and when you need it

Florida's Live Local Act exemption for qualifying multifamily units is claimed on Department of Revenue form DR-504AFH, filed with the county property appraiser. In Broward that means the Broward County Property Appraiser's office, generally by March 1 of the tax year. The form does not stand alone. The appraiser expects it to line up with the certification issued by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, so the two filings have to agree unit for unit.

Most rejections we see come from mismatches, not from ineligible properties. A unit number formatted one way on the FHFC certification and another way on the county return can cause trouble. So can a rent figure taken from the wrong month, or an income tier that shifted after a lease renewal. We build the return from the same source data used for your FHFC certification filing. Those mismatches get caught before anything is filed.

You work with one person throughout. That person pulls your rent roll and checks it against the certification. They also answer the appraiser's questions if any come back.

What our DR-504AFH filing covers

Unit-by-unit schedule

We list each qualifying unit with its number, bedroom count, monthly rent and the income tier it serves. Units at or below 80 percent of area median income and units between 80 and 120 percent are treated differently, so each one is tagged correctly.

Cross-check against FHFC certification

Every unit on the county return is reconciled to the FHFC certification letter before filing. If the two disagree, we resolve it at the source rather than hoping the appraiser overlooks it.

Rent limit verification

We confirm each unit's rent sits within the lesser of the published affordable rent limit and 90 percent of market rent, using the figures that apply for the filing year.

Parcel and ownership details

We check the folio number, legal owner name and project description against county records. A return filed under a former entity name or a superseded parcel number is a common reason for delay.

Filing and appraiser follow-up

We file the return and keep a dated record of what was sent. If the property appraiser requests leases, income certifications or clarification, we prepare the response.

Two people seen from behind at a wooden conference table reviewing printed forms beside a stack of manila folders, a calculator and an open laptop

Signs your DR-504AFH needs attention

Your FHFC certification just arrived: Certification from the Florida Housing Finance Corporation is a prerequisite, not the exemption itself. Without a county return, the units stay fully taxed.
March 1 is close and nothing is filed: Late or missing returns can cost the exemption for that year. Start a few weeks out so rent roll gaps can still be fixed.
Your exemption amount came in lower than expected: This often traces back to units listed in the wrong income tier, or units omitted from the schedule entirely.
The property changed hands or entity names: A sale, refinance or restructuring can leave the return pointing at the wrong owner. The appraiser may deny it until records match.
Turnover changed which units qualify: New leases at different rents or tenants at different income levels change the unit count. Last year's schedule may no longer be accurate.

How a DR-504AFH filing runs with us

1
Free eligibility check
The first conversation covers the basics: how many units the property has, when it was completed, what tenants pay today and whether the FHFC letter has been issued. That tells you whether a county return is worth pursuing before you spend anything.
2
Document collection
We ask for the current rent roll, tenant income certifications, the FHFC certification letter and parcel details. Everything goes to the same person, whether you meet by phone, video or at our office.
3
Reconciliation and drafting
We match every unit across the rent roll, the income records and the certification, then complete the DR-504AFH schedule. Any unit that does not qualify is flagged with the reason so you can decide how to handle it.
4
Review and filing
You go through the finished return with us line by line. Once you approve it, we file it with the property appraiser and confirm the office received it.
5
Follow-up through the decision
If the appraiser asks questions, we answer them. Once the exemption is granted, we note what will need updating for annual recertification next year.

What moves the cost of a DR-504AFH filing

Fees depend on how much reconciliation the return needs, not on a flat rate per form. A clean rent roll with current income certifications takes far less time than a property with gaps. You get a free savings estimate on the first call so you can weigh the fee against the expected exemption.

Number of qualifying units: Each unit is checked for rent, income tier and certification match. More units mean a longer schedule and more records to verify.
Condition of your records: Missing income certifications or rent rolls kept across several spreadsheets add work. Complete, current records shorten the job.
Mixed income tiers: Properties with units at both the 80 percent and 120 percent levels need careful sorting, since each tier is exempted at a different rate.
Timing: Starting close to the March 1 deadline compresses the schedule. Starting earlier leaves room to fix problems without rushing.

Common DR-504AFH questions from property owners

Is FHFC certification required before the county return goes in?: It is. The property appraiser leans on the Florida Housing Finance Corporation's finding that the units meet program rules, and a return without that letter is unlikely to be approved. If the letter has not been issued yet, our FHFC certification filing service takes care of that step first.
Who receives the form in Broward County?: The DR-504AFH goes to the Broward County Property Appraiser, not to the state. Clients in Plantation, Sunrise, Davie and Fort Lauderdale all file with the same office.
Does the exemption cover the whole building?: Not necessarily. The exemption applies to the qualifying units, so a building with market-rate units alongside affordable ones receives a partial exemption. The unit schedule on the return is what determines the amount.
Do I have to file every year?: Yes. The exemption must be claimed each year with updated unit information, because rents and tenant incomes change. Our annual recertification service keeps the schedule current from year to year.
What happens if the appraiser denies the return?: We review the denial notice to find the specific reason, often a records mismatch or a missing document. We then prepare a correction or a response. If the issue is eligibility itself, we explain your options plainly.

Woman at a wooden office desk talking on a phone and writing on a yellow legal pad beside a laptop showing a spreadsheet, with a window and greenery behind

See whether this year's return is worth filing

Give us the basics on unit count, rents and certification status, and we will say plainly whether a DR-504AFH makes sense this year. The person who takes your call is the one who prepares and files the return.

Get a free savings estimate at (954) 738-3397