Okaloosa County Property Appraiser: Deployed Servicemember Exemption and Veteran Exemptions

The exemptions are the State's; the Florida entries explain them. The Okaloosa County Property Appraiser grants them from offices in Shalimar (1250 N. Eglin Parkway, Suite 201; 850-651-7240) and Crestview (302 N. Wilson Street, Suite 201; 850-689-5900). All applications are due March 1, and a late application needs a written explanation of the extenuating circumstances. The deployment exemption. Section 196.173 exempts the homestead of a servicemember for the share of the previous year spent deployed outside the continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii in support of a designated operation. The Appraiser's packet, PARev07012026, lists the operations "current as of 01 July 2026", including the five chapter 2026-239 added (Israel and the Gaza Strip's Mediterranean territorial seas and air spaces, the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, Southern Spear, Sharp Sentry and the Multinational Force and Observers), and says a deployment to an operation not listed does not qualify. File form DR-501M with deployment orders or a travel authorization (front and back of CED orders, other members' details redacted) and the Appraiser's own "OCPA MFR" memo for record, which verifies both the travel dates and the operation name; only the July 1, 2026 or later revision is accepted. Each deployed owner files separately. Questions: Mrs. Chambers, 850-689-5900. What the packet leaves out. It gives only the March 1 deadline "of year following days deployed". For the 2026 roll, chapter 2026-239 also let a member count days on the five added operations in 2023, 2024 and 2025 together, with a deadline of August 1, 2026 and late filing to the 25th day after the August notice, and a refund of part of the 2024 and 2025 homestead taxes for more than 365 such days. A member who deployed on those operations should ask the Appraiser about the refund. The veteran exemptions. The real property page describes the $5,000 exemption under section 196.24 for a 10% disability "while serving during a period of wartime service ... or by misfortune", the full exemption under section 196.081 for a service-connected total and permanent disability with the surviving spouse's carry-over and transfer, the exemption for the spouse of a member who died on active duty, the wheelchair exemption under section 196.091, and the combat discount at 65 under section 196.082, each with the evidence it needs. It also says a veteran may apply before the VA letter arrives, and that the exemption is then granted from the date of the application with up to four years of excess taxes refunded.