What is Florida's 15-day evidence exchange rule for a VAB hearing?
What is Florida's 15-day evidence exchange rule for a VAB hearing?
If you ask the property appraiser in writing for their evidence, Florida law requires you to give the appraiser your evidence at least 15 days before the VAB hearing; the appraiser must then provide theirs no later than 7 days before.
Florida runs a mutual evidence-exchange procedure before a Value Adjustment Board (VAB) hearing, and it is one of the most useful tools a homeowner has. It is set out in Fla. Stat. §194.011(4).
The petitioner's duty (15 days). Under §194.011(4)(a), at least 15 days before the hearing, the petitioner must provide the property appraiser with a list and summary of the evidence, copies of documentation, and a list of witnesses, “with the understanding that such items will be presented at the hearing.” This is the deadline you must hit if you want to use the exchange.
The appraiser's reciprocal duty (7 days). Under §194.011(4)(b), if the petitioner requests in writing the evidence the property appraiser will use, the appraiser must furnish it no later than 7 days before the hearing. Critically, the appraiser's duty to reciprocate is triggered by your written request — so always send that request. It lets you see the comparable sales and adjustments the county will rely on, in time to rebut them.
Why it matters. Knowing the appraiser's comps in advance lets you (1) point out comps that are not truly comparable, (2) prepare adjustments, and (3) bring your own better evidence — recent arm's-length sales of similar nearby homes, photos of condition issues, repair estimates, or an independent appraisal. If the appraiser fails to timely produce requested evidence, you can object at the hearing and ask the special magistrate to disregard it.
Practical sequence. File your DR-486, then promptly send a written request for the appraiser's evidence; assemble your package; deliver it to the appraiser by the 15-day mark; review theirs when it arrives by the 7-day mark; and bring organized copies to the hearing. The exchange rule rewards homeowners who act early.