Every Number a Palm Beach County Rental Owner Should Have on Speed Dial
A verified directory of county offices, court contacts, insurance carriers, utility providers, and legal resources curated by a licensed Palm Beach County brokerage. Bookmark it. Use it when you need it. Or skip the call list entirely — let Atlis handle it.
County Government & Tax Authorities
Property valuations, taxes, code enforcement, and county records. These are the offices most owners eventually need at some point in the year — especially during TRIM notice season (August) and tax season (November–March).
Palm Beach County Property Appraiser (Dorothy Jacks, CFA)
(561) 355-3230What they help with: Property value assessments, homestead exemptions, ownership records, exemption fraud reports, parcel data via PAPA.
When to call: After receiving a TRIM notice, when filing for a non-homestead 10% cap, when an assessment seems off, or when title transfer needs verification.
Constitutional Tax Collector (Anne M. Gannon)
(561) 355-2264What they help with: Real estate property tax payments, tangible personal property tax, tourist development tax, local business tax receipts.
When to call: Property taxes are due November 1 and delinquent after April 1. Pay by November 30 for a 4% discount.
PBC Clerk — Self Service Center
(561) 355-7048What they help with: Eviction filings (landlord/tenant action), court records, property deeds and liens, official records search, marriage and probate.
When to call: Before filing an eviction (procedural questions only — they cannot give legal advice), to look up case status, to record deeds.
PBC Planning, Zoning & Building — Code Compliance
(561) 233-5500What they help with: Property maintenance violations, unpermitted work, illegal short-term rentals, lot clearing, nuisance abatement (unincorporated PBC only).
When to call: When you receive a violation notice on your property, before doing renovation or addition work, to check open violations on a property you're acquiring.
Evictions, Sheriff Service & Civil Court
Florida is one of the faster states for residential evictions when documented correctly. These are the offices that move the process forward. Mistakes at any step usually mean restarting — which is why most owners outsource this entirely.
Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Civil Division
(561) 355-2763What they help with: Service of summons, writs of possession (the actual eviction lockout), subpoenas, civil notices.
When to call: After your eviction complaint is filed and you need confirmation that the Sheriff has served the tenant; after a Writ of Possession is issued and you need scheduling info for the lockout.
15th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida
(561) 355-2431What they help with: County Civil court (claims up to $50,000, including most landlord/tenant actions) and Circuit Civil court (claims over $50,000).
When to call: Procedural court information; judicial assistant contacts. They cannot provide legal advice.
Palm Beach County Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service
(561) 687-3266What they help with: Matches owners with vetted Palm Beach County attorneys for landlord/tenant, real estate, or eviction representation.
When to call: Contested evictions, security-deposit disputes that have escalated, lease enforcement requiring counsel, fair-housing complaints.
The Florida Bar — Lawyer Referral Service (Statewide)
1-800-342-8011What they help with: Statewide attorney referrals for any legal matter including landlord/tenant, real estate, evictions, business formation.
When to call: When you need an attorney outside Palm Beach County or for specialty practice areas not common in PBC.
Insurance, Disaster & Hurricane Resources
South Florida's insurance market is the most volatile in the country. These contacts cover state-backed coverage, flood/wind, claim disputes, and federal disaster assistance — all of which Palm Beach County owners eventually deal with.
Citizens Property Insurance Corporation
(866) 411-2742What they help with: Florida-backed property insurance for owners who can't obtain coverage through the private market, claims, payments, depopulation questions.
When to call: When private carriers decline, after a covered loss to file a claim, when receiving a depopulation packet from a take-out company.
Florida Department of Financial Services — Consumer Helpline
1-877-693-5236What they help with: Insurance company complaints, claim handling delays, license verification for agents and adjusters, anti-fraud reporting.
When to call: When a carrier is unreasonably delaying or denying a legitimate claim, when an adjuster is acting in bad faith, before hiring a public adjuster.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
1-800-427-4661What they help with: Flood insurance policy questions, claim filing, agent locator, map updates and zone changes (which directly affect rates).
When to call: Before buying property near the coast or in a Special Flood Hazard Area, after a flood event, when your flood zone changes during a FEMA map update.
FEMA — Federal Disaster Assistance
1-800-621-3362What they help with: Disaster assistance applications after a federally declared disaster, individual assistance, Small Business Administration disaster loans referral.
When to call: After a hurricane or named disaster, particularly when uninsured losses exceed coverage. Owners typically apply through DisasterAssistance.gov first.
Palm Beach County Division of Emergency Management
(561) 712-6400What they help with: Local hurricane preparedness, evacuation zone lookup, special needs registry, sandbag distribution sites, post-storm recovery info.
When to call: Hurricane season planning (June 1 – November 30), to confirm your evacuation zone, before storm landfall.
Housing Voucher Programs (Owner / Landlord Side)
If you accept Housing Choice Vouchers (formerly Section 8), these are the agencies that handle Housing Assistance Payments (HAP), inspections, and rent reasonableness determinations. Florida law generally allows owners to choose whether to participate.
Palm Beach County Housing Authority (PBCHA)
(561) 684-2160What they help with: Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, Housing Assistance Payment contracts, HQS inspections, landlord onboarding.
When to call: To enroll a property in the voucher program, schedule an HQS inspection, address payment delays, or update HAP banking info.
West Palm Beach Housing Authority (WPBHA)
(561) 655-8530What they help with: Voucher program for properties inside the City of West Palm Beach, Moving To Work (MTW) Agency designation, project-based assistance.
When to call: If your property is located within City of West Palm Beach limits and you want to participate in voucher housing.
HUD Office of Fair Housing & Equal Opportunity
1-800-669-9777What they help with: Federal Fair Housing Act compliance, advertising and screening guidance, complaint reporting and education resources.
When to call: Before drafting rental advertising, when developing screening criteria, when ADA reasonable-accommodation requests come in.
Utilities & Property Operations
The numbers you need for tenant turnovers, billing transfers between tenancies, outages, and waste/recycling. We recommend owners keep an account “owner-of-record” status with FPL even between tenants to prevent meter pulls.
FPL (Florida Power & Light)
1-800-226-3545What they help with: Service start/stop, account transfers between tenants, outage reporting, downed-line emergencies, Landlord Agreement program (auto-revert to owner between tenants).
When to call: Each turnover, immediately after any outage or downed line, when enrolling in the Landlord Agreement program.
Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County (SWA)
(561) 640-4000What they help with: Garbage and recycling collection in unincorporated PBC, bulk pickup, hurricane debris collection, hazardous waste disposal, recycling bin orders.
When to call: Tenant turnover bulk-trash pickups, missed collections, post-storm cleanup. Note: Inside cities (Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, etc.), call your municipal hauler instead.
Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department
(561) 493-6000What they help with: Water and sewer service in unincorporated PBC, billing transfers between tenants, leak adjustments, service restoration.
When to call: Tenant turnovers requiring water account transfer, after a major leak (request a one-time leak adjustment), suspected meter malfunctions. Cities like Jupiter and Palm Beach Gardens have their own utilities.
Sunshine 811 (Florida Underground Utility Locator)
811What they help with: Free locating of underground utility lines before digging on your property — required by Florida law.
When to call: At least two business days before any excavation: fence installation, tree removal with stump grinding, irrigation work, pool work.
Industry & Professional Resources
Owners benefit from staying tied into the broader real estate community. These associations and registries are where compliance, market data, and vetted professionals live.
Realtors of the Palm Beaches and Greater Fort Lauderdale
(561) 585-4544What they help with: Local Realtor membership verification, MLS access for licensed agents, market reports and continuing education.
When to call: To verify an agent's credentials before signing a listing or buyer agreement.
Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation
(850) 487-1395What they help with: License verification for real estate brokers, contractors, electricians, plumbers, roofers, HVAC; complaint filings against licensed professionals.
When to call: Before hiring any tradesperson on your rental, before signing a contractor estimate, when verifying your property manager's broker license.
Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz)
(850) 245-6000What they help with: Forming and maintaining LLCs that hold rental properties, annual report filings, registered agent updates, fictitious name filings.
When to call: When forming a new property-holding LLC, when filing annual reports (due May 1), when changing managing members or registered agents.
Florida Attorney General — Consumer Protection Hotline
1-866-9-NO-SCAM (1-866-966-7226)What they help with: Reporting deceptive trade practices, contractor fraud, price-gouging during declared emergencies, fake-rental scams targeting your listings.
When to call: When a vendor commits fraud, when scammers spoof your listing on Zillow/Craigslist, after a hurricane if a contractor is gouging.
Tax, Business & Financial Resources
Federal, state, and local financial contacts for rental owners. The IRS treats rental income on Schedule E; LLC owners may also have separate filings. Always confirm your specific situation with a licensed CPA — this directory is for general reference only.
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
1-800-829-1040What they help with: Federal income tax for rental property owners, EIN applications for LLCs, 1099 filing for vendors paid $600+, depreciation guidance.
When to call: Before tax filing deadlines (April 15, October 15 with extension), to apply for an EIN, when handling depreciation recapture on a sale.
Florida Department of Revenue
(850) 488-6800What they help with: Florida sales and use tax (for short-term rentals under 6 months), tourist development tax registration, Florida tangible personal property tax guidance.
When to call: Before listing a vacation rental or short-term rental, when registering for sales tax collection, when receiving a delinquency notice.
U.S. Small Business Administration
1-800-827-5722What they help with: SBA disaster loans for property repair after declared disasters, business loan programs for owners scaling rental portfolios into commercial-scale operations.
When to call: After a federally declared disaster impacts your rental, when scaling to multi-unit commercial portfolios that qualify for business financing.
Direct Links: Most-Searched Forms & Tools
Skip the agency homepage and jump straight to the page you actually need. These are the high-intent forms, lookups, and toolboxes Palm Beach County owners hit most often.
Where the Key County Offices Are Located
The Property Appraiser, Tax Collector, and Clerk of Courts all operate from the Governmental Center cluster in downtown West Palm Beach. Code Compliance is at the Vista Center on Jog Road.
When to Call a Hotline. When to Hire Atlis.
Hotlines fix one issue at a time. Professional management prevents the issue from happening at all. Here's the line we draw with our owners.
| Situation | Self-Manage Path | Atlis Path |
|---|---|---|
| Repeated maintenance calls after hours | You answer at 2 a.m. and dispatch a vendor yourself. | 24/7 maintenance coordination dispatches a vetted vendor. You're informed, not interrupted. |
| Tenant disputes or complaints | You mediate directly — emotionally and legally exposed. | Documented written communication, lease-driven enforcement, professional buffer. |
| Late or missing rent | You chase via text, hope, or eat the loss. | Automated billing, statutory 3-day notice issued on schedule, eviction filing if cure deadline passes. |
| Eviction needed | You learn Florida Statute Chapter 83 on the fly. One mistake restarts the case. | Notice service, complaint filing, sheriff coordination, writ of possession, and post-judgment recovery handled. |
| Property in a flood zone or hurricane prep | You drive to the property mid-storm or hire vendors at premium rates after. | Annual storm prep checklist, board-up vendors pre-contracted, post-storm inspection and claim documentation. |
| Tenant turnover | Listing photos on your phone, screen with hope, transfer utilities yourself. | Professional listing, multi-channel marketing, full screening (credit, criminal, eviction, income), make-ready coordination. |
The Palm Beach County Rental Owner Resource Guide (PDF)
Every number on this page, organized into a printable two-page reference card. Tape it to your office wall, keep it in your glove box, hand it to your tax preparer. Includes hurricane prep checklist and tenant turnover utility transfer sequence.
- All 25+ verified hotline numbers in one place
- Annual property-tax and license-renewal calendar
- Hurricane prep & post-storm action sequence
- Atlis 24/7 emergency contact
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I file an eviction in Palm Beach County?
Residential evictions are filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller, County Civil Division — either through the statewide e-Filing portal or in person at any clerk courthouse location. The Clerk's Self Service Center can answer procedural questions at (561) 355-7048. Service of summons is performed by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Civil Division at (561) 355-2763. The full process is governed by Chapter 83, Florida Statutes. Owners working with Atlis have evictions managed end-to-end — you never have to navigate the court system directly.
How long does an eviction take in Palm Beach County?
An uncontested non-payment eviction typically takes 4 to 6 weeks from the start of the 3-day notice to the Sheriff's lockout, assuming the tenant is properly served and does not respond. Contested evictions, default cures, or required publication service can extend the timeline to 6 to 10 weeks or longer. The 3-day notice period excludes weekends and legal holidays. Once filed, the tenant has 5 business days to respond. After judgment, the Clerk issues a Writ of Possession and the PBC Sheriff's Civil Division typically posts the writ within a few days. Timelines are typical, not guaranteed — consult a Florida attorney for case-specific guidance.
What is the security deposit law for rental properties in Florida?
Florida Statute 83.49 governs deposits. Within 30 days of receiving, the landlord must give written notice of where the deposit is held and whether it earns interest. After move-out, if the landlord intends to make any deduction, the landlord must send the tenant a written notice by certified mail within 30 days of vacating, listing each claimed deduction. The tenant has 15 days to object. If the landlord does not send notice, the full deposit must be returned within 15 days. Florida law does not cap the maximum deposit amount, but city-specific rules can apply. Atlis manages security deposits in compliance with Florida Statute 83.49 across the entire portfolio.
How much can a landlord raise rent in Palm Beach County, Florida?
Florida does not have statewide rent control, and Palm Beach County does not currently impose a local rent cap on private market rentals. Landlords may raise rent at the end of a lease term to any amount the market supports, provided proper notice is given as required by the lease and Florida Statute 83.57. For a month-to-month tenancy, Florida law requires at least 30 days written notice for any rent change. Public housing, Section 8, and certain government-assisted units are subject to separate rent reasonableness rules. Atlis runs an annual market rent analysis on every managed property to set defensible, market-aligned increases.
What is the maximum late fee a Florida landlord can charge?
Florida statute does not set a specific dollar cap on residential late fees, but courts have generally enforced fees that are reasonable and tied to actual damages. Common industry practice in Florida is a flat fee of approximately 5% of monthly rent or a fixed dollar amount such as $50 to $100, with daily late fees capped at a smaller amount. The late fee must be expressly stated in the written lease to be enforceable. Excessive or punitive fees may be challenged as unconscionable. Always confirm with a Florida real estate attorney before setting late fee terms.
Can a Palm Beach County landlord refuse Section 8 housing vouchers?
Florida does not have a statewide source-of-income protection law, meaning private market landlords in most of Palm Beach County can generally choose whether to participate in the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program. Some municipalities or specific funding programs may impose participation requirements. Owners participating must allow the PBC Housing Authority or municipal housing authority to perform Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspections and execute a Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract. Atlis can coordinate the entire HCV onboarding process for owners who choose to participate.
How should a Palm Beach County rental owner prepare for hurricane season?
Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30. PBC rental owners should: confirm windstorm and flood insurance is active and paid before June 1; pre-contract a board-up vendor and roof tarp service before storms form; document the exterior and roof condition annually with dated photos; trim trees and remove loose yard debris; verify tenant emergency contact information; circulate the county evacuation zone for the property; and ensure shutters or impact windows are operable. Owners enrolled with Atlis receive an annual pre-season checklist, vendor pre-contracting, and post-storm property inspection with insurance claim documentation.
How do I challenge my property tax assessment in Palm Beach County?
First, contact the Property Appraiser at (561) 355-3230 to request an informal review. If unresolved, file a petition with the Value Adjustment Board through the Clerk — deadline is typically 25 days after the August TRIM notice. Atlis advises rental owners on assessed value implications during annual planning.
What insurance should a Palm Beach County rental owner carry?
Most PBC rental owners carry a landlord/dwelling policy (DP-3 or similar), windstorm coverage, flood insurance through NFIP if in a flood zone, and an umbrella liability policy. Owners unable to obtain coverage on the private market can apply with Citizens Property Insurance at (866) 411-2742. Insurance complaints in Florida go to the Department of Financial Services Consumer Helpline at 1-877-693-5236. This is general information, not insurance advice. Consult a licensed Florida insurance agent.
How do I report a code violation at my own rental property in Palm Beach County?
PBC Code Compliance handles unincorporated areas at (561) 233-5500. If your property is inside a city (West Palm Beach, Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, etc.), contact that city's code enforcement office. Owners receiving a violation notice should respond before the cure deadline to avoid escalating fines and liens. Atlis handles code compliance for managed properties as part of standard operations.
When should a Palm Beach County owner hire a property manager instead of self-managing?
Self-management generally stops being economical when an owner is fielding after-hours maintenance calls, mediating tenant disputes, chasing late rent, navigating eviction filings, or managing from out of state. Risk also rises sharply without a documented screening process, a Florida-compliant lease, an after-hours emergency vendor network, or a written escalation path. Atlis handles all of those functions across Palm Beach County. Request a free rental analysis at (561) 473-3664.
Is a Business Tax Receipt required for rental properties in Palm Beach County?
Most PBC municipalities require a local Business Tax Receipt (BTR) for rental owners, and some require annual rental registration and inspections — rules vary by city. Contact your city's local business tax office to confirm. Failure to register can result in fines, lien risk, and complications during sale. Atlis tracks municipal compliance for managed properties.
Most-Searched Atlis Pages for Palm Beach County Owners
The pages owners hit most after this resource hub — rental analysis tools, eviction guides, screening protocols, and the property management service overview.
Avoid the Calls. Hire the Coordinator.
Atlis Property Management is a licensed Palm Beach County brokerage running full-service management for owners across Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, Wellington, Boynton Beach, Boca Raton, and surrounding areas. 24/7 maintenance coordination, professional lease enforcement, screened tenants, and clean financials — so you don't have to memorize the numbers above.
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