Pinellas County Substantial Damage Reassessment Instructions

If you believe your home was not substantially damaged, you can request a reevaluation of the damage determination.

To submit your request, please provide the following:

1. Substantial Damage Determination Letter
   A copy of the letter from this mailing that you received from the County regarding the substantial damage determination.
2. Floodplain Substantial Damage Itemized Cost Breakdown
3. Substantial Damage Scope of Work Narrative
4. Detailed Floor Plan
   A labeled floor plan identifying all rooms or units in the structure is required (a hand-drawn sketch is acceptable). Remember to include the approximate dimensions of each interior room (e.g., bedroom: 12′ x 14′).

Pre-Storm Building Value Reconsideration

If you believe the Property Appraiser value is too low or doesn’t reflect recent improvements you made before the storm, start by contacting the Property Appraiser to request a Pre-Storm Building Value Reconsideration. You’ll need to provide photos showing the interior of the home before the storm, which the Property Appraiser will use to adjust the value if appropriate. This will not increase your value for 2024 property taxes. In addition, homesteaders will experience no value increase in future years from this process. There is no charge for the building value reconsideration. Many homeowners who have requested this reconsideration have had their value adjusted and are no longer considered substantially damaged. But if you still aren’t satisfied with the result, you can hire a private appraisal company to do a detailed actual cash value appraisal.   

Optional supporting documents:

1. Photos or videos showing damage—such as flooding, fire, or wind—taken before and after the storm are highly encouraged to support the review process. Date-stamped images are preferred.
2. An Actual Cash Value private appraisal (with a pre-storm effective date) that follows the Pinellas County Appraisal Review Checklist.
3. A copy of the FEMA/WLM Letter from the Pinellas County Property Appraiser or a Pre-storm Building Value Reconsideration from the Pinellas County Property Appraiser’s Office (available at pcpao.gov).

Creating an account:

To submit your reassessment request, you’ll need to create an account through the Pinellas County Access Portal: pinellas.gov/access-portal.

Submitting your request:

Your completed online application must be submitted within 60 days of receiving your Substantial Damage Determination Letter.  Please allow time for review. We will notify you of the outcome of your reassessment by mail.

Please review the instructions. This is a complicated process.

Common reasons your reassessment may be delayed or deemed incomplete

• The Floor Plan does not include layouts of each room with approximate dimensions.
• The Itemized Cost Breakdown does not include all items or accurate quantities needed to repair the home to its pre-storm condition.
• The Itemized Cost Breakdown does not accurately reflect labor costs.
• The home’s appraisal does not meet the standards of the Appraisal Review Checklist.

If your reassessment is delayed or deemed incomplete, you can contact us for more information about the reason and work to update your request in the portal. Visit our Permit Hub in person (see info above) or email sddeterminations@pinellas.gov.