Parcel Split and Combination Process
General Information

Parcel splits or combinations made at the request of the property owner or owner’s representative are processed by the Lee County Property Appraiser (LCPA) for tax billing and assessment purposes only. It is important to note that a parcel split or combination processed by the Property Appraiser is solely for the owner’s taxpaying convenience and does not:

  • Affect ownership, recorded title, or legal description.
  • Imply the legality of the requested land reconfiguration.
  • Imply the legality for parcels to be conveyed via land title.
  • Authorize or imply suitability for development of the affected parcels.
  • Nullify or alleviate any existing liens or encumbrances on the property.
  • Alter zoning or parcel conformity requirements.
  • Create any entitlements as to current or future property use.

The LCPA does not issue determinations regarding the permissibility of parcel splits or combinations in any jurisdiction and will not advise owners on such matters. Property owners are strongly encouraged to obtain approval from the appropriate zoning, planning, or community development agency. Some jurisdictions may require prior approval.

Note: LCPA reserves the right to mandate documented jurisdictional approval or to deny an application.

Jurisdiction Approval and Contact Information

Important Things to Consider

  • Applications completed by the LCPA that modify parcel boundaries are not searchable on Lee Clerk of Courts website and could make determining the chain of title to real property difficult in the future.
  • A parcel split or combination can be accomplished by recording a deed with a new legal description for each parcel or parcel portion. The advantage to recording a deed versus an application request is the deed would be available to attorneys, title companies, Realtors, and court personnel who conduct a title search on Lee Clerk of Courts website.
  • Once parcels are combined, they cannot be split if property taxes become delinquent per Florida Statute 197.192.
  • Splitting your parcel may increase your property assessment, possibly resulting in higher taxes. See Frequently Asked Questions.

Reconfiguration Requirements

  • All taxes must be paid. The LCPA’s office cannot by law split or join parcels until all due or delinquent taxes have been paid to the Tax Collector, pursuant to Florida Statute 197.192.
  • No open Value Adjustment Board (VAB) Petition. The LCPA’s office will not split or join parcels until the Special Magistrate has published a decision or the petition has been withdrawn.
  • Legal Description / New boundary must be submitted. To split or combine parcels that have not been previously described in a recorded deed, lie outside a platted subdivision, or to reconfigure a platted lot, a survey, sketch, or legal description clearly defining the new property boundary must be recorded with the Lee County Clerk of Court. Approval must also be obtained from the appropriate jurisdiction (see links to contact information above). LCPA will not create or draft legal descriptions.
  • Parcels must be titled the same. For parcel combinations, all parcels have the same ownership title (e.g. tenants in common, right of survivorship, married – tenants by entirety, trust, individual) and in the same name(s). If one parcel is currently receiving homestead exemption, the parcel(s) combined with the homestead will be added at market value over the Save Our Homes cap. Commercial property may not be combined with homestead property.
  • Parcel boundaries must be contiguous and fall within the same jurisdiction.
  • No outstanding defective deeds. Parcel reconfigurations will not be allowed if the last recorded transaction associated with the parcel(s) is categorized as an error. See Deed Errors and Omissions www.leepa.org/Deed/Deeds.aspx

Property Appraiser to be Held Harmless

It is the responsibility of the owner to ensure that any and all prior or currently due tax amounts on any parcels being split or aggregated with any other parcels are paid in full to the Tax Collector. This agency is not responsible for any delinquent taxes, penalties, or interest that could occur and accrue due to negligence on the part of the property owner, the owner’s representatives, or other parties when requesting parcel splits or combinations. Furthermore, if the property is encumbered by a mortgage, it is the owner’s responsibility to seek prior approval from the mortgage company for any changes to the property involving a split or combination. All information provided on the Application for Combination or Split of Existing Parcels becomes public information including name, address, e-mail address, phone number unless otherwise prohibited by state statute.

Property Appraiser Application

Lee County Property Appraiser Application for Combination or Split of Existing Parcel

Please be sure to read all the instructions as they may contain additional requirements that must be met before your request can be processed. Submit completed applications by:

  • Mail – Lee County Property Appraiser, P.O. Box 1546, Fort Myers, FL 33902-1546
  • E-mail – GISTeam@leepa.org
  • Fax – (239) 533-6107
  • In person – Melvin Morgan Constitutional Complex, 2480 Thompson St., 4th Floor, Fort Myers, FL 33901

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to process my application?
Upon jurisdiction approval, please allow two weeks for LCPA to process your request. If approval is not obtained within three months of the date of application, it will be necessary to submit a new application once the approval is granted. If you include an e-mail address on the application, an automated e-mail will be sent when the split or combination is completed by LCPA. The e-mail sender account is GISTeam@leepa.org.

LCPA’s processing time should not hinder business matters such as real estate closings. We recommend that you proceed but provide a copy of your application to any necessary parties such as Realtors, closing agents, etc. A completed copy of the application shall serve as proof that your request is being processed by the Property Appraiser.
What is a metes and bounds legal description?
By starting from a known point, it describes a parcel by providing the successive direction and distance of each course around a parcel and relates the monuments that control that parcel.

Example: Begin at an iron rod marking the Northwest Corner of Section 15, Township 44 South, Range 21 East, Lee County, Florida, thence N.45°W. a distance of 175.00 feet; thence N.45°E. a distance of 200.00 feet; thence S.45°E. a distance of 175.00 feet to a concrete monument; thence S.45°W. a distance of 200.00 to the Point of Beginning.
What is a sectional (quarter-quarter) description?
A sectional description method utilizes the federal and/or state government subdivision of the public domain into townships, ranges and sections (PLSS - Public Land Survey System).

Example: The Northwest Quarter of the Southwest Quarter of the Southwest Quarter of Section 12, Township 46 South, Range 26 East, Lee County, Florida.
What is the cost of splitting/combining my parcel?
There is no cost from the Property Appraiser’s office to split or combine property. However, there may be a fee required by the jurisdiction when obtaining the necessary approval. Requesting prior approval for parcel splits and combinations from the appropriate zoning, planning, or community development agency of your jurisdiction is strongly encouraged.
Will the application I complete be available to the general public?
Yes, any information provided on the application is available upon request unless otherwise protected by state statute.
How will the addresses get assigned?
Lee County Public Safety (E911) in conjunction with the local jurisdiction will determine the proper address for the split or combined property. For new subdivisions Public Safety has an application process, check with your local planning department for more detail. If you wish to contact Public Safety directly about addressing, please e-mail eaddressing@leegov.com.
What if I have a mortgage on one of the parcels involved in the reconfiguration?
If the parcel(s) are encumbered by a mortgage, it is the owner’s responsibility to contact the mortgage company of the change. If you combine mortgaged with un-mortgaged real property it could create significant issues in the case of foreclosure.
What if I have title insurance on one of the parcels involved in the reconfiguration?
A parcel split or combination may violate the restrictive covenants referred to in Schedule B, including boundary line setbacks or other provisions. This action may also impede the ability to provide a lender with the endorsements they require in Loan Policy Schedule A insuring the mortgage. If you are combining parcels and the title of one property has to be changed to match the title of the other property (single owner vs joint tenants), the change in ownership may invalidate the insurance policy unless title insurance is purchased to cover all owners. Contact your title insurance company for clarification or additional information. Here is a useful guide to Title Insurance published by Florida Department of Financial Services. Title Insurance
What if one of the parcels includes a homestead exemption?
You may wish to update your application online or by completing the paper form.

Alternatively to combining the property, the applicant can receive the Homestead Exemption and Save Our Homes benefit on the adjacent parcel by completing this application.
Download the Request Benefit of Save Our Homes on Parcel Contiguous to Homestead Property form

If you have any questions regarding Homestead Exemption applications/filing please contact us at (239) 533-6100 or via email: Exemptions@leepa.org.
What if one of the parcels to be combined includes a Save Our Homes (SOH) cap?
The portion previously under a 10% non-homestead cap will be reassessed at full market value then added to the market and assessed values of the homesteaded parcel for the current tax roll. In future years, the Save Our Homes cap will apply to the assessed value limiting its annual increase to 3% or less. Splitting or joining property may increase or decrease taxes by affecting existing capped values. If at a future date you choose to reverse the process, the cap cannot be restored to its former level.
What happens to the 10% assessment cap for parcels that participate in a split or combination?
Per Florida Statute 193.1554(7) and 193.1555(7) the land division (split) or combination of non-homestead property will result in the removal of the 10% assessment limitation (cap) and the assessment of the parcel(s) at full market value in the following tax year.
Is there a deadline for recording a deed or submitting an application request for parcel splits or combinations?
Throughout the year we suspend processing parcel reconfigurations and plat submittals in order to compile property tax rolls. The suspension dates may include up to two (2) weeks in advance of the following periods: June 1, July 1, August 1, and mid-October. Please plan accordingly.
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