The scenic Polk County Tax Collectors Office on Massachusetts Avenue. | Kimberly C. Moore, LkldNow
The scenic Polk County Tax Collectors Office on Massachusetts Avenue. | Kimberly C. Moore, LkldNow
2-minute read

Polk County residents who need to renew a tag, transfer a title, or handle a tax payment in person may want to plan ahead.

Why? The Polk County Tax Collector’s office has announced that a major software update that was years in the making will close all tax collector locations for two and a half days in February.

When: Offices will close early at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 5.

They will be closed all day Friday, Feb. 13 and Monday, Feb. 16, as the staff transitions to a new cashiering and payment processing system.

Online payments: Online tax payment services will remain available during the Feb. 5 early closure, but will be interrupted during the software update from Feb. 13–16.

Customers who need driver’s license services can use the state’s MyDMV Portal.

Tax Collector Joe G. Tedder apologized for the inconvenience.

Polk County Tax Collector Joe Tedder

“We have been working on this project for the past several years and look forward to going live!”

Polk County Tax Collector Joe G. Tedder

What you can do instead: If you need tag and title services during the closure, the tax collector’s private tag agency partners will remain open. They include:

Private tag agencies offer services such as vehicle registration renewals, title transfers, and parking placards, and most have extended weekday and Saturday hours. However, they typically charge an additional service fee for the convenience. 

A self-service kiosk will be available at the Grove Park Publix, 1617 U.S. Highway 98 S. 

It’s tax season: The closures fall during property tax season.

Property taxes are due March 31. Discounts for early payment — 4% in November, 3% in December, 2% in January, and 1% in February — end next month. Any unpaid taxes become delinquent on April 1.

Additionally, March 1 is the deadline to file new homestead exemptions with the Property Appraiser’s Office for 2026 property taxes.

SEND CORRECTIONS, questions, feedback or news tips: newstips@lkldnow.com

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Cindy's reporting for LkldNow focuses on Lakeland city government. Previously, she was a crime reporter, City Hall reporter and chief political writer for newspapers including the Albuquerque Journal and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. She spent a year as a community engagement coordinator for the City of Lakeland before joining LkldNow in 2023. Reach her at cindy@lkldnow.com or 561-212-3429.

Leave a comment

Your thoughts on this? (Comments are moderated; first and last name are required.)