On September 24, 2026, the Southwest Ranches Town Council kept its operating millage at 3.90 for fiscal year 2026–27. Citizen Portal's summary of the final hearing reported a vote that was unanimous and a budget of roughly $24 million. For a buyer comparing towns, that rate is the figure that gets quoted. It is also the part of the town's bill that changed least this year.
Two other charges on a Southwest Ranches tax bill have nothing to do with what the home is worth. They are set by the number of homes on the parcel and the size of the lot, and both went up for 2026–27. If you're looking at large lots, a guest house, or the gap between Southwest Ranches and Davie, these two charges shape the comparison more than the millage does.
Two charges that ignore the home's value
The town's final fire protection rate schedule for fiscal 2026–27 has three categories.
- Residential: $844.67 per dwelling unit, up from $767.76 last year
- Acreage: $90.77 per acre, up from $79.90
- Combined non-residential: $1.1934 per square foot of building area
The acreage rate applies mainly to undeveloped land, often agricultural, and to vacant residential or commercial parcels. Some of that acreage is exempt when the property appraiser grants an exemption. On a homesite with a house, the charge that matters is the $844.67 per dwelling unit.
The residential solid waste assessment has two parts. Household waste, which covers garbage and recyclables, is $611.39 per dwelling unit no matter the lot size. Bulk waste is charged by the parcel's lot square footage, and that part grows as the lot does. Here are the adopted combined totals for 2026–27, from the town's September 14, 2026 first budget hearing agenda:
| Lot size | FY2025–26 total | FY2026–27 total | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 41,200 sq ft | $1,073.55 | $1,150.97 | $77.42 |
| 41,201 to 46,999 sq ft | $1,077.19 | $1,248.68 | $171.49 |
| 47,000 to 62,999 sq ft | $1,275.15 | $1,424.48 | $149.33 |
| 63,000 to 95,999 sq ft | $1,282.52 | $1,464.95 | $182.43 |
| 96,000 to 106,999 sq ft | $1,394.65 | $1,591.61 | $196.96 |
| 107,000 sq ft and up | $1,596.75 | $1,705.57 | $108.82 |
A full acre is 43,560 square feet, so a one-acre homesite lands in the second tier. Add one residential fire assessment and that home pays $2,093.35 a year in these two town charges before any millage is applied. A homesite of about two and a half acres or more, in the top tier, pays $2,550.24.
These amounts are already reduced. The council used $100,000 from reserves to lower each assessment. The town notes it used the same kind of fire subsidy in the FY2026 budget.
A guest house counts as a second home. A barn does not.
Since both charges are billed per dwelling unit, what counts as a dwelling unit matters a lot on an estate. The town's fire assessment methodology puts separate or attached guest houses and "granny flats" in the residential category, along with anything else treated as a dwelling unit. Non-commercial barns and free-standing garages on a parcel that already has a home are treated as accessory structures and are not assessed separately.
The solid waste resolution counts the same way. Residential property includes single-family homes with more than one dwelling unit, and household waste is assessed per dwelling unit while bulk waste is assessed by parcel size. So on one parcel, a main house plus a guest cottage would add about $1,456 a year in town charges: a second $844.67 fire assessment and a second $611.39 household waste charge. The bulk waste charge stays the same because the lot hasn't changed.
That's why two listings on similar land in Southwest Ranches can carry different fixed costs. A paddock, stable, and detached garage don't add to these charges. A finished guest suite with its own living quarters can. There's one more detail in the same section of the methodology. Agricultural buildings or non-commercial barns on a parcel with no home are assessed together as one dwelling unit.
How far the lower millage goes against Davie
The fire assessment pays for a rural setup. The town's fire rescue contract is budgeted at $4,719,461 for 2026–27, and the budget also funds changes to the Volunteer Fire program to improve planning for fire wells. Neighboring cities set their charges differently. Here are adopted 2026–27 municipal figures for a single-family home in each town:
| Southwest Ranches | Weston | Davie | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating millage | 3.90 | 3.5046 | 5.3392 |
| Residential fire assessment | $844.67 | $839.19 | $296.00 |
| Residential solid waste | $1,150.97 to $1,705.57 | $426.91 | $347.12 |
| Flat charges, one home | $1,995.64 to $2,550.24 | $1,266.10 | $643.12 |
Sources are Weston's FY2027 adopted budget, Davie's September 14 special assessments hearing materials, and Davie's September 16 second budget hearing materials. Davie also levies 0.0541 voted-debt mills and a separate stormwater assessment based on a parcel's impervious area, which aren't included above. County, school, and special district levies also apply to every bill, and they aren't compared here.
Southwest Ranches' operating millage is 1.4392 mills below Davie's, which saves about $1,439 a year for every $1 million of taxable value. On a one-acre homesite, though, Southwest Ranches' flat charges run $1,450.23 higher than Davie's. Using the two operating rates and those flat charges, the town portions come out about even at roughly $1 million of taxable value. Above that, Southwest Ranches costs less, and the gap grows with value. Below it, the lower millage doesn't make up for the flat charges. On the smallest lot tier, the break-even falls to about $940,000. On the largest tier it rises to about $1.33 million.
Weston works differently. Its operating millage is lower than Southwest Ranches' and its flat charges are lower too, so at these 2026–27 rates Weston's municipal portion is lower at any home value. Its fire assessment is close to Southwest Ranches' per home, $839.19 against $844.67. The gap is mostly solid waste, and it gets bigger as Southwest Ranches lots get larger.
The seller's tax bill won't be yours
All of this lands on the bill in a buyer's first full year, and the seller's bill won't show it. According to the Broward County Property Appraiser's FAQ, a buyer generally keeps the seller's exemptions and assessed value through the year of purchase. Those exemptions expire at year-end, and the next year the property is reassessed based on the purchase price and comparable sales. The buyer has to apply for their own homestead exemption. The appraiser's Save Our Homes page explains that the cap doesn't carry over when a property sells, and a new limit starts once the new owner qualifies for homestead.
The appraiser's new-homebuyer tax estimator has two limits for Southwest Ranches shoppers. It uses the average Broward municipal millage of 19.8394 mills, not the rate for a specific property. It also leaves out non-ad valorem charges such as fire and garbage. On a large Southwest Ranches lot, those excluded charges add up to more than $2,000 a year.
Bills for the year now starting arrive soon. The Broward County Tax Collector mails annual property tax bills on November 1, and they're payable that day. Paying early earns a discount of 4% in November, 3% in December, 2% in January, and 1% in February.
Quick answers
Does a homestead exemption lower the fire or solid waste charge? A homestead exemption lowers taxable value, and these charges are set per dwelling unit, per acre, or by lot size. The town does fully exempt one group from both. Disabled veterans with a service-connected total and permanent disability exemption who live on homesteaded property titled in their name owe neither charge.
What does vacant land owe for fire protection? For 2026–27, undeveloped and vacant parcels pay $90.77 per acre. Some agricultural acreage that receives an exemption from the property appraiser doesn't pay it.
Were these rates approved or only proposed? They're final. The fire rates were approved at the September 14, 2026 hearing, and the solid waste resolution was adopted that same day. Both cover the fiscal year from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
This is general information, not tax, legal, or financial advice. Please confirm how any assessment or exemption applies to a specific property with the Broward County Property Appraiser, the town, or your tax professional.
If you're comparing a Southwest Ranches acreage listing with a home in Weston or Davie, Joe Caprio & Co. Real Estate can look at the lot tier, the dwelling-unit count, and the taxable value with you before you write an offer. That way the first full-year bill is something you've already planned for. Contact us to get started.
