Find the home of your dreams, research available jobs, or check out the area's numerous leisure activities. From registering to vote to registering your automobile, this quick guide will help you get up to speed.  

To become an official Florida resident, file a declaration of domicile. The document states that you reside at a certain address and is notarized by the Clerk of the County Court. Contact the Sarasota County Clerk of Circuit Courts, 2000 Main St., Sarasota, (941) 362-4066.

The homestead exemption provision means that permanent residents don't pay taxes on the first $25,000 of their home's appraised value. You can reduce your ad valorem tax bill by seeking a homestead exemption on the first $25,000 of your home's value.  To file for exemption, establish residency by Dec. 31 prior to the year you will claim exemption, then file for exemption in January or February. Contact the Sarasota County Property Appraiser at 2001 Adams Lane (941) 951-5650.

Residents of Sarasota County benefit from a property tax millage rate that is among the lowest in the state.

The state of Florida has no personal income tax!

New residents must register their vehicles in Florida within 10 days of gaining employment or enrolling children in school. To register a vehicle, be prepared to provide the Sarasota County Tax Collector's office with your current driver's license, proof of Florida auto insurance, prior registration certificate and ownership title. The vehicle identification number will be verified, and you will need to apply for a Florida license plate. The fee depends on the vehicle's weight. Newcomers also must apply for a Florida Title Certificate if there is a lien on the vehicle; you should bring your payment book to the Tax Collector's office. Contact the Sarasota Tax Collector, 101 S. Washington, (941) 362-9898.

Florida law requires that new state residents apply for a Florida driver's license within 30 days. But first, register your car as noted above.

The Department of Motor Vehicles will need to see proof of your Florida vehicle registration, your out-of-state driver's license and your social security card. If you own a Florida-registered vehicle, bring the registration as well. If your out-of-state license is valid, you need only take a vision test. A written exam and driver's test is required if your license is invalid or if you are applying for your first license. The written exam is based on the Florida Driver's Handbook and the driver must supply the vehicle for the test. A license is valid for six years and costs $20. Contact the driver license office at 601 S. Pompano Ave., (941) 361-6217, or call (941) 361-6222 for an appointment.

To vote, you must register in your county of residence. You are eligible to vote if you are a U.S. citizen, county resident and at least 18 years old by the next election. To register, fill out a form and swear an oath that you live in the county. Your voter registration card will be mailed to you before the next election. For information on registration locations near you, call the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Office at 101 S. Washington St. (941) 951-5307.

Location
Florida's west coast between Tampa to the north and Ft. Myers to the south. Sarasota County is between Hillsborough County (north) and Charlotte County (south). Located on the Gulf of Mexico.

Areas of Interest
Casey Key, Englewood, Lido Key, Longboat Key, Manasota Key, Nokomis, North Port, Osprey, Siesta Key, St. Armands Key, Venice.

Geography
571.75 square miles
35 miles of beachfront

Average Annual Air Temperature
72.6 F average
82.8 F average high
61.9 F average low

Average Weather
Daytime highs hit the hundreds through September and early October. With a wealth of sunny days, the year-round tropical climate seldom dips below daytime high of seventy even in the winter. Sarasota averages 361 annual days of sunshine.

Population
325,900 residents

Major Access Roads
Interstate 75 and US Highway 41 (North-South)

Airport
Sarasota Bradenton International Airport
(SRQ) is located at the intersection of US 41 & University Parkway.
(941) 359-5200

Peak Season
The area's peak season begins in February and continues until Easter, when accommodation reservations are necessary. The value season is June through September.

Accommodations
A wide variety of accommodations are available, from camp grounds to luxury resort hotels. Rentals of privately owned condominiums and cottages are popular with tourists. Meeting space and facilities are available for groups at hotels and other locations around the community.

State Parks
Myakka River State Park, with 28,875 acres of land, and Oscar Scherer State Park are Sarasota's destinations for bird-watching, biking, walking, camping or just communing with Florida's natural setting of swamps, palmetto brush and towering pine trees. Myakka State Park offers guided boat and train tours that include informative narration of the area's wildlife and history.