Georgia homeowners pay a median of $2,341 a year in property tax, an effective rate of 0.77%, the 13th highest of the 15 states we cover. The deadline to appeal: 45 days after assessment notice. Here is who sets your value, how to challenge it and what evidence works.
Closed for 2026Closed for most 2026 notices (45 days after mailing; Fulton County's was July 31, 2026). The next window opens when 2027 notices go out, usually April to July.
File a written appeal with the county Board of Tax Assessors within 45 days of the date the assessment notice was mailed. The exact last day is printed on the notice. Example: Fulton County's 2026 deadline was July 31, 2026 for most owners. If the assessors change your value after reviewing the appeal, you have 30 days to appeal the amended notice.
The county mails an Annual Notice of Assessment every year, usually between April and July depending on the county. The notice shows the deadline to appeal.
Enter the market value on your assessment notice and what you think the home would really sell for. We estimate the yearly saving if the board agrees with you.
Some states cap how fast the taxable value of a home can rise (California, Florida, Michigan and Texas homesteads, for example). If your taxable value is already held below market value by a cap, a lower market value may not lower this year's bill.
The county Board of Tax Assessors and its appraisal staff. Homestead exemptions are handled by the county tax assessor or tax commissioner. Homes are assessed at 40% of fair market value as of January 1. The most recent arm's-length sale price caps fair market value for the next tax year. For homesteads, the HB 581 floating homestead exemption limits taxable growth to inflation in places that did not opt out. Every year. The board of assessors reviews values annually as of January 1.
Built in. After you file, the Board of Tax Assessors reviews your appeal first and may change the value or send an amended notice. Many counties also let you talk with an appraiser. The assessors have 180 days to respond; if they do not, the value you claimed on the appeal becomes the value.
What works in Georgia: Sales of similar homes nearby around January 1; Your own recent purchase price (it caps the next year's value if it was an arm's-length sale); A certified appraisal (required for arbitration); Photos and repair estimates for condition problems; Values of similar neighboring homes to show lack of uniformity.
Use state form PT-311A (or a written letter or the county's online system) and pick one route: (1) County Board of Equalization: three local residents hear the case; a hearing is set within 15 days of receiving the appeal and held 20–30 days later; no fee. (2) Arbitration: you must provide a certified appraisal within 45 days; the losing side pays the arbitrator. (3) Hearing officer: only for non-homestead property worth over $500,000, so not available for most homes. File by mail, in person, or by email if the county allows it. Cost: No fee for the Board of Equalization. Arbitration: you pay for your certified appraisal, and you pay the arbitrator's fee if the county's value is closer to the arbitrator's decision than yours.
The Board of Tax Assessors must prove its opinion of value and the validity of its assessment by a preponderance of the evidence. Facts about the property (size, features) on the county's records are presumed correct, but the value is not.
Within 30 days after the Board of Equalization, arbitrator or hearing officer decision is mailed or delivered. Send a written notice of appeal to the Board of Tax Assessors. A settlement conference is held first. Then you pay the $25 court filing fee and the case goes to Superior Court, usually before a jury. Taxes for the last year finally determined must be paid before the court will hear the case. If the final value is 85% or less of the Board of Equalization value, you can recover court costs and reasonable attorney's fees.
The county issues a corrected bill. If you overpaid on the temporary bill, you get a refund with interest (capped at $150 for homestead property). The value set on appeal generally cannot be raised by the assessors for the next two years.
On appeal form PT-311A, check 'Uniformity' (you may also check 'Value') and show comparable properties in your county are assessed lower than yours, e.g. per square foot. Run the numbers with our unequal assessment calculator.
Most wins start with a mistake in the assessor's record of your home. Check it line by line.
Record card checklistAn exemption is separate from an appeal: you apply once and it cuts your taxable value every year. Check you have every one you qualify for.
Owner-occupants get $2,000 off assessed value for county and school taxes (many counties give more). The HB 581 floating exemption keeps a homestead's taxable value from rising faster than inflation unless the local government opted out. Apply by April 1.
An $18,000 reduction in assessed value for homesteads on file by April 1, applied as a credit on the 2026 tax bill (HB 439, signed May 12, 2026). No check is mailed.
Age 65+: $4,000 off county taxes; age 62+: school tax exemption up to $10,000 of assessed value; both need household income of $10,000 or less (some retirement income excluded). Many counties offer bigger local senior exemptions.
Qualifying disabled veterans can exempt a large part of their home's value: $121,812 for 2025 (amount follows a federal figure and changes each year).
You can appear yourself or through an authorized agent or representative, but you must name the agent in writing before they appear. No Georgia rule on contingency fees was found in the sources checked.
Fill in your details and download a written appeal statement as a PDF or Word file. Most boards also require their own appeal form: file the form and attach this letter and your evidence to it.
Tax Appeal Map is a free information site, not a law firm or appraiser. The letter is a template, not legal advice.
File a written appeal with the county Board of Tax Assessors within 45 days of the date the assessment notice was mailed. The exact last day is printed on the notice. Example: Fulton County's 2026 deadline was July 31, 2026 for most owners. If the assessors change your value after reviewing the appeal, you have 30 days to appeal the amended notice.
With the County Board of Tax Assessors, then your choice of Board of Equalization or Arbitration. Use state form PT-311A (or a written letter or the county's online system) and pick one route: (1) County Board of Equalization: three local residents hear the case; a hearing is set within 15 days of receiving the appeal and held 20–30 days later; no fee. (2) Arbitration: you must provide a certified appraisal within 45 days; the losing side pays the arbitrator. (3) Hearing officer: only for non-homestead property worth over $500,000, so not available for most homes. File by mail, in person, or by email if the county allows it.
No fee for the Board of Equalization. Arbitration: you pay for your certified appraisal, and you pay the arbitrator's fee if the county's value is closer to the arbitrator's decision than yours.
Built in. After you file, the Board of Tax Assessors reviews your appeal first and may change the value or send an amended notice. Many counties also let you talk with an appraiser. The assessors have 180 days to respond; if they do not, the value you claimed on the appeal becomes the value.
You can appeal to the Superior Court of the county. Within 30 days after the Board of Equalization, arbitrator or hearing officer decision is mailed or delivered. Send a written notice of appeal to the Board of Tax Assessors. A settlement conference is held first. Then you pay the $25 court filing fee and the case goes to Superior Court, usually before a jury. Taxes for the last year finally determined must be paid before the court will hear the case. If the final value is 85% or less of the Board of Equalization value, you can recover court costs and reasonable attorney's fees.
The county issues a corrected bill. If you overpaid on the temporary bill, you get a refund with interest (capped at $150 for homestead property). The value set on appeal generally cannot be raised by the assessors for the next two years.
Checked 2026-10 against official Georgia sources. Local deadlines and fees can differ; confirm with your assessor or board.