I own a home in Georgia
Homestead exemptions, property taxes, deeds, and storm damage.
From homestead exemptions and the Tax Commissioner to the Probate Court, tornado season, and starting a business, CountyOffices gives you clear Georgia-specific guidance for the things that matter.
Reviewed against official Georgia government sources • Updated as laws and requirements change
Homestead exemptions, property taxes, deeds, and storm damage.
Every owner-occupied primary residence in Georgia qualifies for the state Standard Homestead Exemption - $2,000 off the 40% assessed value for county and school taxes - but most counties and cities have enacted their own local homestead exemptions that are far more generous, and the local exemption always supersedes the state one when it's larger. Apply through your county Tax Commissioner or Tax Assessor by April 1 to have it apply to the current tax year; once granted, it renews automatically unless you move. Georgia's Tax Commissioner handles the billing and collection side of property tax, while the Tax Assessor determines your property's value - two different offices with different questions to direct to each. Deeds and mortgages are recorded with the Clerk of Superior Court, a different office from either of those. With Georgia's 159 counties, exemption amounts, filing quirks, and even office names can vary meaningfully from one county to the next, so don't assume a neighboring county's rules apply to yours.
Sources: Georgia Dept. of Revenue, county Tax Commissioner and Tax Assessor offices
Closings, title searches, deeds, recording fees, and property records.
Georgia closings typically go through a real estate attorney, who conducts the closing itself - this is one of the "attorney state" closings, unlike states where a title company alone handles it. Deeds are recorded with the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the property sits, and recording triggers Georgia's real estate transfer tax, calculated per $1,000 of the sale price, customarily paid by the seller though this can be negotiated. A title search through the Clerk of Superior Court's records confirms there are no outstanding liens before closing. Once you buy, apply for your own homestead exemption through the county Tax Commissioner or Assessor by April 1 if you'll occupy the home as your primary residence - the exemption never transfers with a sale, so this is a step new owners have to take themselves rather than something that carries over.
Sources: county Clerk of Superior Court offices, Georgia Dept. of Revenue
Safe rooms, weather alerts, insurance documents, and county resources.
Georgia sits in Dixie Alley, with tornado risk peaking in spring (March through May) and a notable secondary peak in late fall that catches many residents off guard. Before storms threaten, know whether your home or neighborhood has access to a safe room or community shelter, and know your county's specific weather alert system, since notification methods (sirens, apps, reverse-911) vary from county to county across Georgia's 159 counties. After a tornado, your county Tax Assessor can reassess storm-damaged property, and your county Clerk of Superior Court holds the property records you'll need for insurance and any FEMA claims if a federal disaster is declared for your county. Building or repair permits after storm damage go through your county or city building department - expedited permitting for storm repairs is common but not universal, so check locally rather than assuming.
Sources: Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, FEMA, county Emergency Management offices
Probate Court, wills, estates, and county filing steps.
Probate in Georgia is handled by the county Probate Court - a distinct court from Superior Court, with its own elected judge in each of Georgia's 159 counties. Georgia offers a simplified process for small estates and, when there's no will and all heirs agree, a "no administration necessary" petition that can settle an estate without a full probate proceeding. Whether an estate needs full administration depends on its size, whether there's a will, and whether the heirs are in agreement. Filing starts with the Probate Court in the county where the deceased lived; Georgia doesn't require an attorney for every probate matter, though many families use one for anything beyond the simplest estates. If the deceased owned property under a homestead exemption or a conservation use covenant, note that neither automatically transfers to heirs - whoever inherits needs to reapply in their own name if they want to keep the benefit.
Sources: Georgia Probate Court, Georgia Code Title 53
Marriage licenses, divorce filing, name changes, and official records.
Marriage licenses are issued by the county Probate Court - the same court that handles estates and, in most counties, weapons carry licenses - both parties apply together with photo ID. Georgia has no waiting period between application and marrying, and the license is generally valid for a limited window, so time your application to your ceremony date. Divorce is filed in Superior Court, not Probate Court, in the county where the defendant resides; Georgia requires at least 6 months of residency before filing. Georgia allows both fault and no-fault grounds, with "the marriage is irretrievably broken" as the standard no-fault ground, and courts divide marital property under an equitable distribution standard. Marriage records, once filed, are held by the Probate Court in the county where the license was issued.
Sources: county Probate Court offices, Georgia Judicial Branch, Georgia Code Title 19
Conservation use values, land records, county roads, and rural services.
Georgia's Conservation Use Valuation Assessment (CUVA) lets qualifying farm, timber, and conservation land be assessed at its current use value rather than fair market value, often a significant tax reduction on genuinely productive agricultural or forest land. In exchange, you sign a 10-year covenant with the county committing the land to that use; breaking the covenant early triggers a penalty, so this isn't a decision to make casually or for a short-term tax move. A related program, Forest Land Protection Act (FLPA) covenants, offers similar use-value treatment specifically for larger tracts of qualifying forest land, with a 15-year covenant term. Applications go through your county Tax Assessor's office, and the land must genuinely be in agricultural, forestry, or conservation use to qualify - it's not simply undeveloped or vacant land. Property tax questions on qualifying farm and timber land still go through the same Tax Commissioner as any other property once the assessed value is set.
Sources: Georgia Dept. of Revenue, county Tax Assessor offices, Georgia Code Section 48-5-7.4
Birth, death, marriage, court, property, and business records.
Birth and death certificates come from the Georgia Dept. of Public Health's Vital Records office, though many county health departments can also process requests. Marriage records are held by the Probate Court in the county where the license was issued. Property records - deeds, mortgages, liens - are recorded and searchable through the Clerk of Superior Court, generally free to search online with a fee for certified copies; most counties now offer this through the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority's statewide real estate search. Court records for civil and criminal Superior Court cases come from the Clerk of Superior Court; probate and estate records are held separately by the Probate Court. Business records are filed with the Georgia Secretary of State, searchable statewide. Personal property tax and vehicle title records go through your county Tax Commissioner, a separate office from all of the above.
Sources: Georgia Dept. of Public Health, county Clerk of Superior Court and Probate Court offices, Georgia Secretary of State
Licenses, permits, EIN, sales tax, and local requirements.
Registering a business in Georgia starts with the Secretary of State, where you file to form an LLC or corporation and register a trade name. From there, most businesses also register with the Georgia Dept. of Revenue for a sales tax number if they'll sell taxable goods or services, and get an EIN from the IRS if they're not a sole proprietor with no employees. County and city governments add a local layer: most Georgia counties and cities require a local business license or occupational tax certificate, and requirements vary meaningfully across the state's 159 counties, so check both your county and city. If you'll own a vehicle for the business, remember Georgia's Title Ad Valorem Tax (7% of fair market value, paid once at titling) applies the same way it does for personal vehicles, handled through your county Tax Commissioner. Zoning and building permits, for a physical business location, come from your county or city planning department.
Sources: Georgia Secretary of State, Georgia Dept. of Revenue, IRS
County lines sit close together here, and each courthouse does things its own way.
Only Texas has more counties than Georgia's 159 - a lot for a state Georgia's size, meaning county lines sit close together and many counties are geographically small. This is a legacy of Georgia's history: the state deliberately created many small counties so that no resident would live more than a day's horseback ride from their county courthouse. The practical effect today is real variation from courthouse to courthouse - exemption amounts, filing procedures, office names, and even which office handles a given task can differ from one county to the next in ways that would surprise someone used to a state with fewer, larger counties. If you're researching something Georgia-specific, always confirm with the actual county involved rather than assuming a neighboring county's rules apply, since with 159 separate county governments, the "how it works" answer genuinely does vary.
Sources: Georgia Secretary of State, Association County Commissioners of Georgia
Georgia's Probate Court handles estates, marriage licenses, and weapons carry licenses.
Georgia's Probate Court, one per county with its own elected judge, handles a broader mix of duties than the name suggests. Beyond wills and estate administration (its core function), the Probate Court issues marriage licenses and, in most Georgia counties, also processes applications for a Georgia Weapons Carry License - a combination that surprises people used to marriage licenses and gun permits being handled by entirely separate offices, if not different levels of government altogether. Probate Court also handles guardianship and conservatorship matters, involuntary hospitalization petitions in some counties, and traffic and other minor criminal matters in counties without a separate State Court. If you're not sure which Georgia county office handles something involving marriage, estates, guardianship, or a weapons carry license, the Probate Court is the first place to check.
Sources: county Probate Court offices, Georgia Code Title 15, Chapter 9
One county office collects property taxes and handles your vehicle tags and titles.
Many states split property tax collection and vehicle registration into separate offices - a Treasurer for taxes, a DMV for cars. Georgia combines both into a single elected county office: the Tax Commissioner, who bills and collects property tax and also handles vehicle title, registration, and the Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT) due when you buy or title a car. This is a different office from the Tax Assessor, who determines property values but has no role in vehicle transactions at all. So if you're renewing a car tag, paying a property tax bill, or titling a newly purchased vehicle, the Tax Commissioner is your office; if you're appealing a property valuation, that's the Tax Assessor instead. With 159 separate Tax Commissioner offices statewide, hours, online services, and exact procedures vary meaningfully by county.
Sources: county Tax Commissioner offices, Georgia Dept. of Revenue
Beyond the state exemption, many counties and cities add their own, each with filing deadlines.
Georgia's state-level Standard Homestead Exemption is modest - just $2,000 off the 40% assessed value for county and school taxes - but it's really a floor, not the whole picture. Most Georgia counties and many cities have passed their own local homestead exemptions that are far more generous, sometimes tens of thousands of dollars off assessed value, and by law the local exemption applies whenever it's larger than the state one. On top of the standard exemption, separate exemptions exist for seniors, low-income homeowners, disabled veterans, and surviving spouses of service members or public safety officers, each with its own age, income, or eligibility requirements. All homestead exemptions require an application (they're never automatic) filed with your county Tax Commissioner or Tax Assessor by April 1 to apply to the current tax year, though Georgia now allows applications up to the end of your 45-day assessment appeal window in some cases. Once granted, an exemption renews automatically each year unless you move or your qualifying circumstances change.
Sources: Georgia Dept. of Revenue, county Tax Commissioner and Tax Assessor offices, Georgia Code Section 48-5-44
Most vehicles now pay a one-time title tax instead of a yearly ad valorem bill.
Georgia used to tax vehicles the way many states still do: an annual ad valorem ("birthday") tax due each year around your vehicle registration renewal. Since March 1, 2013, most vehicles instead pay a one-time Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT) - currently 7% of the vehicle's fair market value - paid once at titling, with no annual property tax on the car afterward, just a flat annual registration renewal fee. New Georgia residents titling a vehicle they already own pay a reduced 3% rate instead of the full 7%, and immediate-family transfers (parent to child, spouse to spouse) can qualify for an even lower 0.5% rate under the right conditions. Vehicles titled before Georgia adopted TAVT in 2012 can, in some cases, remain on the old annual ad valorem system rather than switching. TAVT is paid to your county Tax Commissioner, the same office that handles tag renewals, within 30 days of purchase.
Sources: Georgia Dept. of Revenue, county Tax Commissioner offices
Qualifying land may be valued on its use rather than market price under a conservation covenant.
Most states tax farmland and timberland at market value - what it would fetch sold for development. Georgia's Conservation Use Valuation Assessment (CUVA) lets qualifying agricultural, timber, and conservation land be valued instead on its current use, typically a meaningful tax reduction for genuinely productive land near growing areas where market value has outpaced agricultural value. The tradeoff is a binding 10-year covenant with the county: the land must stay in qualifying use for the full term, and breaking the covenant early triggers a financial penalty, so it's meant for real ongoing agricultural or forest use rather than a short-term tax strategy. A related program, the Forest Land Protection Act (FLPA), offers similar treatment for larger qualifying forest tracts under a longer 15-year covenant. Applications go through your county Tax Assessor, who determines whether the land genuinely qualifies - vacant or simply undeveloped land doesn't automatically count.
Sources: Georgia Dept. of Revenue, county Tax Assessor offices, Georgia Code Section 48-5-7.4
The Georgia county records research approach starts with the specific county's official website. Most large Georgia counties offer online court record search, property record search, and recording document search through their county websites. Georgia does not operate a unified statewide court records search. The Association County Commissioners of Georgia provides links to county websites for Georgia county records access. The Atlanta metro counties typically have the most extensive online systems.
Georgia uses a 40 percent assessment ratio for property tax purposes. The County Tax Assessor determines fair market value, then 40 percent of fair market value becomes the assessed value used for tax calculations. A property with $300,000 fair market value has $120,000 assessed value. Property tax bills are calculated based on assessed value times the millage rate. The Georgia county records on property show both fair market value and 40 percent assessed value separately for transparency.
Georgia probate operates through the Probate Court in each county, with a separately elected Probate Court Judge. Georgia offers no-administration procedures for simpler estates and full administration for larger or complex estates. Georgia recognizes year's support providing surviving spouses and minor children with priority claims against the estate. Georgia probate proceeds through Probate Court with judge oversight throughout. The Georgia county records on probate matters are maintained by each county's Probate Court.
Georgia property tax due dates vary by county. Most Georgia counties bill property tax in fall with payment due by December 20 or later. Some Georgia counties bill in installments. After the due date, property taxes become delinquent and accrue interest and penalties. Many Georgia counties allow payment plans. The Georgia county records on property tax payments are maintained by the County Tax Commissioner. The Georgia Department of Revenue Property Tax Division provides oversight.
Apply at the Probate Court in any Georgia county (Georgia marriage licenses are issued by the Probate Court). Both applicants must appear together. Required documents include government-issued photo ID and proof of age. License fees range from approximately $50 to $80 depending on county. Georgia has no waiting period between license issuance and the marriage ceremony. Georgia marriage licenses do not expire, which is distinctive among states (most states have 30-90 day expiration). The Georgia county records on marriage are maintained by the issuing Probate Court.
Order through the Georgia Department of Public Health State Office of Vital Records or through a participating county health department. Many Georgia counties allow local ordering for events in their county, providing faster service than state-level ordering. Required information includes the full name on the certificate, date of birth, place of birth, parents' names, and proof of your identity and relationship if you are not the person named. Georgia birth certificate fees are approximately $25 per certified copy at the state level.
Georgia divorce filing requires meeting the 6-month Georgia residency requirement, completing the Complaint for Divorce, and filing with the Superior Court in the county of residence. Filing fees range from approximately $200 to $400 depending on county. Georgia allows no-fault divorce based on irretrievable breakdown plus 12 fault-based grounds. Georgia has a 30-day waiting period from filing before a divorce can be granted. Georgia is an equitable division state for property. The Georgia county records on divorces are maintained by the Superior Court Clerk.
The Georgia Board of Equalization is the county-level body that hears property tax appeals. Property owners who believe their assessment exceeds market value can file an appeal within 45 days of the annual assessment notice. The Board conducts hearings and issues decisions. Owners dissatisfied with Board of Equalization decisions can appeal to Superior Court. Georgia allows three appeal options: Board of Equalization, arbitration, or hearing officer (for non-homestead commercial property over a threshold). The Georgia county records on property tax appeals are public records.
File Articles of Organization with the Georgia Corporations Division of the Secretary of State. The filing fee is $100. Georgia LLC formation typically processes within 5-7 business days for standard filing or sooner with expedited service. Georgia LLCs must file annual registrations between January 1 and April 1 ($50 fee). After formation, obtain a federal EIN and any required local business licenses.
Register through the Georgia Secretary of State Elections Division or your county Board of Elections. Georgia allows online voter registration. Registration deadline is 29 days before each election. Georgia requires photo ID at the polls. Georgia mail-in absentee ballot eligibility was modified by SB 202 (2021) to require photo ID or other identification on absentee ballot applications. The Georgia county records on voter registration are maintained by each county Board of Elections.
The Georgia county records maintained by the Clerk of Superior Court include real property records (deeds, mortgages, easements, liens), Superior Court records (felony criminal, civil cases above the State Court threshold, family law including divorce), military discharge papers, and various recorded instruments. Each Georgia county has its own Clerk of Superior Court. Most offer online search through their county website. The Council of Superior Court Clerks of Georgia operates statewide systems for some record types.
Georgia does not have traditional expungement. Georgia offers record restriction under O.C.G.A. section 35-3-37 for certain non-conviction records and First Offender Act treatment under O.C.G.A. section 42-8-60 for certain first-time offenders. Recent Georgia legislation has expanded record restriction options for some misdemeanor convictions after specified waiting periods. Georgia county records on restricted matters are not generally accessible to the public but remain available to law enforcement and certain employers. The Georgia court records guide covers record restriction procedures.
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Get Help Now → Private. Secure. Always free.Georgia's homestead exemption deadline is genuinely firm: April 1 of the year you're claiming the exemption, though you can file year-round for the following year if you miss it.
Georgia's homestead exemption deadline is genuinely firm: April 1 of the year you're claiming the exemption, though you can file year-round for the following year if you miss it. To qualify, you must own and occupy the home as your primary residence as of January 1, and have your vehicles registered at that same address, with a Georgia driver's license reflecting the property. Once approved, the exemption automatically renews each year without refiling, unless ownership changes or you're pursuing a different exemption type (senior, disabled veteran, or similar). Your Notice of Assessment, mailed each year, starts a genuinely firm 45-day clock to appeal if you disagree with the value - the clock runs from the date printed on the notice, not when it arrives, and Georgia allows no extensions. Because assessment notices go out at different times across Georgia's 159 counties, appeal deadlines land anywhere from late June to mid-August depending on your specific county - check your notice for the exact date. Conservation Use and Forest Land Protection Act applications also carry an April 1 deadline. As a new resident, remember Georgia gives you 30 days to register your vehicle and pay the one-time Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT).
Sources: Georgia Dept. of Revenue, county Tax Commissioner and Board of Tax Assessors offices, O.C.G.A. §48-5-311
If you disagree with your property's assessed value, Georgia gives you a genuinely firm and short window: exactly 45 days from the date printed on your Notice of Assessment, with no extensions permitted under state law.
If you disagree with your property's assessed value, Georgia gives you a genuinely firm and short window: exactly 45 days from the date printed on your Notice of Assessment, with no extensions permitted under state law. The clock starts from the notice date, not the day it reaches your mailbox, so don't assume mail delays buy you extra time. File your appeal with the county Board of Tax Assessors using Georgia's uniform appeal form, choosing your appeal method (Board of Equalization hearing, arbitration, or in some cases hearing officer review, depending on the situation). Georgia's assessed value equals 40% of the fair market value the county has placed on your property, so your appeal effectively challenges that underlying fair market value determination. Bring genuine supporting evidence: comparable sales, an independent appraisal, or documentation of a factual error in property characteristics. A genuinely distinctive Georgia risk: if your appeal fails, the Board can actually increase your assessed value rather than simply leaving it unchanged, so evidence quality matters before filing. A successful appeal triggers a valuable protection - your assessed value gets frozen for three years under Georgia's 299C provision, shielding you from reassessment increases during that window. If you disagree with the Board of Equalization's decision, further appeal to Superior Court remains available.
Read the full property tax appeal guide →
Sources: Georgia Dept. of Revenue, county Board of Tax Assessors and Board of Equalization offices, O.C.G.A. §48-5-311
The Georgia Open Records Act presumes that records held by state and local government agencies are open to public inspection, and like most states' open-records laws, you generally don't need to explain your reason for the request or demonstrate a personal interest in the records.
The Georgia Open Records Act presumes that records held by state and local government agencies are open to public inspection, and like most states' open-records laws, you generally don't need to explain your reason for the request or demonstrate a personal interest in the records. Agencies must respond within 3 business days indicating whether they'll provide the records, though the actual production can take longer for voluminous requests. Common exemptions include certain law enforcement investigative records, personnel and medical information, and other categories the legislature has carved out. Real estate records - deeds, mortgages, liens - are recorded and searchable through the Clerk of Superior Court in most Georgia counties. Court records for civil, criminal, and probate matters come from the Clerk of Superior Court and the Probate Court respectively - Georgia's Probate Court genuinely handles a broader range of matters than a typical probate court elsewhere, including marriage licenses and weapons carry licenses. Business entity records are filed with the Georgia Secretary of State, searchable statewide. Property valuation and appeal records go through your county Board of Tax Assessors, while tax billing and collection go through the Tax Commissioner - the same office that also handles vehicle tags and titles in Georgia. If a records request is denied, the specific statutory exemption should be cited.
Read the full open records guide →
Sources: Georgia Attorney General's Office, O.C.G.A. §50-18-70 et seq. (Open Records Act), county Clerk of Superior Court and Probate Court offices
Georgia faces genuine tornado risk with two distinct peak windows - spring (March through May) and a real secondary peak in late fall (November) - plus tropical storm and hurricane remnants that can bring damaging wind and flooding well inland from the coast during hurricane season.
Georgia faces genuine tornado risk with two distinct peak windows - spring (March through May) and a real secondary peak in late fall (November) - plus tropical storm and hurricane remnants that can bring damaging wind and flooding well inland from the coast during hurricane season. Know your county's warning system and, if you have one, your safe room or storm shelter location before severe weather season starts. Georgia has supported residential and community safe room grant programs given the state's tornado history, and your county Emergency Management Agency coordinates local warnings and immediate response when severe weather threatens. After a tornado or storm causes damage, your county Board of Tax Assessors can adjust your property's valuation to reflect the damage, and if a federal disaster is declared, FEMA assistance becomes available for both individual homeowners and local government recovery costs. Insurance claims should be filed promptly with thorough documentation (photos, a written inventory, receipts for emergency repairs), since claim processes carry their own timelines. Building permits for storm repairs and rebuilds go through your county or city building department, and rules can differ depending on whether you're rebuilding in a floodplain versus simply repairing storm damage elsewhere.
Sources: Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, FEMA, county Emergency Management Agency and Board of Tax Assessors offices
As a new Georgia resident, you have 30 days to register your vehicle with your county Tax Commissioner and pay Georgia's one-time Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT), which replaced the old annual "birthday tax" - bring proof of ownership, residency, insurance, and any required emissions documentation.
As a new Georgia resident, you have 30 days to register your vehicle with your county Tax Commissioner and pay Georgia's one-time Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT), which replaced the old annual "birthday tax" - bring proof of ownership, residency, insurance, and any required emissions documentation. For a driver's license, check with the Georgia Dept. of Driver Services for the current specific window to transfer an out-of-state license. If you've purchased a home, remember the homestead exemption deadline is April 1 - file with your county Tax Commissioner or Board of Assessors (which office handles it varies by county), and you'll need a Georgia driver's license reflecting the property address plus vehicles registered at that same address to qualify. Once approved, the exemption renews automatically each year without refiling. Register to vote through your county Board of Elections or the Georgia Secretary of State's online system. Because Georgia has 159 counties - the second-most of any state - expect real variation in how things run from one courthouse to the next, even for identical state-level processes; your specific county's Tax Commissioner, Board of Tax Assessors, and Probate Court (which handles marriage licenses here) are genuinely your first calls for most local matters.
Sources: Georgia Dept. of Driver Services, Georgia Dept. of Revenue, county Tax Commissioner offices, Georgia Secretary of State
Georgia laws apply statewide, but offices, services, procedures and local requirements can vary by county. Select your county for verified local offices, services and official resources.
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