Georgia Assessed Value and Assessment Rate

Before millage rates can be discussed, we must explain how the value of property is calculated in Georgia. First, the county’s board of assessors determines the market value of a home or business based on previous property sales and market trends. Once calculated, the market value is then multiplied by the assessment ratio. For most real estate in Georgia, this is a ratio of 40%. This means that a home worth $200,000 will have an assessed value of $80,000. This is the key figure used to calculate property taxes and serves as a building block for property tax bills.

The Georgia Millage Rate

Taxpayers in Georgia will often look to discover what their tax rate is and can often be confused. This is because Georgia uses a millage rate, rather than the standard nomenclature of tax rate. The millage rate, which is set by the county and taxing bodies, such as schools, is how much of a property’s assessed value can be taxed. These rates are expressed in units known as mils, which are applied to every $1,000 in assessed value. If a millage rate of 10 mills is set, then every $1,000 of assessed value would be taxed $10.

Millage rates are set by taxing authorities and counties. Taxing authorities are local government entities that rely on property taxes for the majority of their funding. School districts are the most prominent, and they generate the largest tax demand. However, school districts have a cap on their millage rates and can only add 20 mills at most every year. When put together, this means that taxing authorities and counties can have a significant impact on the wallets of homeowners and businesses if they decide to increase their taxes.

Millage Rollback

The Georgia Property Tax Payer’s Bill of Rights, established in 1999, introduced a millage rollback. Since property values are assessed annually, the overall value of homes and businesses can increase every year. As inflation and other issues drive values up, local governments must make adjustments to its millage rates to ensure that taxpayers don’t simply pay more every year. The rollback occurs when the millage rate is dialed back so that the same tax revenue is generated. In many cases, values will increase, while the millage rate stays the same. In this scenario, the result would be a tax increase, which must be voted on by the City Council or a similar body. This must also be announced to the public, with hearings scheduled.

Fulton County Millage Increase

Fulton County has already dealt with one property tax crisis this year, because the tax digest, which contains the county’s assessed values, was late. This forced a court ruling where tax bills would be sent out at 2026 assessments with 2025 millage rates. This created a scenario where taxpayers could see an additional tax bill in October or receive a refund check, depending on issues such as property tax appeals.

In late September, Fulton County officials proposed an increase of 0.54% above the rollback rate, which translates into a tax increase for most citizens of Atlanta. This would be the first increase in the past few years, after a proposed 1-mill increase in 2025 was dropped. It remains to be seen whether time will tell if this new increase holds, but a rising demand for revenue may lead to the proposed increase becoming permanent. This would have an impact on tax bills sent out in 2027 and will not lead to increases in any secondary bills being sent out.

How Georgia Taxpayers Can Lower Their Property Taxes

With unpredictable bills and millage rates, homeowners or businesses must take steps to protect their interests. The first step should always be to see what exemptions are available, including the homestead exemption. A statewide homestead exemption was enacted into law, but this only applies to primary residences. This means that second homes or rental properties have no protection. Additionally, most businesses have few exemptions to use. With that in mind, many Georgia taxpayers, especially those in and around Atlanta, are using property tax appeals to challenge their property assessments.

Appeals give taxpayers an opportunity to dispute the values put forward by the board of assessors. With strong evidence on their side, taxpayers can prove that they are being unfairly or unequally assessed. This can bring market and assessed values back to reasonable levels, ensuring that taxpayers pay only their fair share. This has another benefit: the Georgia assessment freeze. A successful appeal means that the assessment for a home or business will be frozen for three years, protecting the owner from market forces. With increasing market values and millage rates, this freeze can be a true boon and provides years of protection. This makes landing an appeal an even bigger priority than in other states.

O’Connor Helps with Exemptions and Appeals

Winning an appeal and getting an assessment freeze can be difficult in Georgia. This is because substantial evidence is required. This includes years of property sales or a collection of assessments that show the true value of a home or business. For these comparable properties to be valid, they must meet certain criteria, such as being in a similar location, being the same age, and being of a similar size. This can make finding the best comparables difficult, which is where O’Connor steps in.

When you enroll with O’Connor, our experienced professionals will try to get you the best reduction possible. While it is too late to reduce your current tax bill or assessments, we can begin preparing for an appeal next year. We use data-driven techniques to find any issues in your assessment. Once we move forward, we will find the best comparable properties possible. Our experts will not only identify these properties and challenge the comparables put forward by the assessor. We will help gather evidence, file your appeal, and represent you at every hearing. Best of all, you will not be charged upfront for these services upfront. Instead, you will only be charged a percentage of your winnings if we are able to lower your property taxes.

Atlanta Area Deadlines

DeKalb County Deadline

DeKalb is unique among the Atlanta area counties, as it gives its taxpayers options. Homeowners and businesses can either pay their property tax bill in full on September 30, or choose to do two installments. If you choose to pay in installments, you must pay first on September 30 and finish your second payment by November 16. No matter your payment option, you must make a payment by September 30, or start facing late fees and interest.

Fulton County Deadline Has Extra Complications

As we covered in a previous article, Fulton County is facing several issues. Thanks to a computer glitch, many assessments were not completed on time, which meant that the tax digest could not be certified. Without a certified tax digest, Fulton County is unable to levy property taxes. This delay would cause schools to be short of funds, along with many other financial issues for first responders, hospitals, and countless other taxing bodies. To prevent this from happening, the Fulton County Board of Commissioners voted to ask the Superior Court for an emergency ruling that would allow the collection of taxes without a certified digest.

The push to the court was successful, and tax bills went out on August 15. These bills will use current millage rates, but last year’s assessments. In the meantime, assessments will be evaluated, with adjustments made later in the year. Many taxpayers can expect to get a second tax bill in the mail at a later date, though this will be much smaller than the first. If you appealed your taxes, you may, instead, get a refund check toward the end of the year. If you live in Fulton County, you will need to be extra vigilant over the next few months.

Penalties and Interest

Once the clock strikes midnight on the payment deadline, you will experience penalties and interest added to your bill. A 5% penalty is immediately added to your bill, while interest accrues at 1% each month thereafter. Every 120 days, an additional 5% in penalties will be added, up to 20%. In addition, a lien can be placed on your home or business. If not paid on time, this can eventually lead to a tax sale or foreclosure. Since issues can quickly balloon, it is paramount that you pay on time. Some counties offer payment plans before the due date.

Property Tax Reduction

While it may be to reduce your property taxes this year, there are options that can help lower your property tax bill in future years. Exemptions are among the easiest and most obvious options. From the homestead exemption to more specialized ones that benefit the disabled or seniors, exemptions can have a large impact on how much property tax you pay every year. The recent assessment cap of 3% for homesteads will also be a huge boon, as it prevents massive property value spikes like those seen in the past. The other avenue to pursue is property tax appeals. While appeal season has closed, appeals can still provide significant savings for many homeowners and especially businesses, which typically do not benefit as much as from exemptions.

Atlanta Property Tax Appeals

Appeals in Georgia serve a litany of purposes. They can challenge values determined by the local board of tax assessors, address unequal assessments, correct assessment errors, and even challenge rejected exemptions. These must be filed within 45 days of the notice of assessment, which means that most taxpayers in Atlanta have missed their window. However, it is important to keep the deadline in mind next year, as being prepared for the deadline can make things much easier.

Appeals in Georgia have a bonus that most states do not, in the form of an assessment freeze. When you file an appeal, your assessment will be locked in at that amount for the next three years. Combined with protections such as the homestead cap, an assessment freeze can help taxpayers pay lower property taxes for the next few years, in addition to getting your initial reduction. While certainly key for homes, this can be a huge windfall for businesses, especially rental properties, that have no other tax protection.

O’Connor Helps Atlanta Residents with Appeals and Exemptions

With the possibility of an assessment freeze, capturing a missed exemption, or reducing inflated values, an appeal can bring significant savings. This means that it is vital to win your case. O’Connor is here to help, lending our 52 years of expertise to your cause. Helping hundreds of thousands of clients a year, we can provide you with the support you need to maximize your property tax reduction. This includes gathering evidence, representing you at hearings, helping you file for homestead exemptions, and even handling property tax litigation.

When you enroll with us, you will automatically have your property appealed every year, meaning you no longer have to keep up with deadlines, allowing us to do all the work for you. You will also be given a client success consultant, who will be your primary contact and advocate, giving you a reliable point of contact who can answer your questions. We offer premium service for all of our clients and will take your appeal to the highest level necessary. Enrolling with us is free, and you will never have to worry about hidden fees. You will only pay a percentage of your savings if we can lower your taxes.

Georgia Property Tax Assessment

Like many states, Georgia utilizes an assessment ratio when it comes to creating tax bills. This means that only a certain portion of a property’s value can be used for the purpose of taxation. This is figured in before tax rates or exemptions are applied. For most homes and businesses in Georgia, 40% of a property’s fair market value can be assessed. Fair market value is what the board of assessors believes a home or business will sell for on the open market, which is determined by studying real estate sales dating back three years. Once the ratio is applied to the market value, the assessed value is created. Exemptions are applied to this value before tax rates are applied, which generates the final bill.

Georgia Property Tax Appeals

In order to lower taxes, Georgia property tax appeals are aimed at controlling fair market value. By lowering it, or at least ensuring that it is accurate, appeals can lead to a possible property tax reduction. Appeals must have grounds to be filed, which are typically for factual error, overassessment, or unequal assessment. If a home or business’ fair market value is overinflated, then appeals are usually the only avenue open to you to lower it. Because they target market value, while exemptions go after assessed value, both can be used together to achieve extra savings.

Assessment Freeze

Georgia is unique in that appeals can also be used to freeze the assessment of a property for three years. This means that a successful appeal will keep the taxable burden from increasing, unless the property owner makes significant improvements to their home or business. Because this blocks the value from increasing, no matter what the market reality is, this is generally a large boon. Since property values across Georgia have been increasing every year, often beyond inflation, this means that property owners will get compounding savings over the following three years.

Until a few years ago, a property owner only needed to file an appeal to get the freeze. However, this was abused by businesses and wealthy homeowners, who simply appealed without grounds, evidence, or effort every year, earning themselves strong tax protection. This was overhauled in 2024, and this apparent loophole was closed. Now, an appeal must be successful for a freeze to be valid. While this does help even the playing field for smaller businesses and homeowners, it does raise the threshold for all property owners.

Evidence Needed for Successful Appeals

The hardest part of any appeal is securing the right evidence. The evidence must not only match your property, but meet certain grounds. In cases of overassessment, when your property is valued more than it would realistically sell for, you will need to gather sales records dating back three years. These must match your real estate’s age, location, and size as best as possible. For cases of unequal assessment, you must prove that your neighbors are being assessed for less than you are. This is achieved by gathering assessments from across your area, ensuring that they share the same or similar characteristics to your property.

Businesses and Rental Properties Benefit the Most

In 2026, Georgia passed a large homestead exemption reform. This created a universal exemption and caps for single-family homes that act as a primary residence. This legislation fixed a previous issue in which most counties had opted out of the mandated exemptions. With this law on the books, most family homes will see a significant cutting of their taxes. There is also legislation in place that will see even greater tax relief granted to homeowners in the form of penny sales taxes, which can be used to bring the property tax burden down even lower.

However, businesses and rental properties do not benefit from this overhaul, nor the cap put in place. This makes landing an appeal doubly important for business owners and landlords. The combination of a tax cut and an assessment freeze can be invaluable, especially as government entities look for more ways to raise funds now that homesteads are shielded. Homeowners would still see a benefit from appeals and an assessment freeze as well, of course, and can supercharge their exemptions with them. It is just that rental homes and businesses will see the largest impact.

Georgia Property Tax Appeal Deadlines

Georgia does not have a single deadline for the filing of property tax appeals, unlike most states. Instead, it is tied to individual counties, though these are not always uniform either. The deadline depends on when the notice of assessment is sent. Once the board of assessors sends this out, you will have 45 days to file an appeal in your county. For example, most notices in Fulton County were sent out around June 15, and the deadline was set for July 31. If you are not sure when your deadline is, it is often good to check with your county board of assessors.

O’Connor Offers Premium Appeal Support

If you are a business, rental property owner, or homeowner, and are looking to appeal your taxes, it often pays to have an expert firm on your side. We at O’Connor are here to help and have over 50 years of experience when it comes to appeals. We specialize in businesses and large real estate portfolios, and know how best to manage these challenging and high-stakes tax situations. We always love helping the little guy too, however, and offer premium support for homeowners looking to cut their taxes. While we support businesses and rental properties across Georgia, we currently only offer residential services in Fulton, Gwinnett, DeKalb, and Cobb counties.

When you enroll with O’Connor, you get a client success consultant who will act as your primary point of contact. This ensures you have a constant connection and ally to tap whenever you need advice or an update. Our experts will represent you in hearings, but will also help gather and analyze evidence. We use data-driven techniques to find issues and consult our proprietary databases to find the best sales or assessment records. There is no cost to join, and you will only pay if we can lower your taxes.

Assessment Notices and the Deadline

While most Fulton County property taxes appeal deadlines will pass on July 31, this is not universal. The time you have to appeal is tied to your notice of assessment and when it was mailed. While the majority of Fulton County can expect a cutoff date of July 31, many others will have more time. You have 45 days to appeal from when your notice is mailed, which means many taxpayers could have more time. However, it is best to file as early as possible, so that you can have the best case possible.

The assessment notice is vital for many reasons, not just its implications for the deadline. This document contains many pieces of information that could justify an appeal for a home or business. When received, it should be looked over thoroughly. First, it should be checked for basic errors, such as the wrong owner being listed or missing exemptions. These can be challenged by an appeal if needed. Next, the values on the notice should be carefully assessed. Fair market value is the first number listed and is what the Fulton Board of Assessors believes your property would sell for on the open market. This is determined by studying the last three years of property sales. The next is the assessed value, which is the market value that has been lowered by the assessment ratio. The Georgia property tax assessment ratio is 40% of a property’s fair market value. This is what exemptions are applied to.

Reasons to Appeal

In order to file an appeal, you must have a justification. While no one likes high taxes, simply having a large tax bill is not grounds for an appeal. Factual errors, such as an incorrect owner’s name, are one reason to appeal. Another is overassessment, when your market value is higher than what your home or business could realistically be sold for. By Georgia law, all properties in the same location with similar characteristics should be uniformly assessed, so instances of unfair assessment should be protested. If you were denied an exemption, you can also appeal this decision. If you study your notice and see any of these errors, then you should consider an appeal.

Businesses and Rental Properties See the Most Benefit

While appeals are important for homeowners, they can be vital for other types of real estate. That is because recent laws have brought a universal homestead exemption and assessment cap for homestead properties, but have left other types of real estate open for increases. While businesses see few exemptions, they can be expected to shoulder more of the tax burden than ever before, as taxing bodies such as school districts look for more sources of revenue. By appealing your business’ taxes, you can both get a reduction and gain an edge on your competition. Many businesses file appeals every year, as it helps control costs.

Rental homes are another prime user of appeals. Homestead exemptions can only be used for a primary residence, meaning a home used to generate revenue is not protected. Virtually the only option that a rental owner has to reduce their property taxes is to use property tax appeals. This can be especially true for those holding a portfolio of rental properties. With rents and property values both skyrocketing in Fulton County, being able to lower your bottom line can lead to higher profits. By reducing property taxes, tenants can also expect lower rents.

Georgia Assessment Freeze

One reason that appeals are so important in Georgia is the assessment freeze. A goldmine for both homeowners and businesses, the assessment freeze will pause the assessment of a property for three years. In order to get this benefit, an appeal must be successful. Until 2024, simply filing an appeal enabled any property owner to get a freeze. However, after consistent abuse of the system, it was changed to only successful protests. This puts a lot of added pressure on both businesses and homeowners, as landing a freeze in Fulton County’s competitive real estate market can lead to massive savings.

The Importance of Evidence

Once solid grounds for appeal have been established, you will still need to build evidence. For cases of factual errors, documents and private assessments can be used to show that the Board of Assessors is using the wrong information. For cases of overassessment, you will have to gather sales records for properties dating back three years, as this mirrors what the assessor does. For cases of unequal assessment, you will need to gather assessments from around your area. For all of these comparable properties, you will need to ensure that they are in your location and share similar ages, sizes, and other features to match your home or business.

O’Connor Helps Georgia Homes and Businesses

For over 50 years, we at O’Connor have been helping clients across the nation get cost-effective tax reduction through appeals, protests, and exemptions. We have already helped homeowners and businesses in the other major Atlanta-area counties before their appeal windows closed and are now focused on Fulton County. We believe that every property owner has the right to protest, and we do everything we can to get you a reduction. We do this by providing a premium, full-service approach.

When you sign up with us, we give you a client success consultant who will guide you through the process and act as your constant advocate. Next, we analyze your assessment with proven data-driven techniques, looking for any issues. We then use our proprietary databases to find the best comparable properties, whether these are property sales or assessments. Finally, we file an appeal on your behalf and will represent you at every hearing. This professional evidence and representation give you the best chance to win, securing you a reduction and an assessment freeze. There is no cost to join, and you will only pay if we can lower your taxes.

Residential Properties Add 4.2% in Market Value

In 2025, homes added around 3.1% to their total market value. In 2026, the Cobb Board of Assessors assessed homes as having grown by 4.2%. This brings the estimated market value for Cobb County to $109.01 billion. The largest source of value was homes worth between $250,000 and $500,000, which grew by 2.4% to total $46.22 billion. This was followed by homes worth between $500,000 and $750,000, which spiked 4% to reach $32.72 billion. Totaling $14.92 billion, residential real estate worth between $750,000 and $1 million was in third place, following an increase of 5.3%. The two most expensive categories of homes added the most value, while those worth under $250,000 only grew by 0.7%, for a tiny overall total of $1.98 billion.

Showcasing the worth of real estate in Cobb County, the high home values mentioned above did not translate into a slew of mansions. Instead, homes under 2,000 square feet account for $35.30 billion of the total following a jump of 3.8%. Homes between 2,000 and 3,999 square feet likewise jumped 3.8%, achieving a final total of $59.64 billion. Larger homes added even more value, with those between 4,000 and 5,999 square feet jumping 6.3% to $11.77 billion. Residences measuring 6,000 square feet to 7,999 square feet added 7.9% to reach $1.71 billion, while truly massive homes added 7.3% to total $590.10 million.

Unlike other up-and-coming counties, Cobb’s homes are mostly older. 43% of all value, roughly $46.91 billion, was built from 1981 to 2000. 29% was constructed between 2001 and 2020. These increased 4.1% and 3.3%, respectively. $20.31 billion was constructed from 1961 to 1980. New construction accounted for just 4%, or $0.55 billion. The value of undeveloped land quadrupled, soaring by 354.9% to total $215.72 million.

40% of Homes Could be Overvalued

The market value of homes in Cobb County is calculated by the Cobb County Board of Tax Assessors by studying sales records going back three years. These numbers do not always keep up with the current market, however, often leading to overassessment or values that are unequal when compared to neighbors. A study of home sales in 2026 indicated that the current assessments may be inaccurate, with up to 40% of all homes being overvalued. In 2025, only 33% of homes were believed to be overvalued. While market fluctuations are common, these changes often open the door to property tax appeals.

An independent study by Georgia realtors revealed that the value of homes across the Atlanta area had declined by 0.30% between 2025 and 2026. In contrast, the Cobb County Board of Tax Assessors believed the value had increased by 4.20%. While the assessor is focused on Cobb County alone, the overall decrease in 2026 could certainly be a factor in Cobb County. This is another reason that many homeowners should consider property tax appeals.

Cobb County Commercial Real Estate Grows by 6.3%

While homes have been the focus of recent legislation, businesses have not seen any significant protections or reductions added. While business is booming across the Atlanta area, property values are surging. Commercial real estate added 6.3% in market value in 2026, achieving a total of $27.45 billion. Jumping 5.3%, businesses worth over $5 million totaled $22.66 billion. Soaring by 11%, properties valued between $1 million and $5 million totaled $3.78 billion. Businesses worth less than $500,000 added 13%, while those worth between $500,000 and $1 million added 12.5%. Despite this large growth, these two categories totaled $346.14 million and $662.70 million, respectively.

Like most major counties in the nation, the largest commercial property in Cobb was apartments, which totaled $12.49 billion following an increase of 1.9%. Offices surged 10.8% to total $5.43 billion. Retail and warehouses saw surges of 8.3% and 8.8%, respectively, and practically tied with totals around $3.77 billion. Raw land saw a huge jump of 36.5%, while hotels retreated by 0.4%.

Like homes, commercial real estate saw the largest portion of its value constructed between 1981 and 2000, roughly 45%, or $12.32 billion. Edging up 2.9%, construction from 2001 to 2020 was responsible for $6.70 billion. Those from 1961 to 1980 totaled $5.21 billion after an increase of 6.8%. Raw land spiked 16.6% to $2.95 billion.

Nationwide Commercial Values Drop 15%

According to a study by Green Street Real Estate, business property across the nation lost 15% of its value since March of 2024. This was mostly thanks to empty office space and changes to how retail functions. This is contrasted by a growth rate of 6.3% for Cobb County businesses. While Cobb is one of the hottest counties in the nation, the discrepancy between the nationwide average and the assessed value could be justification to file an appeal, and should be explored by every business.

Apartments Still King of Value

Apartments remain the most valuable commercial property in Cobb County, growing 2.9% to $12.85 billion. Unlike most real estate types, the value is spread relatively evenly across multiple eras of construction. 37% was built between 1981 and 2000, while 26% was built between 1961 and 1980. These increased in value by 1.4% and 2.7%, respectively. 22% of value was constructed between 2001 and 2020, though this saw a tiny value decrease of 0.1%. The oldest apartments were responsible for 2% of the total. Raw land grew 15.5% to total $1.57 billion, representing future construction.

Cobb County apartments were broken down into three categories. The largest was garden apartments, which accounted for $11.87 billion following an increase of 1.5%. Generic apartments soared 36.7% to $533.76 million. High-rise apartments added 9.6% to reach $449.15 million.

Offices Add 10.8% to Market Value

The second-most valuable commercial property in Cobb County, offices continued to grow by 10.8% in 2026, reaching a new total of $5.43 billion. 61% of this came from offices built between 1981 and 2000, which added 9.9% to their market value. 20% came from 2001 to 2020, which spiked 8%. Growing by 12.4%, offices from 1960 to 1981 totaled $539.41 million, roughly 10%. Land set aside for office construction jumped 25.6% to a total of $403.08 million.

There were three categories of offices in Cobb County. Low-rise offices jumped 9.1% to $1.75 billion, while high-rise offices leapt 12.5% to $2.82 billion. Medical offices added 9.1% to reach $864.61 million.

Retail Sees Strong Growth

While retail has traditionally struggled in the past decade, Cobb County saw a large increase in value for stores. Retail spaces totaled $3.77 billion in market value after increasing by 8.3%. Like most properties, the majority of this value was built from 1981 to 2000, totaling $1.95 billion following a jump of 6.4%. Stores from 2001 to 2020 added 6.8% to reach $1.04 billion, while those from 1961 to 1980 added 14.5% to total $625.77 million. The oldest stores saw a large increase of 22.3%, but only totaled $103.64 million.

According to the Cobb Board of Assessors, there were five types of retail stores. Single-occupancy stores grew the fastest at 10.9%, totaling $557.07 million. Community shopping centers had a final sum of $901.60 million, while neighborhood shopping centers totaled $878.69 million. These increased 6.2% and 4.3%, respectively. Malls were the only category to see a decrease, dropping 3.7%.

Warehouses See Market Value Jump

Warehouses experienced an increase of 8.8% and achieved a final sum of $3.77 billion. The largest category of value was those built from 1981 to 2000, which grew 8.7% to $1.57 billion. Those from 2001 to 2020 were in second place with $1.10 billion, following a sharp increase of 5.1%. Warehouses built from 1961 to 1980 surged 16.9% to $548.31 million. 11% of all value came from land set aside for warehouse construction.

There were three types of warehouses in Cobb County. Generic warehouses jumped 8.1% to total $1.55 billion, while metallic warehouses surged 11.4% to $1.34 billion. Mini warehouses, predictably, were the smallest at $880.43 million, following an increase of 6.4%.

O’Connor Helps Land Reductions and Assessment Freezes

Homeowners got a big boon in 2026, when the House and Senate passed legislation to mandate a statewide homestead exemption and an assessment cap. While the bill was originally meant to cut property taxes down to almost nothing, making previous improvements mandatory will help homestead property owners immensely. However, the owners of second homes or rental properties will see no savings. Likewise, commercial properties will not get an exemption or a cap, leaving them at the mercy of increasing values. Businesses will inevitably be forced to pick up the tab for homeowners.

Homeowners and businesses of all stripes can reduce their tax burden by using property tax appeals. These challenge the values assessed directly, correcting issues that cause higher taxes. This includes cases of overassessment and unequal assessment, which can save homeowners and businesses significantly. The best thing about filing a property tax appeal in Georgia is that a successful protest results in an assessment freeze that lasts three years. This means that if you are able to secure any type of reduction, your assessment will be frozen at that level for the next three years. This can be a major well of savings in a market as fast-paced as the Atlanta area.

O’Connor is here to help you succeed in this quest by providing premium and full-service support. From homeowners to businesses, we put the full force of our firm behind our clients. We gather the evidence needed to win an appeal. First, this is done by using data-driven techniques to study assessments. Then, we use proprietary databases to find the perfect sales and property comparisons. We then weave all of this evidence together and file an appeal on your behalf. We will appear at every hearing, giving you the best shot at a reduction and a freeze. There are no upfront costs to join, and you will only pay a portion of your tax savings if we can lower your taxes. The deadline for most taxpayers to appeal in Cobb County is July 20, 2026, so it is best to enroll as soon as possible.

DeKalb County Homes See an Uptick in Market Value

The basis for all property taxes in Georgia is market value, which is what the assessor estimates a property will sell for on the open market. While homes saw a large spike of 3.8% in 2025, 2026 saw a more sedate increase of 1.8%, leading to a total of $78.33 billion. The largest reservoir of value was homes valued between $250,000 and $500,000, which totaled $26.29 billion following a retreat of 0.3%. Homes worth under $250,000 saw a larger decrease of 6.5%, resulting in a total market value of $9.92 billion. All other categories of homes saw stark increases, however. Those worth between $500,000 and $750,000 added 3.5%, while properties worth between $750,000 and $1 million jumped 5.5%. The most expensive homes saw the largest increases.

DeKalb County has a long history of working and middle-class families, and this is evident in the county’s houses. $29.39 billion in value came from homes under 2,000 square feet, while a whopping $42.43 billion came from homes measuring between 2,000 and 3,999 square feet. The second category saw an increase of 2.4%. Larger homes had much lower totals, but did see far greater growth. Homes between 4,000 and 5,999 square feet jumped 6.2%, and were responsible for a final sum of $5.83 billion. This was the last category to see a total of over $1 billion. The two largest categories of homes saw significant increases, but the two combined for a value of under $700 million.

DeKalb County has seen many eras of construction, and no one timeframe dominates the others. The most valuable, by a small margin, is homes built before 1960, which accounted for $22.72 billion, roughly 29% of the total. Homes built from 1961 to 1980 were responsible for $20.91 billion, followed by $17.95 billion for homes constructed between 1981 and 2000. These increased in market value by 1.8% and 0.3%, respectively. Homes constructed from 2001 to 2020 accounted for 20% of the market value. New construction and raw land both saw strong increases, but were responsible for only 1% of the total value.

41% of Homes are Overvalued

Market value is determined by the assessor by studying home sales over the past three years. Studies by independent realtors revealed that an estimated 41% of homes were being valued by the assessor in excess of their true market value. While there is always ambiguity in these studies, it does signal the potential for appeals to be filed by homeowners.

Another study by realtors in the Atlanta area told a completely different story. According to their studies, the average value of a house in the Atlanta area actually increased by 9.20%, compared to just 1.8%. This certainly opens up more ambiguity in the numbers put forward by the assessor and could signal significant value growth in the near future. It should be noted that this study covered all Atlanta counties, not just DeKalb, so that could certainly skew the numbers.

DeKalb Business Properties Show Inconsistent Growth

DeKalb County has not seen commercial real estate spikes quite as steep as those in other parts of the Atlanta area. In 2025, the total market value of businesses swelled 2.1%. In 2026, there was an increase of 1.1%, driving the total up to $35.61 billion. The largest category of value was easily business real estate worth over $5 million. This totaled $29.99 billion following an uptick of 0.7%. Commercial real estate worth between $1 million and $5 million totaled $4.27 billion, while those worth between $500,000 and $1 million totaled $716.29 million. These both surged by 4.3%. The smallest of businesses retreated 0.5% in value.

When broken down by category of business, it is obvious that different business types fared better than others. Hotels, retail, and apartments all saw decreases in their market value. However, even with a drop of 0.9%, apartments still stood as the most valuable type with $17.74 billion. This made them worth more than all other categories combined. Warehouses saw the strongest growth, surging 8.9% to $5.85 billion, reaching second place in market value. Offices were a close third with $5.84 billion following an increase of 3.9%.

When it comes to era of construction, there were a few differences in market value compared to homes. While homes built before 1960 were king, businesses from that same timeframe only accounted for 4%, or roughly $1.36 billion of the total. In contrast,properties built from 1981 to 2000 and from1961 to 1980 were virtually tied, with combined values of around $11.23 billion each, following modest increases. 23% of value came from commercial real estate constructed between 2001 and 2020, though these saw a decline of 3.3%. New construction saw the largest spike, adding 6.3% to total $1.83 billion.

Nationwide Commercial Real Estate Falls 7%

While the DeKalb Board of Assessors believed commercial properties added 1.1% in market value, a study by Green Street showed that business real estate across the nation had actually fallen in value by 7%. This has largely been thanks to empty office space and retreats in the retail market. As other studies showed with homes, this opens up some ambiguity in the assessed values of businesses, opening the door for appeals.

Apartments Shed Some Value

Apartments are worth more than all other categories of commercial real estate combined in DeKalb County. This giant total did take a hit in 2026, as apartments lost 0.9% in market value. This is because the three largest categories of value saw losses. Those built from 1981 to 2000 saw a decrease of 0.9%, which resulted in a final total of $5.81 billion. Those built from 1961 to 1980 and those from 2001 to 2020 were worth virtually the same. These timeframes saw declines of 2.3% and 3.4%, respectively. New construction surged 8.9% to total $1.23 billion, while land set aside for apartment construction added an astounding 65.3%.

The assessor divided DeKalb County apartments into four categories. Garden apartments achieved a total of $14.01 billion following a decrease of 1.8%. Mid-rise apartments added 8.6% to reach $2.53 billion, while high-rise apartments dropped 9.3% to $1.07 billion. Generic apartments saw an uptick of 0.3% to total $135.37 million.

DeKalb Offices Add 3.9% in Market Value

Offices have seen strong growth over the past decade and are the third-most valuable commercial property type in the county. After adding 3.9% to their market value in 2026, offices came to a final total of $5.84 billion. Like most commercial real estate, offices saw most of their value pooled into three eras of construction. The timeframe of 1981 to 2000 was the largest, and was responsible for $2.27 billion in value after a strong increase of 8.9%. Adding 6.5%, those built from 1961 to 1980 totaled $1.63 billion. Despite a sizeable fall of 5.5%, offices built from 2001 to 2020 were responsible for $1.57 billion. New construction and raw land both saw decreases as well. The oldest offices saw a large spike of 10.8%, though they only totaled $270.74 million.

There were three types of offices, with high-rises being the largest at $3.22 billion. Medical offices surged in value, jumping 10% to $671.58 million. Low-rise offices likewise saw impressive growth, spiking 8% to $1.95 billion.

Retail Market Value Falls 1.2%

While retail has struggled following the pandemic, it has generally held on to its value in Atlanta. DeKalb County retail spaces saw a slight retreat in 2026, dropping 1.2% to $3.91 billion. This was mostly thanks to a loss of 1.5% for stores built from 1961 to 1980, which saw a final total of $1.40 billion. Stores from 1981 to 2000 and those built between 2001 and 2020 each totaled around $993 million, though they declined 4.8% and 1.6%, respectively. Even new construction saw a decrease of 5.2%. The only era of construction to see a positive number was stores built before 1960, which soared 13.5%.

When looked at by type, it is evident that the decreases in value were mostly thanks to two types. Community shopping centers lost 6.9% of their market value, while neighborhood shopping centers dropped 4.3%. These were the two most valuable types, so their decline had an outsized impact. Single-occupancy stores soared 16.9% to $585.98 million, while malls added 7.4% to total $495.50 million. Strip centers saw no growth or decline.

Warehouses See Continued Growth

Warehouses are now the second-most valuable commercial property in DeKalb County, totaling $5.85 billion following a strong increase of 8.9%. 52% of all warehouse value was built from 1961 to 1980, which totaled $3.07 billion after a sharp increase of 9.9%. 28% came from 1981 to 2000, which reached $1.65 billion following a spike of 8.4%. The timeframe of 2001 to 2020 produced 9% of all value, while new construction was responsible for 6%. Land set aside for warehouse construction saw an astounding jump of 528.60% in value.

Generic warehouses were the No. 1 source of value, topping out at $4.73 billion following an increase of 10.7%. Office warehouses surged 11.7%, while mini warehouses experienced a mini decline of 0.1%. Metallic warehouses experienced a huge gain of 130.80%.

O’Connor Helps Taxpayers with Full Appeal Support

Exemptions are the first option that taxpayers have to get a reduction on their taxes. Owners of homestead properties recently got a major boost thanks to 2026 legislation that created a mandatory homestead exemption and placed a cap on how high assessments can climb for most homes. However, there is a gap that will affect many other homeowners. Second homes and rental homes are not covered, which means these homes will face the full brunt of increasing values and millage rates. In addition, the majority of businesses will not see a benefit. This means that these owners will need to use property tax appeals to get a reduction.

Appeals can challenge the values placed by the DeKalb Board of Assessors, potentially lowering them significantly. Since these values are used to calculate property taxes, getting a reduction on values usually translates to a cut in taxes as well. In addition, a successful appeal in Georgia results in an assessment freeze that lasts three years. This means that your home or business cannot increase in taxable value for three years if you are successful. With the appeal deadline for DeKalb County being 45 days after the notice of assessment was mailed, time is almost up.

It takes abundant evidence to win an appeal in Georgia, which is why O’Connor is here to help. We support the appeal process from end –to end. When you sign up with us, we will use data-driven techniques to study your assessment for issues. Next, we use our proprietary databases to identify the strongest property records, sales records, and assessments that are needed as comparables for your appeal case. Once the evidence is gathered, we will file an appeal on your behalf and represent you at every hearing. There is no cost to join, and you will only pay if we can lower your taxes.

Housing Demands Increasing

Metro Atlanta is one of the most in-demand areas in the nation. Young and diverse, the region is continues to attract artists, musicians, and Fortune 500 companies alike. Thanks to friendly business policies, more companies than ever are moving to the ATL. This has driven housing prices across the area to record heights, as demand far outstrips construction. These rising costs are why so many reforms were passed in the first place. However, thanks to economic changes, more and more people are renting instead of buying. With Airbnbs, short-term rentals, and entire neighborhoods being built-to-rent, the rental landscape has never been more profitable.

Rental Properties Are a Grey Zone

Reforms tend to be focused on homestead properties or traditional businesses, but single-family rental properties tend to fall in between. Georgia does not have exemptions tailored to the rental market, which leaves real estate investors at the mercy of increasing property values and millage rates. While property values continue to rise, many authorities will be looking to make up for lost homestead revenue by targeting businesses and rentals, and millage rates are often climbing as well. Most school districts raise their millage rates to the maximum amount every year. As a result, tax bills can continue to rise, giving property owners who secure reductions a competitive advantage.

Property Tax Appeals

In most states, businesses will protest their taxes every year as a cost-cutting measure. While the terms for this can vary, they are known as property tax appeals in Georgia. If you own a rental home or several properties, you can challenge the assessor’s values based on being over or unfairly assessed. While property tax appeals in Georgia are fairly standard, they do have one wrinkle that can save property owners significant money for years to come. That is the assessment freeze.

The Georgia Assessment Freeze

No matter if you own a home or business, a successful property tax appeal will freeze your assessment values for three years at the corrected value. In previous years, it only took challenging taxes at all to trigger the freeze. This was abused by both businesses and wealthy homeowners, leading lawmakers to classify it as a loophole. This was closed a few years ago, mandating that a property tax appeal had to be successful to count. This raises the stakes for Georgia appeals, as a freeze can be a major benefit, one that lasts for three years.

By locking in the reduced value, your property will be immune to market-driven increases when it comes to property assessments. With the Atlanta area seeing rising costs every year, this can be a boon that cannot be overstated. While the freeze has lost some of its luster due to the introduction of caps for homesteads, it has only become more valuable to the owners of rental houses and real estate investors. This means that appeals can land a solid reduction and a freeze in one fell swoop, which is one of the best deals in property tax reduction to be found in the whole of the nation.

Getting a Successful Appeal

Because of the new guidelines for the assessment freeze, there is more pressure than ever when it comes to appeals. The foundation of any protest is the evidence. An appeal lives and dies by what you can prove to the county’s Board of Tax Assessors (BTA). There are three main grounds for an appeal in Georgia: factual errors, unequal assessment, and overassessment. Factual errors are generally due to clerical errors and are the simplest to prove, such as showing that a home lacks a garage or pool that it is assessed as having. The other categories require more evidence.

To prove that a property is overvalued, it is best to take photographs to document the condition of the property, along with any documentation such as repair estimates. Next, you should collect sales records of similar properties dating back three years. These will need to be in the same location and have similar features. Unequal assessment functions similarly, but assessments should be collected instead, following the same rules. Whether you own one rental property or 100, each will be evaluated individually.

Atlanta Deadlines Approaching

Before a property can be appealed, the owner must receive a notice of assessment. These are mailed out by counties at separate times, rather than all at once. Once mailed, the owner will have 45 days to appeal. If you own properties across multiple counties, you will want to be especially vigilant, as you could have multiple dates to juggle. Once a deadline passes, there is no recourse to disputing values or fixing errors, so each deadline must be kept up with.

Estimated County Deadlines:

• Gwinnett: June 29, 2026
• DeKalb: July 13, 2026
• Cobb: July 20, 2026
• Fulton: TBD (late July or early August)

Getting Help

With all of the detail required for just one successful appeal, doing so for a whole real estate portfolio can be a daunting task. This is why many owners of rental homes use professional firms that specialize in appeals and property tax reduction. A firm can gather the evidence and analyze assessments, identifying issues that need to be addressed before appeal deadlines pass. Those with an extensive portfolio may also want to explore cost segregation or other techniques that can reduce both property and income taxes. Even if you wish to explore the process yourself, getting property tax reductions and assessment freezes can produce extensive savings that would otherwise not be achievable.

O’Connor Offers Premium Support

Rental properties are big business in Georgia, and if you need help managing your portfolio, we at O’Connor are here to help. When you sign up with us, we will give you the expert support you need to succeed. We will analyze your assessments, help gather evidence, and represent you in all hearings. We will do all of the heavy lifting for you, so you can focus on the other aspects of your business. We have been helping clients reduce their taxes for over 50 years and have extensive experience handling rental property appeals in Georgia.

Each of our clients is given a client success consultant upon signing up. They will act as your primary point of contact and ensure that you get the customer support that you need. Your consultant will remain constant, so you will always have the same accountable person to turn to. They will act as a go-between with you and the hearings specialist assigned to your case. Best of all, there is no charge for joining us, and you will only be charged if we can lower your property taxes. We also offer support for cost segregation and offer discounts for multiple rental homes if they are in the same area and have similar characteristics.

Property Tax Returns for Real Property

From January 1 to April 1, residents in Georgia can file a Taxpayer’s Return of Real Property. For homeowners, this allows you to declare any improvements or depreciations that your home experienced. If you put on a new roof, did a major renovation, or any other major upgrade, this should be declared on your return. Conversely, if you suffered major damage, this should be listed as well. You can also put forward your own figure for the fair market value of your property.

Fair market value is used to determine your assessed value, which is what taxes are based on. While your assessor does not have to follow what you declare on your return, it does put your opinion on paper, which can be used in a future appeal. If you do not file a return by the deadline, then the board of assessors will assume that the value from the previous year is the correct value. This also applies to any exemptions on the property, which will carry over without a new return. If you bought a piece of real estate or made a major improvement, you must file a return or face penalties.

Personal Property Returns

Unlike real property, these returns are due by April 1 of every year. This is mostly focused on the tangible income-generating property for a business, but also includes furniture, fixtures, inventory, and machinery. The first $20,000 of this personal property is exempt from taxation but still needs to be reported. If you are under this threshold, you will receive no bill. Boats, airplanes, and mobile homes are also covered under personal property, and returns for them should be filed as well. If you wish to file a freeport exemption to shield inventory from taxation, it must be filed by April 1.

Filing Exemptions

April 1 continues to be the magic date, as the cutoff for the current tax year’s exemptions are set on that date as well. If you are a homeowner and do not have a homestead exemption, you are certainly paying too much and should get one as soon as possible. This exemption not only helps lower taxes, but can be built upon by other exemptions, giving you even more savings. This exemption will renew every year without requiring updates. There are many other exemptions available in Georgia, and their value can differ from county to county. Some have age, income, or other restrictions, with their exempted amounts varying between counties.

Exemptions Include:

• Standard Homestead
• Senior Homestead
• Income-based exemptions for seniors
• Floating Inflation-Proof Exemption
• Disabled Veteran or Surviving Spouse
• Surviving Spouse of U.S. Service Member
• Surviving Spouse of Peace Officer or Firefighter

Depending on your county, there could be many more exemptions, each with its own valuation protections and requirements. For instance, the counties around Atlanta offer much larger homestead and other exemptions than most of Georgia. You should contact your local assessor to see all of the exemptions that you qualify for, as there could be some that you have missed.

Property Valuation Freezes

Georgia has many options for freezes on property valuations. Many of these occur automatically when you apply for a homestead exemption for the first time. Usually, these lock in your home’s value to when the exemption was granted, only changing with inflation. This prevents large spikes and helps older residents stay in their homes. Many other counties will also have senior freezes. If you have lived in a home for years or decades and already have a homestead exemption, you may need to apply for a freeze that came into law between first getting the exemption and present day. Other freezes are currently going on the books in certain counties and should be accounted for. Once again, check with your local assessor to see what you qualify for.

Gathering Evidence for Appeals

Property tax appeals in Georgia are high-stakes, not just because of the large taxes involved. A successful appeal can land you a three-year freeze, which locks in your property to the amount your appeal was able to achieve. This is even better than the freezes offered by most exemptions. Since the system was abused in the past, winning an appeal takes more evidence and effort than ever. Now is a good time to start putting together your collection of evidence for when appeals open in May. Take photographs, find sales records, assemble similar properties close to you to prove unequal taxation, and more. Gathering evidence now can make the effort in the coming months much easier and helps you understand what your chances for victory might be. The window for appeals opens in May and usually goes to July, with some counties even going to August.

O’Connor is Here to Help

If you need assistance in appealing your taxes, understanding your assessment, or general help with exemptions, O’Connor can be your guide. For over 50 years, we have been helping our clients fight over-aggressive taxation across the nation and even the world. Based in Texas, we opened up an Atlanta area branch office to combat the rising costs in the state. The combination of high taxes and the possibility of getting a three-year freeze for our clients is what drew us to Georgia, as we can find our clients lasting tax relief by successfully appealing their taxes.

Our local experts will gather evidence for you, while also providing a point of contact. Thanks to the complexities among all of Georgia’s counties, having locals on the ground also gives us an edge that few national firms have. Also, since we do have a national presence, we can bring our resources to benefit your case, including our patented databases on sales and comparable properties. There is no cost to join, as you will only be charged if we are able to lower your taxes. Your assessment cannot be increased by appealing and your home’s resale value will not be lowered either, meaning you have nothing to lose by joining forces with us. We offer services currently in Cobb, Dekalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett counties, for both residential and commercial properties.

Property Tax Debate Takes Over the Nation

Georgia is far from alone when it comes to property tax issues. Across the United States, many states are looking to reform or even end property taxes. Texas made waves in the tailend of 2025 with reforms that saw increased exemptions for homeowners, replacing lost revenue with state funding, so schools could stay open. Florida has played with similar ideas. Meanwhile, states like Illinois are dealing with the worst property tax crisis in history, encouraging all states to look for a solution. Due to economic pressures, politicians who want to keep their seats must deal with issues of affordability. Property taxes seem to be one of the easier ones to regulate.

Earlier Loophole Fix Could Give the Blueprint

Georgia has long been famous for offering generous support when it comes to property tax appeals. The centerpiece of this is the assessment freeze. Previously, when a homeowner or business protested their taxes, the assessment would be frozen at the current value for three years, whether they won or lost. While great on paper, in practice, this allowed wealthy homeowners and businesses to make frivolous appeals, locking in assessments with no real evidence. This was changed in 2025 as part of property reforms. While the robust freeze is still in place, it now requires a victory in the appeal to obtain the freeze. While controversial, this change seems to have evened the playing field somewhat, showing reforms can work.

The Failed 2024 Property Tax Cap

On the opposite side of the spectrum is a popular law supported by voters that seems to be an abject failure. In 2024, voters passed the “Save Our Homes Act,” which encompassed House Bills 581 and 92. The goal of this was to establish a statewide floating exemption that would address skyrocketing home values. The law caps property assessments, allowing them to grow only with inflation. While improvements to land would still garner reassessment, the act basically keeps property taxes grounded in reality, while still keeping schools and other government entities funded in the process.

Unfortunately, the act also had an opt-out clause for taxing entities. Due to the restrictive tax growth and potential growing need, the vast majority of Georgia taxing entities optedout in 2025. In some cases, this was a moot point, as Atlanta-area counties had existing exemptions which exceeded the floating one. However, other counties were not so fortunate, which means taxing entities can continue raising taxes above the cap. This makes the floating exemption largely ineffective, as it was ignored all over Georgia, including 71% of school districts. However, this may have provided a solid base to build further reforms on.

2025 Proposed Legislation Could End Opt-Out

While still in the beginning stage, a potential solution currently in the Georgia Senate would use the bones of the “Save Our Homes Act” to put things back on track. Senate Bill 382 would remove the opt-out option entirely, while still keeping the same framework. This means that all taxing entities must cap their assessment growth at inflation. While schools are the headliner, due to their size and cost, this would apply to county government and other groups as well. Any county or other jurisdiction that already has an equal or better cap would be excluded from the requirement.

SB 382 certainly has potential. The original legislation in 2024 had near-universal support from both senators and voters, passing by a vote of 42-7 in the senate and approved easily by the public. This cap would be especially potent outside of the Atlanta area, where many taxing entities have small or no homestead exemptions. Like the closing of the appeal loophole, SB 382 could bring the original vision to life, while also addressing the cold practicality of taxation. As with the original legislation, SB 382 would also help simplify the tax code, which would be very useful in rural communities with a lack of resources. There would also be more transparency in public notices when it comes to tax increases.

More Changes Could be on the Horizon

While SB 382 would be a solid step in the right direction, some have called for more changes, including the abolishment of property taxes altogether, or at least a gradual phasing out. However, due to the funding crisis that it would create, support for such draconian efforts could be limited. Still, with SB 382 as a potential bellwether, the stage could be set for even greater changes. Many reforms have already been done at the county level, including a massive exemption passed for seniors in Atlanta and Fulton County, which gave older homeowners massive cuts to their school property tax bills. Even if statewide reforms are not possible, counties and cities are sure to embrace the march to affordability.

O’Connor is Here to Help in a Changing Landscape

Georgia is a hotbed of property tax changes, with perhaps more updates in the future. In these uncertain times, it often pays to have experience on your side. For over 50 years, we at O’Connor have been giving our clients assistance in their quest for fair tax relief. Georgia has long intrigued us, and we opened a branch office in Atlanta to deal with this complex market. This allows us to use our national reach and local expertise to get you the best deal possible on your property taxes.

We can help you understand exemptions, analyze your assessment, or even appeal your taxes. While legislation works its way into law, Georgia property taxes will continue to surge, especially in Atlanta. We can help you by appealing your taxes for you, hopefully landing you an assessment freeze. Since it is harder than ever to win a freeze, it pays to have experts ready to handle things for you. Best of all, you will never be charged for this assistance unless we can lower your taxes. This means there is no risk, but plenty of reward for fighting your taxes every year.

How do HB 581 and 92 Affect Local Governments and Homeowners?

HB 581 significantly impacts local governments because it changes how much of the value of a homestead property is taxable, meaning it also affects homeowners and how much property tax they pay. HB 581 creates a “floating” homestead exemption for owner-occupied homes, and it applies to the county, city, and school district property taxes unless the local government opts out by the deadline of March 1 each year. The floating exemption means that instead of being a set amount, the exemption is tied to the rate of inflation.

Homeowners will generally benefit due to the protection against significant property tax hikes, but only if the local government has not opted out. Some local governments may choose to opt out due to constrained revenue growth. For instance, school systems are the most financially pressured, so they have a greater reason to opt out of the cap.

Which Local Governments Have Not Opted Out?

The following are a few of the entities that have not opted out of the cap imposed by HB 581:

• Miller County government
• City of Pembroke
• City of Richmond Hill

Most major metropolitan counties, school districts, and cities, including Fulton, Gwinnett, Cobb, DeKalb, and Chatham, have opted out of the cap. Many of these entities already had local exemptions that were more beneficial than the state’s new cap under HB 581. If property owners are in these jurisdictions that have opted out, they may not be eligible to benefit from the homestead exemption.

For the entities that have not opted out of the cap that means the floating homestead exemption applies to these property owners. HB 581 caps steep tax hikes due to rising property taxes from annually increased property values. The cap could positively affect your property tax bill because it could prevent the assessed taxable value from rising at a significant rate.

For homeowners, HB 581 and 92 can offer clarity on tax bills and prevent confusion, since the legislation requires a clear disclosure on property tax bills. On the tax bill it is possible to check if your county or jurisdiction has opted out of the cap or not. You may also check with your local county assessor or tax commissioner’s website to stay up to date. Make sure to verify if your county or jurisdiction has opted out or is under the cap as this could greatly determine your property tax bill.

Important Deadlines to Consider

The following are important dates and deadlines to be aware of:

March 1, 2026-2029

For those that initially opted out; to reverse the decision, they must have done so by April 30, 2025. Between 2026–2029, opt-in must occur by March 1 of each year.

* Going forward, keep an eye on the March 1 deadlines in subsequent years in case any jurisdictions change course. Some governments might reverse course come years 2026–2029.

March 1, 2027

If a local authority opted out, it must now hold three public hearings and file a resolution with the Secretary of State by the deadline to maintain its opt-out status.

December 31, 2029

For local governments who have opted out, they are required to place a notice before the deadline on each homestead property’s ad valorem property tax bill notifying property owners of the local government’s decision to opt out. The notice must include the authority’s name and a contact number.

In the upcoming years, it is possible for entities to change their position on the cap, so property owners should remain alert to checking the status of their local government as these changes will affect their property’s assessment that could result in a higher or lower tax bill. The cap has the potential to give property owners and communities as a whole flexibility and offers transparency on property value.

How Can O’Connor Help?

O’Connor is one of the largest property tax consulting firms in the nation. With a local office in Georgia, our expert team has the in-depth knowledge of Georgia’s property tax laws, and we have top proprietary data to protest on your behalf to reduce property taxes. We offer services in Cobb, Dekalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett counties for both residential and commercial properties. Sign up with O’Connor and only pay if we achieve a reduction.