In the state of Georgia, property owners will soon be receiving Property Tax Notices of Assessment in the mail if they haven’t already. This notice is not a bill but shows the property’s appraised value and estimated property tax amount. If the property owner disagrees with the Current Year Value provided on the Notice,  he or she may file an appeal.

How do I file an appeal of my property tax assessment?

There are a few counties in Georgia that allow for people to file appeals online. Appealing online is usually the quickest and easiest way to send in the request., and Fulton County has a new online SmartFile system. For counties without an online system, the appeal must be filed either by hand or mail (no counties will accept requests sent by fax or email).

In order for an appeal to be considered, the appeal must be filed in response to an Assessment Notice. Some counties allow property owners to simply write a letter giving a reason for the appeal. An appeal letter should include:

  • the parcel ID number
  • property street address
  • property owner’s email address and phone number.

Other counties have an appeal form that must be completed and sent to the Tax Commissioner of Assessor’s Office. An example of the form can be viewed here.

When do I need to file my appeal?                                        

The appeal must be filed within 45 days of receipt of the Notice, and the appeal deadline date can be found on the notice. Property owners must submit the online appeal, hand deliver, or mail the appeal (postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service) within the 45 day deadline. Appeals received or postmarked after the last day to file will not be accepted. We recommend using certified mail to show proof of delivery, though it is not required.

Do I need to pay my property taxes if I filed an appeal within 45 days?

Usually, in order to avoid penalties and fees, the customer must still pay the temporary bill, even if the appeal has not been resolved when tax bills are mailed later this year. The Tax Commissioner’s office will recalculate the bill based on the final value once the appeal is resolved. All billing questions should be referred to the correct department for each county.

Who can I call for more information?

Be sure to check with your specific county to see the exact process of sending in an appeal. Though the counties may be similar, they don’t all have the same process and may require more information.

If you have any questions relating to property tax appeals, you can contact Brian M. Douglas & Associates at (770) 933-9009.