Homestead Exemptions

A homestead exemption is a legal provision that helps to reduce the amount of property taxes on owner-occupied homes. Applications must be submitted on or before April 1st. Applications received after April 1st will be applied to the following year.

The home must be your legal residence for all purposes including the registration of your vehicles and the filing of your Federal and Georgia income tax returns. Georgia Law 48-5-444 states, “Each motor vehicle owned by a resident of this state shall be returned in the county where the owner claims a homestead exemption.” You are not eligible if you or your spouse claim a homestead exemption in another city, county or state. If you are currently claiming homestead elsewhere, you must notify the appropriate authority to remove the exemption. Homestead exemptions are not granted on rental property, vacant land or on more than one property (in this state or any other state).

Once granted, exemptions are automatically renewed each year. (One exception is the Fulton County Low Income exemption which the law requires to be renewed every two years) The renewal continues as long as the homeowner continually occupies the property under the same ownership. If the deed is changed, the exemption will be removed and the property owner will need to re-file.

In addition to basic homestead exemption, there are additional exemptions available for Fulton County residents.

Please review the Homestead Exemptions Guide to determine the exemptions for which you may quality. After reviewing the exemptions, click the FILE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION link below to access our SmartFile system to file quickly and securely online.

You will need the following items when applying for homestead exemption: