How to Appeal Your Property Taxes in Georgia

If you believe your assessment notice is inaccurate, you can file an appeal with your county Board of Assessors. In most Georgia counties, you generally have 45 days from the date of the notice to submit your appeal. Your county website will have the exact filing instructions, deadlines, and required forms.

After you submit, the Board of Assessors may respond with a proposed value adjustment based on the evidence you provided. If they offer a reduction, you are not required to accept it. In many cases, the initial offer is more conservative than what you might achieve by continuing the appeal.

If you don't accept the Board of Assessors decision, the case can move to the Board of Equalization (BOE). This is a more formal hearing where hearing officers review the facts and issue a ruling. A common timeline for a BOE hearing is roughly up to 180 days, depending on the county's backlog.

Important: If your appeal is still pending when bills are issued, you may need to pay a temporary bill to avoid penalties. Under Georgia HB 197, taxpayers with an assessment under appeal can generally choose to pay 100% of the proposed bill, 85% of the proposed bill (whichever is less, where applicable), or taxes based on the prior year's value. When the appeal is finalized, the bill is recalculated and your payment is credited accordingly.