External Website www.athensclarkecounty.com/~tc Online Payments Property Taxes Motor Vehicle Tags Property Tax 706-613-3120 Tag Office 706-613-3130 Tax Commissioner Mitch Schrader Administration Location Athens-Clarke County Courthouse 325 E. Washington Street Suite 250 Location Map Tag Office Location 3025 Lexington Road Location Map Open Tues. - Fri. 7:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Mailing Addresses (Property Tax) P.O. Box 1768 Athens, GA 30603 (Tag Office) P. O. Box 8088 Athens, GA 30603

The Tax Commissioner's office handles homestead exemptions and property tax returns for real property. Real property is land and generally anything that is erected or affixed to the land. The Board of Tax Assessors office handles Freeport exemptions and business personal property tax returns. Business personal property includes furniture, fixtures, equipment, supplies and inventory of a business. It also includes boats and aircrafts.

Homestead exemption is the system developed by the State of Georgia that exempts from taxation a specified amount of assessed value of a resident's home.

Although homestead exemption applications may be submitted year round, the application deadline remains March 1 for the exemption to affect the current year’s taxes due on October 20 of the same year. Residents only need apply for the exemption one time until they move to a different residence.

Property tax returns for real property must be filed by March 1. Tax returns for real property should be filed if the owner has made any changes to existing improvements or property has changes ownership. However, Athens-Clarke County residents may choose not to file a property tax return if there are no changes that would affect the value of their property from the previous year.

The homestead exemption is a very valuable benefit. Your one time application, for which there is no fee, will reduce your property tax bill hundreds of dollars each year. Once you have been granted a homestead exemption, the benefit remains as long as you own and occupy the property as your home. (Note: If you move to a new home, you must reapply for the exemption for the new home). This benefit cannot be granted retroactively, so any year you miss is gone forever.

To receive the homestead exemption for the current tax year, the homeowner must be a United States citizen or legal resident alien, have owned the property on January 1 and file the homestead application by March 1. The property must be your legal residence for all purposes, including vehicle registration, voter registration, and state income tax.

The application process is simple. Bring a copy of your recorded warranty deed to the Office of the Tax Commissioner, Room 250, in the Clarke County Courthouse and we will assist you with the application. Your application must be made in person by March 1, 2010 to reduce your 2010 property tax bill.

new! Property owners can now also use credit cards or debit cards online or through a public computer in the Tax Commissioner’s Office to pay their property taxes. A 2.5% convenience fee is added to bills paid by this method that pays the online payment provider for their services and to offset credit card fees. None of the convenience fee goes to the Unified Government.

The Tax Commissioner’s Office also continues to accept property tax payments by cash and check for no additional fees, as well as electronic checks online through ezgov.com for a convenience fee of $3.

Online property tax payments via the eCheck or credit / debit card methods can be made through the Online Payments area of the Web site.

Property taxes not paid as of January 29 will result in the Tax Commissioner’s Office recording a lien against the property. Liens can adversely affect a property owner’s credit rating.

Athens-Clarke County 2009 tax bills for real estate and personal property were mailed Thursday, August 20 and were due on or before October 20, 2009.

Many property owners saw an increase of approximately $265 on their tax bills.

This increase is the result of the Georgia General Assembly's decision not to fund the Homeowners Tax Relief Grant (HTRG) for the 2009 property tax year. This was a grant given to the county and school boards since 1999 to reduce tax bills for homeowners and reimburse local governments for lost revenue.

The HTRG credit is not expected to be considered again until state revenues increase significantly.

Other increases beyond this in property tax bills were due to a 0.25 millage rate increase in the Athens-Clarke County FY10 budget (approximately $12.50 on a $150,000 home) and possible property assessment changes.

Beware of services offering a homestead exemption or deed for a fee. Athens-Clarke County homeowners have been receiving letters offering services such as securing a homestead exemption or a homeowner's deed for a fee. These are scams.

Most property owners who own the house they live in are entitled to a homestead exemption, which saves significant tax dollars. Homeowners can apply for this benefit any time in the Office of Tax Commissioner. There is no cost involved and the benefit remains as long as the taxpayer continues their residency.

Citizens can obtain a copy of their deed in the Office of the Clerk of Superior Court for .25 cents per page. Most deeds to do not exceed two pages.

The Tax Commissioner's Office now accepts online vehicle tag renewals through the Georgia Department of Revenue (DOR) Web site. Renewal notices will have an RIN number on them that must be used in order to renew online. Visit the Online Payments area for more and a link to the payment center on the DOR Web site.

Mission
The overall goal of the Office of the Tax Commissioner is to provide effective and accountable tax administration to the citizens of Athens-Clarke County in a fair and courteous manner.

The Property Tax Division is involved in the preparation of the digest, collection of ad valorem tax on real and personal property, disbursements of these collections to the levying authorities, and final audit of these transactions.

The Delinquent Tax Division’s mission is to maximize collection of ad valorem tax by working with taxpayers in financial difficulty and maintaining an ongoing levy program. We use all legal measures to collect delinquent tax from those who willfully refuse to pay.

The Motor Vehicle Division provides the following services:

1. Registers and titles vehicles and collects and disburses related taxes and fees;
2. Advises taxpayers of legal means of transferring vehicle ownership and proper registration and titling procedures; and
3. Assists law enforcement in identifying vehicle ownership.