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Taxes
Property tax relief for seniors in Georgia
Georgia has 2 programs that can lower property taxes for older adults: State homestead exemptions for seniors and Local homestead exemptions, valuation freezes and the statewide floating homestead exemption. Each one has its own rules and deadline.
State homestead exemptions for seniors
Georgia gives homeowners 62 and older several extra homestead exemptions, on top of the $2,000 standard one. At 65 you may take $4,000 off county taxes, and at 62 up to $10,000 off school taxes, if income other than retirement income is $10,000 or less. You apply once with your county tax commissioner.
How to apply
- In person
- File the homestead application with your county tax commissioner's office (in some counties, the tax assessor's office). A family member or friend can tell the office if you are away from home for health reasons.
Who may qualify
| Age | 65 or older for the $4,000 county exemption; 62 or older for the school tax and floating exemptions |
|---|---|
| Income limit, $4,000 county and school tax exemptions | You and your spouse had $10,000 or less income last year, not counting retirement, pension and disability income up to the Social Security maximum ($96,432 for 2025) |
| Income limit, floating inflation-proof exemption | Up to $30,000 for you, your spouse and anyone else living in the home |
| Home | You owned the home on January 1 and it is your legal residence; being away for health reasons doesn't count against you |
What you may get
| 65 and older, low income | $4,000 off assessed value for all county taxes |
|---|---|
| 62 and older, low income | An exemption from school taxes of up to $10,000 of assessed value |
| Floating inflation-proof exemption, 62 and older | Keeps natural increases in the home's value off your county taxes once value has risen more than $10,000; it replaces other county homestead exemptions |
| Standard homestead exemption, any age | $2,000 off assessed value for county and school taxes |
Dates, renewals and waiting lists
| Application deadline | By the date property tax returns are due in your county (April 1), or up to the end of your 45-day window to appeal your assessment notice. You must have owned the home on January 1. |
|---|---|
| Keeping it | You must tell your county tax commissioner if you no longer meet the requirements |
How Georgia is different
Where Georgia's rules differ from the federal rules for Property tax relief for seniors.
- Retirement and pension income up to the Social Security maximum doesn't count toward the $10,000 income limit
- School tax exemption starts at 62, not 65
Good to know
- The Department of Revenue says county exemptions are often worth more than the state ones; ask your county what it offers.
- For 2026 only, a state Property Tax Relief Grant (HB 439) cuts $18,000 from the assessed value of every homestead on the tax bill. You don't apply; your county applies it.
Local homestead exemptions, valuation freezes and the statewide floating homestead exemption
Many Georgia counties, cities and school districts add their own senior exemptions, and some freeze your home's taxable value at a base year for as long as you live there. Since 2025, a statewide floating homestead exemption (HB 581) also limits increases in your home's assessed value, unless your local government opted out. Ask your county tax commissioner which apply to you.
How to apply
- In person
- Your county tax commissioner's office (or tax assessor's office)
Who may qualify
| Age | Set by each county; some local exemptions have age and income rules |
|---|---|
| Home | Your homestead (the home you own and live in) Source: Georgia Department of Revenue, Local Government Services Division (source 3) |
What you may get
| Valuation freeze, in counties that have one | Your taxes are figured on the base-year value as long as you live in the home; some counties let the base rise by a set percent a year |
|---|---|
| Statewide floating homestead exemption (HB 581) | Exempts the amount by which your home's assessed value rises above its base-year value, adjusted for inflation from 2026, unless your county, city or school district opted out Source: Georgia Department of Revenue, Local Government Services Division (source 3) |
How Georgia is different
Where Georgia's rules differ from the federal rules for Property tax relief for seniors.
- Counties with a valuation freeze, as listed by the Department of Revenue, include Chatham, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and the City of Atlanta, among others
Good to know
- The Department of Revenue publishes each county's local exemptions in its Local Exemption Status Sheets.
Free help
Free help with this in Georgia
Division of Aging Services
Your local Area Agency on Aging can help with meals, rides, help at home, caregiver support and applying for benefits.
More help in Georgia
Property tax relief in another state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Sources
- Georgia Department of Revenue, Property Tax Homestead Exemptions (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Georgia Department of Revenue, 2026 Property Tax Relief Grant (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Georgia Department of Revenue, Local Government Services Division, Informational Bulletin 2025-01: Overview of Floating Homestead Exemption and the Annual Inflationary Index Rate (January 22, 2025) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
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