If you bought a home in Georgia and it’s your primary residence, there’s an important deadline coming up: April 1. That’s the deadline to apply for a homestead exemption for the current tax year. We sometimes get questions from new homeowners asking whether the homestead exemption was handled as part of the closing—and it was not. While we record the deed as part of the closing, that step alone does not notify the county that the property is your primary residence or that you may be eligible for a homestead exemption. That requires a separate application by the homeowner.

If you’re a new homeowner, now is a good time to check about whether you need to apply for the exemption.

Does this apply to you?

You should take a closer look at homestead exemptions if any of the following apply to you:

• You purchased a home and moved into it as your primary residence since January 1 of last year;

• You moved from one home to another, even if both are in the same county;

• You’re now living in a property that was previously a rental, investment property, or second home; or

• You’re not certain whether a homestead exemption is currently on file.

One of the most common issues we see is assuming that the exemption transfers automatically from a prior home. In Georgia, a new home requires a new application. Once you apply for a homestead exemption, it continues from year to year, so you don’t have to re-apply for the same property.

If you’re not sure whether you have homestead exemption on your property, you can pull up your property’s most recent tax bill to see whether the homestead exemption has been applied.

What is a homestead exemption?

A homestead exemption reduces the taxable value of a homeowner’s primary residence for property tax purposes. In Georgia, the standard homestead exemption generally provides a $2,000 reduction from county and some school taxes for a qualifying primary residence.

In addition to the standard exemption, Georgia offers several other homestead exemptions that may apply depending on the homeowner’s circumstances. These include age‑based exemptions, with additional exemptions available for homeowners 62 and 65 years of age and older. Other exemptions may apply for disabled veterans or their surviving spouses, surviving spouses of U.S. service members, and surviving spouses of peace officers or firefighters killed in the line of duty. Certain exemptions may also limit the impact of significant increases in assessed value.

More information about the different types of exemptions is available through the Georgia Department of Revenue.

Timing matters

To receive the homestead exemption for the current tax year, the homeowner must have owned and occupied the property as their primary residence as of January 1 of that year. The application deadline is April 1 in most jurisdictions. Missing the deadline usually means waiting an entire year before the exemption can take effect.

How and Where to Apply for Your Homestead Exemption

Homestead exemptions are handled at the local level, and requirements for the application can differ depending on where the property is located. In some areas, you may need to apply with both the county and the city. Many jurisdictions allow online applications, while others require a mailed or in‑person submission.

Below are links to homestead exemption information for several counties and cities in the metro area:

Metro Counties

• Bartow County Homestead Exemptions
• Carroll County Homestead Exemptions
• Cherokee County Homestead Exemptions
• Clayton County Homestead Exemptions
• Cobb County Homestead Exemptions
• Coweta County Homestead Exemptions
• DeKalb County Homestead Exemptions
• Douglas County Homestead Exemptions
• Fayette County Homestead Exemptions
• Forsyth County Homestead Exemptions
• Fulton County Homestead Exemptions
• Gwinnett County Homestead Exemptions
• Henry County Homestead Exemptions
• Paulding County Homestead Exemptions
• Rockdale County Homestead Exemptions

Select Cities

• Alpharetta Homestead Exemptions
• Chamblee Homestead Exemptions
• Decatur Homestead Exemptions
• Milton Homestead Exemptions
• Peachtree City Senior Homestead Exemption
• Roswell Homestead Exemption

If your city or county isn’t listed here, your local tax assessor or tax commissioner’s website should point you in the right direction.

A final reminder

Applying for a homestead exemption is not automatic in Georgia, and it’s not part of the closing process. For new homeowners especially, it’s an easy step to miss—but one that can make a difference year after year.

With the April 1 deadline approaching, it’s worth taking a few minutes to confirm whether you need to file.