Tax Assessment Timeline

January 1-April 1: Return Period

• Conservation Use Applications (10 acres of more) $25 application fee. You may pick up guidelines for this program in the Tax Assessors’ office or click on the Conservation Tab.
• Property combining’s: If you own two or more parcels of land that touch each other and the names on the properties are exactly the same, then you may combine your parcels to make one parcel (one tax bill). This may or may not benefit you on your taxes. See the Tax Assessors’ office for more details or click on the Combining Tab.
• Personal Property Returns/Reporting Forms: Time period to turn in any/all personal property owned to be assessed. Freeport Exemption applications to be filed at this time.

Assessment Notices

An annual notice of assessment is mailed to each taxpayer regardless of change or no change in value. This gives you the right to appeal. You have 45 days from the postmarked date to make your appeal in writing to the Tax Assessors’ office.

If you made a “return” on your property, the Board of Assessors reviewed your return and may or may not have made changes to your previous assessment. This information will be reflected on the assessment notice. The same 45-day filing period for appeals applies.

The Appeal Process

1. File written appeal
2. Board of Assessors makes a change, and second notice is mailed giving taxpayer 30 days to file a second appeal. If no appeal is filed, process ends.
3. If second appeal is filed, the appeal then goes before the Board of Equalization

       OR

1. File written appeal
2. Board of Assessors makes no change
3. Appeal to be heard before the Board of Equalization

The duty of the Tax Assessors’ office is to place a Fair Market Value on all property. Fair Market Value is defined by law as being the amount a willing buyer and willing seller agree on an arms-length transaction.

August-November: Tax Bills Issued

Once the digest is approved by the state, tax bills are issued from the Tax Commissioner’s office. The deadline for payment of taxes has been changed from December 20 to November 15. Payments are to be made to the Habersham County Tax Commissioner.

The information on this page is generalized and subject to change according to law. This information is for reference use only. Should you need further information or details please contact: Habersham County Tax Assessors Office, 130 Jacob’s Way, Suite 201, Clarkesville, Georgia 30523, 706-839-0100.