Property Taxes
News & Updates
Helpful Documents
- Property Tax, Code Enforcement, and Street Paving Clearance Form (Please note we require 3 business days to process this form.)
Partial Payments Policy
The City will accept partial payments of current taxes up to the second installment due date; however, to avoid interest or penalty, current taxes must be paid in full on or before the second installment due date.
The City does not make payment arrangements for current or delinquent taxes.
If your property is currently scheduled for an upcoming tax sale, the City will continue to accept partial payments on the account up until the day before the tax sale. However, payment must be made in full to satisfy the delinquency and remove the parcel from the tax sale process by close of business (5 p.m.) the day before the scheduled tax sale. Only certified funds (cashier’s check or money order) will be accepted for payment once a parcel is scheduled for tax sale.
Calculating Taxes
Chatham county residents who reside within Savannah’s city limits are required to pay both county and city property taxes per Georgia law.
Tax on real property shall be based on the assessed value thereof as determined by the Chatham County Board of Tax Assessors. The City of Savannah receives a tax file from Chatham County twice a year before each of the tax billings for the year. The file contains:
- Parcel number
- Market value
- Exemption codes and amounts
- Property type
- Name and address
- Legal description
- Base year value for the Stephens Day exemption
- Base year value with Consumer Price Index
- Code indicating jurisdiction, County or City
Specific questions regarding your assessment should be directed to the Assessor’s Office at 912-652-7271 or via email.
Assessed Value
Taxes are billed against the assessed value of the property which is 40% of the market value. Example: $75,000 (Fair Market Value of Property) x 40% = $30,000 (Assessed Value).
Appeals
If a property’s value is under appeal, it will be billed at the greater of 85% of the new assessed value or 100% of last year’s assessed value. Some properties can have more than one tax levied upon it and real property taxes are billed semi-annually. First installment real property tax bills are calculated by dividing the prior year’s taxes in half with any changes in value or exemptions being "netted" out of the second installment.
Due Dates
Real Property taxes are billed annually in two installments. However, Personal Property, Industrial Area, and Public Utility taxes are billed in one installment annually.
Delinquent Taxes
In accordance with O.C.G.A. 48-2-40-44, delinquent taxes are charged interest at an annual rate equal to the bank prime loan rate as posted by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any publication that may supersede it, plus 3 percent, to accrue monthly. Once taxes are 120 days late, a 5% penalty is added to all bills except for Homestead property less than $500.00. The penalty will continue to accrue at 5% each 120 days up to a maximum of 20% of the principle amount due.
The city of Savannah’s Revenue Department follows legal procedures prescribed by the official code of Georgia provided in O.C.G.A Title 48, Revenue and Taxation, Chapter 3 “Tax Executions” and Chapter 4 “Tax Sales”. If required for collection, the city Marshal may assess and collect levy administration fees to include court filing fees, advertising fees, title research, and abstract fees, and such other fees as provided for by state law and local ordinance.