Property taxes in Decatur, Georgia are billed by the city in two installments due June 1 and December 20, calculated by applying a combined millage rate to 40 percent of your home’s fair market value. For 2025, that combined rate was 33.27 mills, which works out to roughly $6,654 on a home the county values at $500,000 before any exemptions. DeKalb County sends a separate bill for county taxes on its own schedule, and both bills can be reduced substantially if you qualify for the homestead, senior, or disabled veteran exemptions and file on time.
How Your Bill Is Calculated
Two numbers drive every Decatur tax bill: your home’s fair market value and the millage rate. The DeKalb County Board of Tax Assessors sets fair market value based on recent comparable sales and market conditions. Georgia law then fixes the assessed value at exactly 40 percent of that fair market value.1Justia. Georgia Code 48-5-7 – Assessment of Tangible Property A home valued at $500,000 has an assessed value of $200,000.
The city multiplies that assessed value by the combined millage rate. One mill equals one dollar of tax per $1,000 of assessed value. Decatur’s 2025 rate of 33.27 mills has six components:2Decatur GA. Taxes and Fees
- School Fund, 20.3 mills, funding the City Schools of Decatur
- General Fund, 8.7 mills, for police, fire, parks, and general city operations
- Capital Fund, 2.1 mills, for infrastructure and capital projects
- Bond Fund, 0.61 mills, servicing existing city bond debt
- School Bond, 1.21 mills, servicing school construction bonds
- DDA Fund, 0.35 mills, supporting the Downtown Development Authority
A homeowner with a $400,000 fair market value (assessed at $160,000) would owe about $5,323 before exemptions. The school levy alone accounts for roughly two-thirds of the bill, which is why school bond referendums move Decatur rates more than they do in most Georgia cities.
When and How to Pay
Decatur splits the city tax bill in two. The first installment is due June 1 and the second is due December 20.3Decatur GA. Tax FAQs The first is calculated by applying the millage rate to your assessed value and dividing by two; the second covers the remainder after your first payment is credited.2Decatur GA. Taxes and Fees
DeKalb County sends its own bill for county taxes, with due dates of September 30 and November 15.4DeKalb County Tax Commissioner’s Office. Tax Bill Information For that county portion, electronic check payments carry no processing fee. Credit and debit cards are accepted but come with a 2.25 percent transaction fee (2.95 percent for American Express).5DeKalb County Tax Commissioner’s Office. Property Tax Payment Information You can also mail a check to the address on your bill or pay in person at the Tax Commissioner’s office.
If your mortgage includes escrow, your loan servicer collects taxes with your monthly payment and pays the city and county for you. Federal law requires the servicer to send an annual escrow statement showing collections, disbursements, and any shortage or surplus.6Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. 1024.17 Escrow Accounts When Decatur raises its millage rate, your monthly payment usually rises at the next escrow adjustment.
Exemptions That Lower the Bill
Exemptions reduce the assessed value that gets taxed. Every exemption application goes to the DeKalb County Tax Commissioner’s office, and the deadline is April 1 for the current tax year. Applications filed after April 1 are processed for the following year.7DeKalb County Tax Commissioner’s Office. Homestead and Property Tax Exemptions
Standard Homestead
To claim the basic homestead exemption, you must have owned and occupied the property as your primary residence on January 1 of the tax year. You cannot claim a homestead exemption on any other property in Georgia or in another state.8Georgia.gov. Apply for a Homestead Exemption Qualifying for the basic homestead is also the gateway to the senior and veteran exemptions below.
Senior Exemptions
Homeowners aged 62 or older whose combined household net income with a spouse did not exceed $10,000 in the prior year can exempt up to $10,000 of assessed value from school taxes. Most Social Security income does not count toward that $10,000 limit; only the amount exceeding the maximum federal Social Security benefit counts.9Justia. Georgia Code 48-5-52 – Exemption From Ad Valorem Taxation Homeowners aged 65 or older who meet the same income threshold qualify for an additional $4,000 exemption from county ad valorem taxes.10Georgia Department of Revenue. Property Tax Homestead Exemptions
Because Social Security is largely excluded from the calculation, many retirees qualify even when their total income looks higher on paper. Apply if you’re close. You’ll need prior-year federal and state returns and any Social Security 1099s.7DeKalb County Tax Commissioner’s Office. Homestead and Property Tax Exemptions
Disabled Veteran
Qualified disabled veterans and their surviving spouses can exempt up to $126,526 of assessed value for 2026, an amount that adjusts annually with federal benefit levels.11Georgia Department of Revenue. 2026 Homestead Maximum for Disabled Veterans and Surviving Spouses Bring proof of disability status from the Department of Veterans Affairs and a Georgia driver’s license or ID showing your Decatur address.
Appealing Your Assessment
If you think the county overvalued your home, you have 45 days from the date on your annual Notice of Assessment to file a written appeal with the DeKalb County Board of Tax Assessors.12Georgia Department of Revenue. PT-311A Appeal of Assessment Form The window is strict. Mark the date the notice arrives. The appeal form (PT-311A) is on the Georgia Department of Revenue’s website.
The Board of Tax Assessors reviews the appeal first. If they don’t change the value, your case moves to the DeKalb County Board of Equalization, which hears cases at 325 Swanton Way in Decatur. You can appear in person, bring a representative, or authorize someone in writing to appear for you.13DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court. Board of Equalization Bring comparable sales from your neighborhood, photos showing any condition issues the assessor missed, and your own appraisal if you have one.
Either side can appeal a Board of Equalization decision to DeKalb County Superior Court within 30 days. The filing fee is $25, and the Superior Court appeal is a jury trial, so most homeowners hire an attorney at that stage.14Justia. Georgia Code 48-5-311 – Creation of County Boards of Equalization
What Happens If You Pay Late
Missing a deadline triggers penalties and interest that compound. Georgia law imposes a 5 percent penalty on the unpaid balance 120 days after the due date, then another 5 percent every 120 days after that, capped at 20 percent of the original tax owed.15Justia. Georgia Code 48-2-44 – Penalty and Interest on Willful Failure to Pay Ad Valorem Tax Interest also accrues monthly at the federal prime rate plus 3 percent.16Justia. Georgia Code 48-2-40 – Rate of Interest on Past Due Taxes
If the balance stays unpaid, the county can issue a fi. fa. (fieri facias), a tax execution that creates a lien against the property and attaches to the owner of record as of January 1. Once issued, the property can be levied and sold at public tax auction held on the first Tuesday of the month. The opening bid equals the total taxes, penalties, interest, and fees owed. The winning bidder receives a tax deed, and the former owner’s redemption rights depend on the sale. Any auction proceeds above the tax debt go to the former owner.17Justia. Georgia Code 48-4-5 – Payment of Excess
A $5,000 tax bill left unpaid for a year can climb past $6,000 with penalties and interest, and eventually put the home on the auction block. If you’re struggling, call the Tax Commissioner’s office before the deadline. Payment plans and partial payments are far easier to arrange before a fi. fa. is issued.
Active-Duty Military Protections
The federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act caps interest on delinquent property taxes at 6 percent per year for active-duty military, and prohibits additional penalties for nonpayment during service.18Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 50 USC 3991 – Taxes Respecting Personal Property, Money, Credits, and Real Property A court can stay enforcement, including a tax sale, for the duration of service plus up to 180 days after discharge. If a property is sold at auction during service, the servicemember can redeem during service or within 180 days after separation, and any longer redemption period under Georgia law still applies.
Federal SALT Deduction
Decatur homeowners who itemize on their federal return can deduct property taxes paid as part of the state and local tax (SALT) deduction. For the 2026 tax year, the SALT cap is $40,000 for single and joint filers, with a phaseout starting at $500,000 of modified adjusted gross income and full elimination at $600,000. Married filing separately is capped at $20,000. The higher cap is scheduled to revert to $10,000 in 2030 unless Congress acts again. Combined city and county property taxes for a Decatur homeowner often run $5,000 to $10,000 or more, and the deduction can offset a meaningful share of your federal liability if you itemize.