GENERAL EXEMPTION INFORMATION

Exemptions are filed with the Board of Assessors located at 222 West Oglethorpe Ave., Suite 113, Savannah Georgia 31401, 1st Floor of the Pete Liakakis Government Building. The times to file are from 8:00am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Applications made on or before April 1st of the tax year are considered for the current tax year and applications made after April 1st will be considered for the next tax year. Taxpayers that file for homestead outside of the designated times will waive their exemption(s) for that tax year. Time for filing application for homestead exemption may not be extended. Automatic renewal of homestead exemptions applies only to the home originally exempted. For further inquiries, please contact the office at 912-652-7271.

To file for the homestead exemption, the property owner shall provide the Chatham County Board of Assessors staff with the following:
a) A valid Georgia Driver’s License or Georgia Identification Card
b) Registration for vehicles owned by and registered in the name of the applicant.
As a supplement to the Georgia Driver’s License or Georgia Identification Card, staff may also request the following:
c) A prior year utility bill or Chatham County Voter’s Registration Card.

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HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION

Residents of Chatham County who own and occupy a home and the land it rests on as their permanent place of residence, as of January 1 of the taxable year are eligible for an exemption. Applicants for homestead exemption owning two or more dwelling houses shall be allowed the exemption granted by law on only one of the houses as only one homestead shall be allowed to one immediate family group. Rental property does not qualify. Only persons who reside on the property and whose name appears on the title can file for exemptions. Applications must be completed in person by the property owner, unless they have given another party their power of attorney.

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STEPHENS-DAY EXEMPTION

A homestead exemption that is equal to the difference between the current year fair market value and the adjusted base year value (property’s value in the year prior to the homestead application plus any improvements since the year of the application). Improvements made after January 1st of the tax year will be added to the base year value for the following tax year. The levy for the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System has a Consumer Price Index (CPI) percentage that will be added to the base year value. The Consumer Price Index is also applied to the City of Savannah bills. The Homestead and Stephens-Day law has been amended to allow for an unremarried surviving spouse to receive the original Stephens-Day granted in the name of the deceased spouse. Qualifications require the property to be in the name of the unremarried surviving spouse and an application made in the same manner as homestead exemption.

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SPECIAL EXEMPTIONS

Property owners who have qualified for the homestead exemption may be qualified for special exemptions that are in addition to the homestead exemption. Special Exemptions are for applicants who meet certain age, income, and disability criteria. Applicants will need to provide documents for verification such as federal and state income tax returns, DD214, Veteran’s Administration letter to document 100% disability, or a letter from a Georgia licensed medical physician, etc.
Special Exemptions available include: