2022 Georgia Code
Title 48 - Revenue and Taxation
Chapter 5 - Ad Valorem Taxation of Property
Article 1 - General Provisions
§ 48-5-7. Assessment of Tangible Property
- Except as otherwise provided in this Code section, taxable tangible property shall be assessed at 40 percent of its fair market value and shall be taxed on a levy made by each respective tax jurisdiction according to 40 percent of the property’s fair market value.
- Tangible real property which is devoted to bona fide agricultural purposes as defined in this chapter and which otherwise conforms to the conditions and limitations imposed in this chapter shall be assessed for ad valorem property tax purposes at 75 percent of the value which other tangible real property is assessed and shall be taxed on a levy made by each respective tax jurisdiction according to said assessment.
- Tangible real property which qualifies as rehabilitated historic property pursuant to the provisions of Code Section 48-5-7.2 shall be assessed at 40 percent of its fair market value and shall be taxed on a levy made by each respective tax jurisdiction according to 40 percent of the property’s fair market value. For the purposes of this subsection, the term “fair market value” shall mean the fair market value of rehabilitated historic property pursuant to the provisions of subparagraph (C) of paragraph (3) of Code Section 48-5-2.
(c.1) Tangible real property which qualifies as landmark historic property pursuant to the provisions of Code Section 48-5-7.3 shall be assessed at 40 percent of its fair market value and shall be taxed on a levy made by each respective tax jurisdiction according to 40 percent of the property’s fair market value. For the purposes of this subsection, the term “fair market value” shall mean the fair market value of landmark historic property pursuant to the provisions of subparagraph (D) of paragraph (3) of Code Section 48-5-2.
(c.2) Tangible real property which is devoted to bona fide conservation uses as defined in this chapter and which otherwise conforms to the conditions and limitations imposed in this chapter shall be assessed for property tax purposes at 40 percent of its current use value and shall be taxed on a levy made by each respective tax jurisdiction according to 40 percent of the property’s current use value.
(c.3) Tangible real property located in a transitional developing area which is devoted to bona fide residential uses and which otherwise conforms to the conditions and limitations imposed in this chapter for bona fide residential transitional property shall be assessed for property tax purposes at 40 percent of its current use value and shall be taxed on a levy made by each respective tax jurisdiction according to 40 percent of the property’s current use value.
(c.4) Tangible real property which qualifies as brownfield property pursuant to the provisions of Code Section 48-5-7.6 shall be assessed at 40 percent of its fair market value and shall be taxed on a levy made by each respective tax jurisdiction according to 40 percent of the property’s fair market value. For the purposes of this subsection, the term “fair market value” shall mean the fair market value of brownfield property pursuant to the provisions of subparagraph (F) of paragraph (3) of Code Section 48-5-2.
(c.5) Tangible real property which qualifies as forest land conservation use property pursuant to the provisions of Code Section 48-5-7.7 shall be assessed at 40 percent of its forest land conservation use value and shall be taxed on a levy made by each respective tax jurisdiction according to 40 percent of the property’s forest land conservation use value.
(c.6) Tangible real property which qualifies as qualified timberland property in accordance with the provisions of Article 13 of this chapter shall be assessed at 40 percent of its fair market value of qualified timberland property and shall be taxed on a levy made by each respective tax jurisdiction according to 40 percent of its fair market value of qualified timberland property as such value is determined by the commissioner in accordance with Article 13 of this chapter.
- The requirement contained in this Code section that all tax jurisdictions assess taxable tangible property at 40 percent of fair market value shall not apply to any tax jurisdiction whose ratio of assessed value to fair market value exceeded 40 percent for the tax year 1971. No tax jurisdiction so exempted shall assess at a ratio of less than 40 percent except as necessary to effect the preferential assessment provided in subsection (b) of this Code section.
- Each notice of ad valorem taxes due sent to taxpayers of counties and municipalities shall include both the fair market value of the property of the taxpayer which is subject to taxation and the assessed value of the property after being reduced as provided by this Code section.
History. Ga. L. 1851-52, p. 288, § 14; Code 1863, § 734; Code 1868, § 801; Code 1873, § 804; Code 1882, § 804; Civil Code 1895, § 770; Ga. L. 1909, p. 36, § 1; Civil Code 1910, § 1010; Code 1933, § 92-5703; Ga. L. 1968, p. 358, § 2; Ga. L. 1972, p. 1102, § 1; Ga. L. 1975, p. 1083, § 1; Ga. L. 1976, p. 518, § 1; Code 1933, § 91A-1019, enacted by Ga. L. 1978, p. 309, § 2; Ga. L. 1979, p. 5, § 26; Ga. L. 1983, p. 1850, § 2; Ga. L. 1989, p. 1585, § 2; Ga. L. 1990, p. 1122, § 2; Ga. L. 1991, p. 1903, § 4; Ga. L. 1992, p. 6, § 48; Ga. L. 2003, p. 170, § 2; Ga. L. 2018, p. 119, § 3/HB 85.
The 2018 amendment, effective January 1, 2019, added subsections (c.5) and (c.6).
Editor’s notes.
Ga. L. 1983, p. 1850, § 1, effective April 8, 1983, not codified by the General Assembly, provided that: “It is the intent of this Act to implement certain changes imposed by Article VII, Section I, Paragraph III, subparagraph (c) of the Constitution of the State of Georgia.”
Ga. L. 1983, p. 1850, § 4, effective April 8, 1983, not codified by the General Assembly, provided that that Act (§ 2 of which amended this Code section) “shall apply to all tax years beginning on or after January 1, 1984.”
Ga. L. 1991, p. 1903, § 15, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that the amendment to this Code section shall be applicable beginning January 1, 1992, with respect to ad valorem taxation of timber and shall be applicable beginning January 1, 1992, for all other purposes. Taxation for prior periods shall continue to be governed by prior law.
The state-wide referendum (Ga. L. 2002, p. 1017, § 2), which would have added a new subsection (c.4), relating to exemption from ad valorem taxation for commercial dockside facilities, was defeated at the November 2002, general election.
Ga. L. 2018, p. 119, § 7/HB 85, not codified by the General Assembly, provides, in part, that the addition of subsections (c.5) and (c.6) to this Code section shall become effective on January 1, 2019, only if an amendment to the Constitution of Georgia is ratified at the November, 2018, general election modifying constitutional prescriptions for forest land conservation use property and related assistance grants, permitting the withholding of a portion of assistance grants to provide for certain state administrative costs, and establishing qualified timberland property as a subclassification of tangible property for purposes of ad valorem taxation. The constitutional amendment was approved by a majority of the qualified voters voting at the general election held on November 6, 2018.
Law reviews.
For note on the 1989 amendment to this Code section, see 6 Ga. St. U. L. Rev. 173 (1989).