Georgia · Clarke County · Local exemptions · Updated Oct 2026

Clarke County, GA property tax exemptions (2026)

The property tax breaks that are set or run locally in Clarke County, on top of Georgia’s statewide rules: what each is worth here, who qualifies, where to apply and the deadline.

What is different in Clarke County

Apply at: Clarke County Tax Commissioner or Board of Tax Assessors
Phone: Not confirmed
Local breaks: Additional homestead exemption (SB 861, 1992; HB 1719, 2002; HB 797, 2023), With the 62+ low-income school exemption (S3)
Tax year: 2024 (DOR digest-year 2024 sheet)

Where to apply in Clarke County

Clarke County Tax Commissioner or Board of Tax Assessors

Official exemptions page

Other offices

Clarke County Tax Commissioner – may take homestead applications; sends and collects tax bills
Clarke County Board of Tax Assessors – may take homestead applications; decides eligibility and values
Georgia Department of Revenue, Local Government Services – state rules and forms

Local exemptions in Clarke County

Homestead

Additional homestead exemption (SB 861, 1992; HB 1719, 2002; HB 797, 2023)

$23,000 off the assessed value plus floating for Athens-Clarke; $8,000 plus floating for Clarke County School District

Set by: county (unified government) and school district
Tax year: 2024 (DOR digest-year 2024 sheet)
Who qualifies: Homeowners with the regular, senior or disabled-veteran homestead
How to apply: Apply with the county tax commissioner or board of tax assessors (call first to ask which office takes homestead applications). Bring a Georgia driver's license or ID showing the home address.
Form: Application for Homestead Exemption (county form; DOR form LGS-Homestead is the state version)
Deadline: April 1 of the tax year, or by the end of the 45-day appeal window on your assessment notice (Georgia DOR)
Renewal: Renews automatically while you own and live in the home; tell the office if you stop qualifying (income-based exemptions can be re-checked)

Source: official page

Seniors

With the 62+ low-income school exemption (S3)

$23,000 plus floating for Athens-Clarke (school gets the state amount plus floating)

Set by: county (unified government)
Tax year: 2024 (DOR digest-year 2024 sheet)
Who qualifies: Age 62+, net income up to $10,000
Income limit: $10,000 net
How to apply: Apply with the county tax commissioner or board of tax assessors (call first to ask which office takes homestead applications). Bring a Georgia driver's license or ID showing the home address; for age or income-based exemptions also bring proof of age and the prior year's federal and Georgia income tax returns (or Social Security/pension statements).
Form: Application for Homestead Exemption (county form; DOR form LGS-Homestead is the state version)
Deadline: April 1 of the tax year, or by the end of the 45-day appeal window on your assessment notice (Georgia DOR)
Renewal: Renews automatically while you own and live in the home; tell the office if you stop qualifying (income-based exemptions can be re-checked)

Source: official page

State exemptions that also apply here

These breaks come from Georgia law. Their full rules, forms and deadlines are on the Georgia page.

Standard Homestead Exemption$2,000
Statewide Floating Homestead Exemption (HB 581)(only where the local government offers it)
2026 Homeowner (Property) Tax Relief Grant$18,000
Senior Exemptions: $4,000 county exemption (65+), school tax exemption (62+) and floating inflation-proof exemption (62+)$4,000
Disabled Veteran Homestead Exemption$126,526
Surviving Spouse of a U.S. Service Member; Surviving Spouse of a Peace Officer or Firefighter$126,526
Property Tax Deferral for the Elderly

All Georgia property tax exemptions

By group in Georgia: Seniors · Veterans · Surviving spouses

Savings estimate for Clarke County

Roughly what an exemption could save you a year: the value it takes off, times your tax rate.

Exemption

Value taken off ($)

Filled in when the exemption is a fixed dollar amount. You can change it.

Tax rate (%)

Clarke County median effective rate: 0.86% (taxes paid as a share of home value). Use your own rate if you know it.

Enter a value and a tax rateChoose an exemption or type the value it takes off.

Median effective rate in Clarke County: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2020–2024 5-year estimates, county figures as published by Tax Foundation. It is a county-wide middle value; rates differ by town and school district.

An estimate, not a bill. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.

Eligibility finder for Clarke County

Answer a few questions to see which property tax breaks may fit you. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.

Do you own the home and live in it as your main home?

Your age, or the year you were born

Leave empty if you'd rather not say.

Are you a veteran?

Do you have a permanent disability?

Are you the surviving spouse of a veteran, service member or first responder?

Yearly household income ($)

Everyone in the home, before taxes. Optional: used only to compare with income limits.

Do you own and live in the home?Answer the first question to see results.

A first check, not a decision: only your county, city or town assessor decides. We read ages, ratings and income limits only where the official rule states them plainly; otherwise we show the rule for you to check.

Document checklist for Clarke County

Pick the breaks you plan to apply for. You get a checklist of forms, documents, steps and deadlines to print or keep on your phone.

The checklist asks for no personal details and nothing is sent to our server: the files are made on your device.

Exemptions to include

Additional homestead exemption (SB 861, 1992; HB 1719, 2002; HB 797, 2023)With the 62+ low-income school exemption (S3)Standard Homestead Exemption (statewide)Statewide Floating Homestead Exemption (HB 581) (statewide)2026 Homeowner (Property) Tax Relief Grant (statewide)Senior Exemptions: $4,000 county exemption (65+), school tax exemption (62+) and floating inflation-proof exemption (62+) (statewide)Disabled Veteran Homestead Exemption (statewide)Surviving Spouse of a U.S. Service Member; Surviving Spouse of a Peace Officer or Firefighter (statewide)Property Tax Deferral for the Elderly (statewide)

Questions about property tax exemptions in Clarke County

What property tax exemptions are there in Clarke County?

Athens-Clarke County adds a $23,000 local homestead exemption for the unified government and $8,000 for schools, and both are floating (they grow as the home's value rises). Figures from the Georgia DOR local exemption sheet are for digest year 2024. Local breaks here: Additional homestead exemption (SB 861, 1992; HB 1719, 2002; HB 797, 2023); With the 62+ low-income school exemption (S3).

Where do I apply for a property tax exemption in Clarke County?

Clarke County Tax Commissioner or Board of Tax Assessors. Also: Clarke County Tax Commissioner, which may take homestead applications; sends and collects tax bills. Also: Clarke County Board of Tax Assessors, which may take homestead applications; decides eligibility and values. Also: Georgia Department of Revenue, Local Government Services, which state rules and forms.

When is the deadline to apply in Clarke County?

Additional homestead exemption (SB 861, 1992; HB 1719, 2002; HB 797, 2023): April 1 of the tax year, or by the end of the 45-day appeal window on your assessment notice (Georgia DOR) With the 62+ low-income school exemption (S3): April 1 of the tax year, or by the end of the 45-day appeal window on your assessment notice (Georgia DOR)

Is there an income limit for Clarke County’s local breaks?

Additional homestead exemption (SB 861, 1992; HB 1719, 2002; HB 797, 2023): no income limit listed. With the 62+ low-income school exemption (S3): $10,000 net.

Do I have to reapply every year in Clarke County?

Additional homestead exemption (SB 861, 1992; HB 1719, 2002; HB 797, 2023): Renews automatically while you own and live in the home; tell the office if you stop qualifying (income-based exemptions can be re-checked) With the 62+ low-income school exemption (S3): Renews automatically while you own and live in the home; tell the office if you stop qualifying (income-based exemptions can be re-checked)

Think your assessed value is too high? See how to appeal in Clarke County.

Sources

Georgia DOR, 2024 Local Exemption Status Sheets (digest year 2024)
Georgia DOR, Property Tax Homestead Exemptions
Median effective tax rate for Clarke County: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2020–2024 5-year estimates, county figures as published by Tax Foundation. The rate is property taxes paid divided by home value.

Last checked: Oct 2026.