Property tax appeal · DeKalb County, GA
Appeal your property taxes in DeKalb County, GA.
DeKalb County homeowners appeal through Georgia’s system: the county Board of Tax Assessors sets the value and the Board of Equalization hears the case. Boards act on evidence of market value as of the assessment date, and a licensed, USPAP-compliant appraisal is that evidence.
$5, credited toward your appraisal.
DeKalb County, GA
Home to Decatur
- Filing deadline
- On your notice
- Valuation date
- January 1
- Values your home
- County Board of Tax Assessors
- Hears your case
- Board of Equalization
- Desktop appraisal
- $225
- $5 check credited
- Timing
- Confirmed with your order
Deadline
45 days from the date on your Annual Notice of Assessment — statewide, and the date is printed on the notice. Your assessment notice states the exact date.
Confirm your filing window and recipient requirements before ordering. Service availability and delivery depend on the property, evidence and appraiser. You remain responsible for filing on time.
How it works
How to appeal your property taxes in DeKalb County.
- Step 1
Check your savings
Enter your address and pay $5. We check your DeKalb County assessment against recent nearby sales.
- Step 2
Order the appraisal
A desktop appraisal valued as of your assessment date, with the $5 credited. Complex homes get one exact quote.
- Step 3
Show us your home
Walk through on your phone so the appraiser sees its condition. A desktop appraisal needs no visit.
- Step 4
File your appeal
A state-licensed GA appraiser signs it, with a cover letter and filing steps. You file by your deadline, and the Board of Equalization hears your case.
The evidence
Boards act on value, not frustration.
However Georgia labels the process, the case underneath is the same: show what your home was actually worth on the assessment date. A licensed, USPAP-compliant appraisal, with comparable sales, documented adjustments and a signed opinion of value, is that showing.
What the appraisal gives you
- Valued as of your assessment date, not today
- Comparable sales with adjustments and citations
- Signed by a state-licensed GA appraiser
- A phone walkthrough; a desktop appraisal needs no visit
- Starting search in DeKalb County: 3+ comparable sales within ~1 mi, sold within 12 months
Search settings are starting points for the appraiser, not universal filing requirements. The appraiser selects appropriate evidence for the assignment.
Confirm before you file
- The assessment date (January 1) and tax year on your notice
- The recipient: DeKalb County Board of Assessors
- The electronic filing format and required official forms
- Appraiser availability and delivery timing, before you order
The process
How Georgia handles appeals.
Every Georgia county mails an Annual Notice of Assessment, usually in spring, and you have exactly 45 days to appeal to the Board of Tax Assessors. Most homeowner appeals proceed to the Board of Equalization — a citizen panel — though Georgia also offers arbitration and hearing-officer routes. A useful Georgia quirk: values are frozen for the tax year while under appeal, and a successful appeal can lock your value for the following two years under the state’s 299(c) provision.
Worth knowing in Georgia
Georgia assesses at 40% of fair market value, so your notice shows both numbers — the appeal contests the fair market value line. The 299(c) freeze makes a well-documented win pay off for up to three tax years.
FAQ
DeKalb County questions
When is the DeKalb County appeal deadline?
45 days from the date on your Annual Notice of Assessment — statewide, and the date is printed on the notice. Confirm your exact filing window using the assessment notice and official authority.
How do appeals work in DeKalb County?
Every Georgia county mails an Annual Notice of Assessment, usually in spring, and you have exactly 45 days to appeal to the Board of Tax Assessors. Most homeowner appeals proceed to the Board of Equalization — a citizen panel — though Georgia also offers arbitration and hearing-officer routes. A useful Georgia quirk: values are frozen for the tax year while under appeal, and a successful appeal can lock your value for the following two years under the state’s 299(c) provision.
What evidence should I bring?
Comparable sales as of the assessment date, adjusted for the differences between those homes and yours — potential supporting evidence. Check the reviewing authority’s rules for admissibility, valuation date, forms and filing. An appraisal does not guarantee a reduction.
See if an appeal is worth it.
$5, credited toward your appraisal.