General Information
Ad valorem taxes, more commonly known as property taxes, are levied for the maintenance and operations of the City, including public safety services, roadway maintenance, building inspections and other vital services to make Alpharetta a safe, secure, and livable city for our residents, businesses, and visitors.
Property taxes are also levied for certain public improvements funded by voter approved general obligation debt (bonds). All real estate and personal property is taxable unless exempted by law. Real property is land and generally anything that is affixed to the land; personal property is everything not considered real property, usually consisting of inventory and fixtures used in conducting business as well as boats, aircraft, machinery, etc.
The basis for ad valorem taxation is the fair market value, as determined by the Fulton County Board of Assessors. The tax is levied on the assessed value of the property which is established at 40% of the fair market value (unless otherwise specified by law). The amount of tax is determined by the tax millage rate.
FY 2010 Budget
The City of Alpharetta, like many cities in our region and throughout the United States, is currently facing fiscal challenges as a result of the national and global recession. In response to the economic challenges, our businesses and citizens have tightened their budgets and are doing more with less. And so too has the City of Alpharetta.
The City has been proactive in realigning its spending to match its reduced resources and has compiled a budget in line with our guiding principles that accomplishes the following:
• Revenue neutral property tax levy that maintains the City’s millage rate at 5.75 mills (includes 4.215 mills for general fund operations and 1.535 mills for debt service on voter approved general obligation bonds); and
• Continuation of the same high service levels our citizenry and stakeholders have come to expect from our City.
Reducing the tax burden on our homeowners is a priority of the Mayor and City Council as evident by the push to increase the homestead exemption to $40,000 (see the section entitled Taxpayer Savings - Homestead Exemptions for more information). That said, our homeowners will notice that the State of Georgia Homeowners Tax Relief Grant (HTRG), which reduced their assessed value by $8,000 in prior years, will not be reflected on the tax bill for 2009 due to legislative action by the Governor and General Assembly of the State of Georgia that removed HTRG funding from the 2009 State Budget. This increase is not a City of Alpharetta tax increase.
Taxpayer Savings - Homestead Exemptions
In an effort to reduce the tax burden on homeowners, the Mayor and City Council have enacted a $30,000 Homestead Exemption that goes great lengths in not only keeping Alpharetta an affordable place to live, but also strategically positions us relative to neighboring areas. It should be noted that the $30,000 Homestead Exemption is equivalent to a 1-mill reduction for the average homeowner.
To qualify, property owners must own and occupy their home as their permanent residence as of January 1st of the current year. Applications for homestead exemptions may be submitted any time during the year; however, in order to be eligible for the current year, property owners filing homestead must apply by April 1st of the year in which the exemption is sought. Applications received after April 1st will become eligible the following year. Property owners already receiving the exemption do not need to reapply unless there is a change in ownership, deed type, or if the owner becomes eligible for a larger exemption.
The following exemptions are available by the City of Alpharetta:
• Basic Homestead Exemption of $30,000 off the assessed value;
• Senior Basic Exemption of $15,000 to residents age 65 or older as of January 1st;
• Additional Senior Exemption of $10,000 to residents age 65 or older as of January 1st who meet certain income requirements; and
• Senior Full Value Exemption available to residents age 70 or older as of January 1st who meet certain income requirements.
Basic homestead exemption applications can be filed in person at FultonCounty’s Alpharetta offices located at 3155 Royal Drive or can be mailed to the Fulton County Board of Assessors at 141 Pryor Street SW, Suite 1047B, Atlanta, GA 30303-3446. Senior exemption applications must be filed with the City of Alpharetta, Finance Department at 2 South Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009. For additional information on eligibility or the application process, please contact the City of Alpharetta’s Financial Services Division at (678) 297-6060 (option 0).
Access Your Property Tax Account (Lookup & Payments)
Tax & Utility Request Form
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I do not receive my tax bill?
Contact the City’s Financial Services Division at (678) 297-6060 (option 0). Failure to receive a tax bill does not relieve you of the responsibility to make payment by the due date.
How can I change the mailing address on my tax bill?
(1) Submit a written request to the Fulton County Board of Assessors either by fax (404) 335 - 5876 or mail (Fulton County Board of Assessors, Homestead and Return Division, 141 Pryor Street SW, Suite 1047B, Atlanta, GA 30303-3446); or (2) make the request in person at the local Fulton County Board of Assessors branch (3155 Royal Drive, Suite 175, Alpharetta, GA 30022).
How can I appeal my property value?
You may appeal to the Fulton County Board of Assessors. For more information on filing an appeal or return, please contact the Assessors’ Office at (404) 224-0102. If you filed an appeal against your property assessment, you are still required to pay the bill by the due date. Once the Fulton County Board of Assessors or Board of Equalization makes a final decision on your appeal, please forward a copy of the decision to the City of Alpharetta Financial Services Division (2 South Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009-0349). The City of Alpharetta will record the new value and process any resulting billing adjustments.
When are the City of Alpharetta property taxes due?
December 30, 2009.
How can I pay my taxes?
For your convenience, you may pay by any of the following methods:
Online: www.alpharetta.ga.us
By phone: (678) 297-6060 (option 0)
By mail: P.O Box 349, Alpharetta, GA 30009-0349
Please make check(s) payable to City of Alpharetta
In person: Alpharetta City Hall
Finance Department
2 South Main Street
Monday – Thursday, 8:30 am-5:00 pm and Friday 8:30 am-4:30 pm.
After hours: 24-hour deposit box located at Alpharetta City Hall.
All payments after hours will be posted the next business day.
What methods of payments are accepted?
Cash, check, money orders, certified checks, or credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover).
My mortgage company is responsible for paying my property taxes, what do I need to do?
Forward a copy of the tax bill to your mortgage company to ensure they have the bill on record and there will be no delay in payment processing.
Is there a penalty for late payment?
Any accounts not paid by the due date of December 30th will be penalized a one time 10% charge on unpaid taxes. In addition to the penalty, interest will accrue monthly at a rate of 1% of the base amount each month until the taxes are paid in full. Penalties and interest charges shall not be waived, regardless of the reason for the delinquent payment.
What should I do if I closed my business or sold a piece of personal property (boats, equipment, etc.) during the tax year?
If you closed your business or the personal property was sold after January 1st of the current year, the tax is still due. You must also notify Fulton County Board of Assessors at (404) 612-6440 (option 2, then 1) that the property closed or sold after January 1st.
What happens if I have a returned check for my property tax payment?
A return check fee of $25.00 or 5% of the face value of the check will be assessed.
What happens if I do not pay my city property taxes?
Any unpaid property taxes will be subject to the issuance of a FiFa (lien) in accordance with O.C.G.A. §48-3-3, which may result in the sale of the FiFa. Additionally, unpaid personal property taxes will be subject to the revocation of your business license and may prevent participation in city functions.
How can I get answers to other tax questions?
www.alpharetta.ga.us or contact the City of Alpharetta,
Financial Services Division, at (678) 297-6060 (option 0). Our office is always ready to assist.
