Do you own a home in DeKalb County, Georgia? You might be able to lower your property taxes on your primary legal residence through a state-wide or DeKalb County homestead exemption.
By claiming the homestead exemption, you reduce your home’s market value, which in turn lowers the assessed value used to calculate your property taxes. You pay less in taxes as the exemption decreases the amount of your home's value that is subject to taxation.
But if you don’t know which exemptions you qualify for or how to apply, you might be missing out on big tax savings. Read on to learn more about the different exemptions.
Types of Homestead Exemptions in DeKalb County
DeKalb County has several different homestead exemptions. To better understand your options, here's a list of the available exemptions:
H1 – Basic Homestead Exemption
The basic homestead exemption takes $12,500 off your home’s value for school taxes and $10,000 off for county levies (except bonds).
What's the difference between an exemption off your school taxes and one off your county levies?
An exemption on your school taxes decreases the amount you owe for local school district funding, effectively lowering your school-related tax bill.
Conversely, an exemption on county levies reduces the taxes imposed by the county government, impacting your county tax obligation.
This basic homestead exemption doesn’t have age or income requirements; any DeKalb homeowner who is living on the property as their primary residence can claim it.
Take note that net income is generally referred to as "take-home pay," or what remains after federal and state taxes, while gross income represents your entire earnings before any deductions.
Age and Income-Based Exemptions
If you are aged 62 years or more or are 100% permanently disabled (non-veteran), you may be eligible for either of the following:
Homestead Exemption Name | Annual Household Income Limit | Exemption Amount |
|---|---|---|
H3 – senior or disability exemption
| $10,000 (Georgia net income) | All school taxes $10,000 exemption of county levies (except bonds) |
H7 – senior or disability exemption | $40,000 (gross income) | $22,500 for school taxes $10,000 for county levies (except bonds) |
If you are aged 65 years or more or have a 100% permanent disability, you may qualify for one of the following homestead exemptions:
Homestead Exemption Name | Annual Household Income Limits | Exemption Amount |
|---|---|---|
H4 – senior exemption | $10,000 (Georgia net income) | All school taxes $14,000 of all county levies |
H6 – senior or disability exemption | $37,500 (Georgia net income) | $16,500 for school taxes $14,000 for all county taxes |
H8 – senior exemption | $40,000 (Gross income) | $22,500 for school taxes $14,000 for all county levies |
If you are aged 70 years or older, you may be eligible for the H9–senior exemption, which has a gross household income limit of $110,568. With this senior homestead exemption in DeKalb County, GA, you don’t pay any school taxes. You can also exclude $10,000 for county levies from your home’s value when calculating your Georgia property taxes.
To qualify for these exemptions, you must meet the age requirement on January 1st.
H10 – Disabled Veteran Exemption
The disabled veteran exemption applies to senior veterans (65 years and older) who are totally disabled. Your net household income must be $10,000 or less.
With this DeKalb County home exemption, you don’t pay any school taxes. You can also exclude $117,014 for county levies from your home’s taxable value, so you pay less in DeKalb County property taxes.
H5 – Veteran/Veteran Spousal Exemption
There are no age or household income requirements for this exemption. Any totally disabled, honorably discharged veteran or their spouse may qualify for it.
With this exemption, you can exclude $119,514 for school taxes and $117,014 for all other county levies from your home’s taxable value.
Other Available Homestead Exemptions
Here are additional homestead exemptions in DeKalb County:
Exemption for un-remarried spouse of peace officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty:
Eligible homeowners don’t pay any property taxes.
Disabled veteran or widow(er):
Eligible homeowners include disabled veterans, un-remarried spouses of disabled veterans, or un-remarried spouses of veterans killed in the line of duty. Homeowners may qualify for either an H10 or H5 homestead exemption.
One common homestead exemption that isn't available in Dekalb County is the HB 581 floating homestead exemption. This is a state-wide property tax relief that Georgians recently approved after amending the state constitution (Amendment 1). It’s one of the biggest drivers of Georgia property tax trends. However, DeKalb County and the DeKalb County School District (DCSD) opted out of it, so it is unavailable in this county.
Special Considerations for Disabled Veterans
To claim homestead exemptions as a disabled veteran, you must be honorably discharged and live in your DeKalb County home. Necessary documents include:
Proof of age (Georgia driver’s license or ID)
Previous year’s federal and state income tax returns
Social Security benefit statement (if you receive Social Security)
Letter from the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs verifying that you’re 100% disabled
DeKalb County Homestead Exemption Requirements
You must meet the following general requirements before claiming any DeKalb County homestead exemption:
The home must be your primary residence for all legal purposes (as of January 1st), such as filing taxes.
The property must be a private residence.
You must have a Georgia ID or a Georgia driver’s license showing residency at the property.
You can’t have a homestead exemption anywhere else as an individual or a married couple.
Household income limits for age and income-based exemptions change over time. Keeping up with DeKalb County property tax trends can help you stay informed about these changes.
How to Apply for a Homestead Exemption in DeKalb County, GA
The county doesn’t automatically grant exemptions to qualified homeowners. You must apply for them between January 1 and April 1 to get an exemption for the current tax year.
You can file for an exemption any time after the deadline, but your application will be processed for the following year.
Here’s how to apply for a homestead exemption in DeKalb County, GA:
Check if you’re eligible. Make sure you meet the DeKalb County homestead exemption requirements.
Obtain the necessary documents: For a basic exemption, general documents like a Georgia ID and income tax returns from the home are key. Special exemptions may require extra documents that prove eligibility.
File for home exemption: Apply for a basic homestead exemption in person at the DeKalb County tax commissioner's office. Alternatively, you can complete the application form and submit it via mail or online on the commissioner’s official website. If you wish to request special exemptions, you must apply in person.
After you apply, you can monitor your exemption status online.
Contact Ownwell to Save on Property Taxes
Want to pay less in annual property taxes and save more?
Ownwell can help you file certain homestead exemptions in DeKalb County for the current year and retroactively for up to two years. We also help homeowners in DeKalb and nine other counties in Georgia navigate property tax appeals to avoid overpaying property taxes.
When we help you successfully appeal your property’s assessed value in Georgia, the new lower value is frozen for the next three years because of the state’s 299c property tax freeze law. That means tax assessors can’t raise it during that period, which increases your property tax savings.
Don't just pay property taxes, own it.
