Residents
Tax Commissioner
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DECEMBER 6, 2021
Houston County in Partnership with the Georgia Department of Revenue
will upgrade its Georgia DRIVES Motor Vehicles System
Beginning Thursday, December 30, 2021 at 7 pm, the Georgia Department of Revenue (DOR) will begin a system upgrade to the state's DRIVES system (Driver Record and Integrated Vehicle Enterprise System) to improve efficiency and reduce operational costs.
The upgrade will require vehicle registrations and titling services, including e-Services and tag renewal kiosks, to be unavailable Thursday, December 30, 2021at 7 pm through Monday, January 3, 2022. Vehicle owners with expiration dates in late December and early January are encouraged to renew prior to December 30, 2021 at 5 pm to avoid delays.
What to Expect: Thursday. December 30, 2021 at 7 pm through January 3. 2022:
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County Tag Offices and the Georgia Department of Revenue Motor Vehicle Division will be unable to process transactions.
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All online motor vehicle related services, including online tag renewal services, will be unavailable.
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Motor Vehicle Self Service Kiosks will be unavailable.
How will this impact Georgia motor vehicle owners and drivers?
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Customers and dealers seeking to conduct any title transactions should complete their business at a county tag office prior to Thursday, December 30, 2021 at 5:00 pm.
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Dealers will be able to initiate electronic title and registration (ETR) transactions and issue emergency temporary operating permits (TOPs) over New Year's weekend.
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Law enforcement will still have access to motor vehicle records.
Please note that Houston county will be closed on December 31st in observance of the New Year's Day holiday.
Mark Kushinka, Tax Commissioner
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Warner Robins Office 200 Carl Vinson Parkway Warner Robins, Ga. 31088 Office Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30AM - 5:00PM Vehicle Registration Phone: (478) 542-2135 Fax: (478) 923-2112 Property Tax Phone: (478) 542-2110 Fax: (478) 542-2041 |
Perry Office 201 Perry Pkwy. Perry, Ga. 31069 Phone: (478) 218-4940 Fax: (478) 218-4945 Office Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30AM - 5:00PM
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Vehicle Registration, Titles, Insurance
For Information on Vehicle Registration, Titles, and Insurance please visit the Georgia Department of Revenue - Motor Vehicle Division at https://dor.georgia.gov/motor-vehicles. If you have any questions regarding your Houston County Tag or Title please send an email to tagquestions@houstoncountyga.org
Ad Valorem tax
Ad Valorem tax, more commonly known as property tax, is a large source of revenue for local governments in Georgia. The basis for ad valorem taxation is the fair market value of the property, which is established as of January 1 of each year. The tax is levied on the assessed value of the property which, by law, is established at 40% of fair market value. The amount of tax is determined by the tax rate (millage rate) levied by various entities (one mill is equal to $1.00 for each $1,000 of assessed value, or .001).
Homestead Exemptions
Several types of homestead exemptions have been enacted to reduce the burden of ad valorem taxation for Georgia homeowners. The exemptions apply to homestead property owned by the taxpayer and occupied as his or her legal residence (some exceptions to this rule apply and your tax commissioner can explain them to you). To receive the benefit of the homestead exemption the taxpayer must file an initial application with the Tax Assessor's Office. The application must be filed by April 1 of the year for which the exemption is first claimed by the taxpayer. Once granted, the homestead exemption is automatically renewed each year and the taxpayer does not have to apply again unless there is a change of ownership or the taxpayer seeks to qualify for a different exemption.
Assessment Appeals
When the Board of Tax Assessors changes the value of a property from the value in place for the preceding year or from the value that was returned by the taxpayer for the current year, a notice of that change must be sent to the property owner. Upon receipt of this notice the property owner desiring to appeal the change in value must do so within 45 days. The appeal is filed with the Board of Tax Assessors who review their valuation and the appeal filed and informs the taxpayer of its decision. If the taxpayer remains dissatisfied, the appeal is forwarded to the County Board of Equalization. A hearing is scheduled and conducted and the Board of Equalization renders its decision. If the taxpayer is still dissatisfied, an appeal to Superior Court may be made. In lieu of an administrative appeal with the Board of Equalization, an arbitration method of appeal is also available to the taxpayer. The Board of Assessors can provide details regarding this procedure. The assessment appeal may be made on the basis of the taxability of the property, the value placed on the property, or the uniformity of that value when compared to similar properties. Additionally, the appeal can not be based on any complaint about the amount of taxes levied on the property. If you have any questions regarding real or personal property taxes, please email us at taxquestions@houstoncountyga.org.
Online Services
Pay Tax Online
Pay Taxes Online:
Pay and Search Taxes Online (Note: Convenience Fee will apply to transaction)
Online License & Tag Renewal