Richmond GA Property Tax: Rates, Exemptions & Appeals (2026)

The 2026 Richmond County/Augusta assessment notices were mailed June 29, 2026, so the residential appeal deadline was August 13, 2026—45 days from the notice date. File with the Richmond County Board of Assessors, not the Tax Commissioner: online through the Property Search at augustarichmondtaxassessor.com, or by mail/in person at 535 Telfair Street, Suite 120, Augusta, GA 30901. (augustaga.gov)

How assessments work in Richmond County

Richmond County is the consolidated Augusta-Richmond government. The assessment office’s formal body is the Richmond County Board of Assessors; its job is to “provide and defend uniform fair market values” for taxable property, while the Tax Commissioner bills and collects the tax. The Board of Assessors page lists the office at 535 Telfair St., Suite 120, phone 706-821-2310, fax 706-821-2325, and regular weekday office hours. (augustaga.gov)

Georgia does not tax your home’s full market value. The county first sets fair market value, then Georgia’s standard assessment ratio converts that to 40% assessed value. Your tax is generally: (fair market value × 40% − exemptions) × millage rate. The Georgia Department of Revenue defines fair market value as an arm’s-length buyer/seller value and confirms the 40% assessment rule. (dor.georgia.gov)

For 2026, Augusta announced that annual notices for real estate and personal property were mailed June 29, 2026. The notice is not the tax bill; it is the value notice and appeal trigger. Augusta also noted two 2026 local/state changes on the notice: the new statewide notice format required by Senate Bill 566 and Augusta’s local floating homestead exemption, intended to limit certain increases in assessed value for qualifying primary residences. (augustaga.gov)

The 2026 net millage rates published by the Richmond County Tax Commissioner are: 28.284 mills for Tax District 001 Urban, 26.280 for County with fire, 24.939 for Hephzibah, and 26.839 for Blythe with fire. A mill is $1 per $1,000 of assessed value. (arctax.com)

Whether you should appeal

Appeal if the county’s fair market value is higher than what the home could reasonably have sold for around the valuation date, or if your property record is wrong. In Richmond County, the Tax Commissioner’s FAQ says appraisal staff determine value from recent sales and market conditions and issue a Notice of Current Assessment each spring. (arctax.com)

Start with the property record: square footage, finished basement, outbuildings, condition, year built, land size, and whether the parcel is in the correct neighborhood/class. Then pull three to five sales that are close in location, style, size, age, and condition. The best evidence is usually closed sales before or near the assessment date—not asking prices.

Do not appeal just because the tax bill is painful. The Board of Assessors appeal is about value, uniformity, taxability, exemption denial, covenant denial/removal, not the budget or the tax rate. The PT-311A appeal form requires you to choose your appeal path and state an owner’s value assertion, so decide your target value before filing. (dor.georgia.gov)

I did not find an official Richmond County published table of residential appeal success rates, median reductions, or win rates. Treat any private-site numbers as unverified unless the county or state publishes them.

Step-by-step how to file

1. Check the deadline on your notice. For the countywide 2026 mailing, notices were mailed June 29, 2026, and Augusta gave August 13, 2026 as the deadline. Georgia’s statewide rule is 45 days from the assessment notice mailing date. (augustaga.gov)

2. Use the right form. The official form is PT-311A, Appeal of Assessment Form. Georgia DOR says it is the uniform appeal form, but any written appeal that preserves the required information may count. Richmond County’s assessor site points taxpayers to the same PT-311A form for mail/email filing. (dor.georgia.gov)

3. Choose the appeal route. Most homeowners choose BOE: County Board of Equalization, which allows value, uniformity, taxability, exemption, and covenant issues and preserves a later Superior Court appeal. The form also lists arbitration, hearing officer, and direct Superior Court by consent. Richmond County’s Tax Commissioner FAQ describes the three common routes as Board of Equalization, arbitration, and hearing officer; the hearing officer route is for qualifying non-homestead property, not a typical owner-occupied home. (arctax.com)

4. File with the Board of Assessors. Filing methods officially listed for Richmond County include:

• Online: during the appeal period, use the Property Search link at augustarichmondtaxassessor.com and file from the parcel record.
• Mail: Richmond County Board of Assessors, 535 Telfair Street, Suite 120, Augusta, GA 30901.
• In person: same address, Suite 120.
• Email: Augusta’s 2026 notice and FAQ say email filing is accepted, but the official pages I found did not publish a dedicated appeal inbox. Do not guess; call 706-821-2310 and keep the sent email plus any confirmation.
• Fax: the Board of Assessors publishes fax 706-821-2325; confirm before relying on fax alone.

There is no county filing fee for a standard Board of Equalization appeal. Arbitration, hearing officer, or Superior Court steps can involve costs or fees; the PT-311A itself warns that additional costs/fees may apply. (augustaga.gov)

What happens after

First, the Board of Assessors reviews your appeal. Richmond County says the Board reviews the filed appeal and informs the taxpayer of its decision. If the Board makes no change, the appeal is automatically forwarded to the County Board of Equalization, hearing officer, or arbitrator, depending on the path selected. (augustarichmondtaxassessor.com)

If you receive a changed value from the assessor and agree with it, the case usually ends without an oral hearing. If you disagree or the assessor makes no change, expect a Board of Equalization hearing. Georgia’s BOE rules say hearings should be only as formal as necessary to keep order and be compatible with justice; parties may present evidence, respond, cross-examine, and be represented by counsel. For valuation issues, the county Board of Assessors has the burden of proof by a preponderance of the evidence. (dor.georgia.gov)

The BOE/hearing officer/arbitrator issues a decision. If you still disagree, Georgia law allows a further appeal to Superior Court, generally within 30 days of the appeal decision. Do not miss that deadline if you plan to continue. (law.justia.com)

If your appeal is still pending when tax bills are due, do not ignore the bill. Richmond County says the property tax due date is generally November 15 of the billing year; Georgia also allows temporary billing/payment rules while appeals are pending. Call the Tax Commissioner if your bill and appeal are both open. (arctax.com)

Local tips

Check homestead before arguing value. Richmond County’s regular homestead exemption is $5,000 off assessed value for county and school for owners occupying the home as of January 1. The county also lists senior, disability, disabled veteran, surviving spouse, and other exemptions. The 65+ H2A exemption is especially important: it includes $5,000 off county assessed value and an exemption from school tax assessments, with no income limit. (arctax.com)

Homestead applications are handled by the Richmond County Tax Commissioner, not the assessor, at 535 Telfair Street, Suite 100, or by mail to P.O. Box 1427, Augusta, GA 30903. The ordinary deadline is April 1, but Richmond County’s 2026 homestead page also says a current-year written application may be filed from January 1 through the end of the 45-day appeal period after assessment notices are mailed. (arctax.com)

Worked savings example. Suppose your Augusta urban-district home is assessed at $250,000 fair market value, but good comparable sales support $225,000. A successful appeal reducing FMV by $25,000 lowers assessed value by $10,000 because Georgia assesses at 40%. Using the 2026 Urban net millage rate of 28.284 mills, estimated annual savings are $10,000 ÷ 1,000 × 28.284 = $282.84. In the County-with-fire district, the same value reduction would save about $262.80; in Hephzibah, $249.39; in Blythe with fire, $268.39. Actual bills depend on exemptions and fees such as solid waste, which homestead does not remove. (arctax.com)

Richmond County Property Tax Rate

2026 net millage rates: Tax District 001 (Urban) = 28.284 mills; Tax District 002 (County w/fire) = 26.28 mills; Tax District 003 (Hephzibah) = 24.939 mills; Tax District 004 (Blythe w/fire) = 26.839 mills. One mill equals $1 per $1,000 of assessed value.

Source: https://arctax.com/property/millage-rates/

When Are Property Taxes Due in Richmond County?

2026 real property tax bills are due November 30, 2026. A 1% discount on the tax portion of the bill applies for taxpayers who pay within the first 20 days, on or by October 20, 2026.

This is not the same as the assessment appeal deadline above. The appeal deadline is your window to contest your assessed value; the payment due date is when the resulting tax bill must be paid. Missing one does not affect the other, but missing either has real consequences — one forfeits your right to appeal for the year, the other can trigger penalties and interest.

Source: https://arctax.com/property/

Property Tax Exemptions in Richmond County

• S1 Regular Homestead Exemption — Property owners who occupy the property as their primary residence as of January 1 of the application year; no income or age limit.. $5,000 off assessed value for County and $5,000 off assessed value for School. Yes; application through the Tax Commissioner's Office. Once granted, it renews automatically while the owner continuously occupies the home and remains eligible, but a new application is required after ownership/name/deed changes or to claim a different exemption. Apply by April 1 generally; current-year applications may be filed January 1 through the end of the 45-day appeal period after assessment notices are mailed.. (Source: https://arctax.com/property/exemption-summary/)
• S3 Partial School Exemption — Homeowner must be 62 years old as of January 1 of the application year, with net income of applicant and spouse not exceeding $10,000.. $5,000 off assessed value for County, and $10,000 off assessed value for School and School Bond. Yes; senior/special exemptions must be applied for in person or by mail with required documentation. Once granted, it renews automatically while eligible unless reapplication is required due to ownership/name/deed changes or a different exemption. Apply by April 1 generally; current-year applications may be filed January 1 through the end of the 45-day appeal period after assessment notices are mailed.. (Source: https://arctax.com/property/exemption-summary/)
• H2A Full School Exemption — Homeowner must be 65 years old as of January 1 of the application year; no income limit.. $5,000 off assessed value for County, plus exemption from all School tax assessments. Yes; senior/special exemptions must be applied for in person or by mail with required documentation. Once granted, it renews automatically while eligible unless reapplication is required due to ownership/name/deed changes or a different exemption. Apply by April 1 generally; current-year applications may be filed January 1 through the end of the 45-day appeal period after assessment notices are mailed.. (Source: https://arctax.com/property/exemption-summary/)
• S4 Double & School Exemption — Homeowner must be 65 years old as of January 1 of the application year, with net income of applicant and spouse not exceeding $10,000.. $10,000 off assessed value for County, $4,000 off assessed value for County Bond, and exemption from all School tax assessments. Yes; senior/special exemptions must be applied for in person or by mail with required documentation. Once granted, it renews automatically while eligible unless reapplication is required due to ownership/name/deed changes or a different exemption. Apply by April 1 generally; current-year applications may be filed January 1 through the end of the 45-day appeal period after assessment notices are mailed.. (Source: https://arctax.com/property/exemption-summary/)
• H10 Local Disability Exemption — Homeowner must be totally and permanently disabled as of January 1 of the application year; requires a letter from a Georgia-licensed physician; no age or income limit.. $10,000 off assessed value for County and $10,000 off School tax assessments. Yes; disability exemptions require documentation proving 100% disability and must be applied for with required documentation. Once granted, it renews automatically while eligible unless reapplication is required due to ownership/name/deed changes or a different exemption. Apply by April 1 generally; current-year applications may be filed January 1 through the end of the 45-day appeal period after assessment notices are mailed.. (Source: https://arctax.com/property/exemption-summary/)
• H5A Local Disability with Income Limitations — Homeowner must be totally and permanently disabled as of January 1 of the application year; requires two letters from separate Georgia-licensed physicians; Georgia taxable income for applicant and spouse may not exceed $20,000.. Exemption from all assessed value on County and School taxes. Yes; disability exemptions require documentation proving 100% disability and income documentation where applicable. Once granted, it renews automatically while eligible unless reapplication is required due to ownership/name/deed changes or a different exemption. Apply by April 1 generally; current-year applications may be filed January 1 through the end of the 45-day appeal period after assessment notices are mailed.. (Source: https://arctax.com/property/exemption-summary/)

How to Look Up Your Property Record in Richmond County

You can look up your property's official record at https://gismap.augustaga.gov/AugustaTS/. Augusta Maps is the official Augusta property search tool and displays parcel/property information, including current Digest Year Values approved by the Richmond County Board of Assessors.