--- title: Recent Changes in Gwinnett County Property Tax Laws You Need to Be Aware Of description: Here are some recent changes and important points regarding Gwinnett County property tax laws that you should be aware of. image: https://www.fair-assessments.com/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/important%20sign.jpeg --- [![Fair Assessments LLC logo](https://www.fair-assessments.com/hs-fs/hub/163576/file-2350210184.png?width=225&height=74&name=file-2350210184.png "Fair Assessments LLC logo")](https://www.fair-assessments.com/) # Recent Changes in Gwinnett County Property Tax Laws You Need to Be Aware Of Posted by [Daniel Jones](https://www.fair-assessments.com/blog/author/daniel-jones) on Mar 14, 2025 12:30:00 PM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) Staying informed about property tax laws is essential for every **Gwinnett County homeowner**. While the core structure of Georgia’s ad valorem tax system remains the same, recent years have brought **key changes** that could impact your tax bill, your homestead exemption benefits, and your appeal strategy. ![important sign](https://www.fair-assessments.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/important%20sign.jpeg?width=500&height=500&name=important%20sign.jpeg) This article highlights the **most notable recent changes affecting property owners in Gwinnett County**, including legislative updates and local policy decisions. --- ## 1. Gwinnett County Opts Out of Statewide Adjusted Base Year Homestead Exemption (HB 581) **What Happened:** House Bill 581 introduced a **statewide adjusted base year homestead exemption**, effective **January 1, 2025**, to help limit large increases in taxable home values. However, **Gwinnett County voted to opt out** of adopting the exemption for the **county portion of property taxes**. **Why Gwinnett Opted Out:** Gwinnett County already offers the **Value Offset Exemption (VOE)**, in place since 2001. County officials believe it provides **better long-term protection** against rising property values than the new state model. **How the VOE Works:** - The VOE **freezes the assessed value** for the **county government portion** of your tax bill at the base year when you are first granted a homestead exemption. - Even if market values increase, your **county taxes remain based on that frozen value**, unless significant changes occur. **Key Difference from HB 581:** - **HB 581** adjusts the frozen value **annually for inflation**, meaning it can still rise. - **Gwinnett’s VOE** offers a more consistent freeze, which typically results in **greater long-term savings** for homeowners. **Impact for Homeowners:** This opt-out means Gwinnett homeowners with homestead exemptions will **continue to benefit from the VOE** for county taxes. However, this does **not affect school or city tax portions**, which may adopt HB 581 independently. **School and City Decisions:** The **Gwinnett County Board of Education** and municipalities like **Lawrenceville, Suwanee, or Duluth** may still **opt in or out** of HB 581 for their portions of the tax bill. Watch for updates from your local city or school board. --- ## 2. Homestead Exemption Deadline Remains April 1st If you purchased or began occupying a new **primary residence** on or before **January 1, 2025**, you must apply for a **homestead exemption** by **April 1, 2025** to receive tax savings for this year. - Existing exemption holders **do not need to reapply** annually. - Late applications will only apply to the **following tax year**. --- ## 3. Gwinnett County Property Taxes Are Due in October - **Tax bills are usually mailed in August** - **Payment is typically due in mid-October** (e.g., October 15, 2024, for the prior tax year) - Late payments result in **penalties and monthly interest accrual** Exact dates vary slightly from year to year and are published on your tax bill. --- ## 4. City of Lawrenceville Bills Separately Since 2021, the **City of Lawrenceville** has **billed and collected its own property taxes**. These are **not included** in your Gwinnett County tax bill. - If you own property within Lawrenceville’s city limits, you must **pay both the county and city tax bills separately**. - Other cities (like Peachtree Corners or Snellville) may still be included on the county bill. --- ## 5. Millage Rates Are Set Annually - The **millage rate** is the amount of tax per $1,000 of **assessed value** (assessed value = 40% of fair market value). - Rates are set annually by: - **Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners** (for county taxes) - **Gwinnett Board of Education** (for school taxes) - **City Councils** (for city taxes, if applicable) These rates may increase or decrease based on budgetary needs. Watch for **public hearing notices** during the summer. --- ## Key Actions for Property Owners ✅ **Understand the VOE:** If you have a homestead exemption, the **Value Offset Exemption** can shield you from county tax increases tied to rising property values. ✅ **Monitor School and City Positions on HB 581:** Check your local city and school district’s stance — they may adopt or opt out of HB 581 separately from the county. ✅ **Apply for Homestead Exemption by April 1st (if eligible):** If you bought a new home or recently became eligible due to age or income, don’t miss the April 1 deadline. ✅ **Watch for Your Tax Bill in August:** Pay close attention to due dates and make sure to budget for October payment. ✅ **Understand Your Millage Rate Breakdown:** Know how much you're paying toward county, school, and city services. --- ## Resources - [**Gwinnett County Tax Assessor**](https://www.gwinnettcounty.com/departments/financialservices/taxassessorsoffice) Property valuations, exemptions, appeals, and VOE info - [**Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner**](https://www.gwinnettcounty.com/departments/taxcommissioner) Billing, payments, due dates, and FAQs - [**HB 581 Summary (Georgia General Assembly)**](https://accg.org/links/HB%20581%20LPC%20Presentation%20v2.pdf) Full text and explanation of the statewide exemption law - [**City of Lawrenceville Taxes**](https://www.lawrencevillega.org/196/Property-Tax) Separate billing, millage rates, and contact info - [**Georgia Department of Revenue – Property Tax**](https://dor.georgia.gov/local-government-services/filing-property-tax-georgia) State-level exemptions, appeals, and general property tax info ![property tax appeals](https://www.fair-assessments.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2019/icons/blog-sidebar-icon-165x60.png?width=165&name=blog-sidebar-icon-165x60.png "property tax appeals") ### Subscribe to our *A Fair Shake* Blog: [![How Tax Assessors Use Sales to Value Property](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/163576/e3546063-41de-49e2-8e46-03a715d129ea.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/163576/e3546063-41de-49e2-8e46-03a715d129ea) [![HOW TAX ASSESSORS USE THE COST APPROACH TO VALUE PROPERTY](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/163576/5e017dc4-73d8-4438-a603-74dbb79dada5.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/163576/5e017dc4-73d8-4438-a603-74dbb79dada5) [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/163576/8252852a-491e-4c1f-9f38-1f129a228e30.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/163576/8252852a-491e-4c1f-9f38-1f129a228e30)  [![linkedin](https://www.fair-assessments.com/hs-fs/hubfs/linkedin.png?width=30&name=linkedin.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/fair-assessments-llc/)[![facebook](https://www.fair-assessments.com/hs-fs/hubfs/facebook.png?width=30&name=facebook.png)](https://www.facebook.com/FairAssessments/)  ** Phone: (404) 618-0355** © 2026 Fair Assessments, LLC. 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