Georgia · Fulton County · Property Taxes
Fulton County Property Tax Bills, GA: Temporary Bills Mailed Aug. 15 Under Judge Shukura Ingram's Order; Alpharetta, Milton and Roswell Excluded, Atlanta Due Sept. 30
Every property owner in Fulton County was mailed a 2026 tax bill on Saturday, and it is a temporary one. Some bills may be lower than what the household usually pays, WSB-TV reported, and a revised bill or a refund may follow once the 2026 Tax Digest is finished. City of Atlanta taxes are due Sept. 30; Fulton County and every other jurisdiction on the bill are due Oct. 15.
Key facts
- What
- Temporary 2026 real and personal property tax bills, issued in place of the usual annual bills
- Where
- All property owners in Fulton County, Georgia
- Mailed
- Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, by the Fulton County Tax Commissioner
- Authorized by
- Fulton County Superior Court Judge Shukura Ingram, in an order granted Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026
- Not covered
- The cities of Alpharetta, Milton and Roswell are excluded from the order
- Reason
- The Board of Assessors had not processed an unprecedented number of land packages, delaying the 2026 Tax Digest
- Due
- City of Atlanta, Sept. 30, 2026. Fulton County and all other jurisdictions, Oct. 15, 2026
- Late
- Interest from the day after the due date; an added 5% on the 120th day, repeating every 120 days to a maximum of 20%
- Contact
- Fulton County Tax Commissioner's Office, 141 Pryor St. SW, 404-613-6100
- Status
- Open. Millage rates are not set, the digest is not certified, and a refund or a revised bill will follow only as needed
- What arrived in the mail on Aug. 15
- Which year's numbers the temporary bill uses
- Judge Shukura Ingram's order, and the three cities left out
- Why Fulton County went to court
- What the commission chairman and a homeowner said
- Due dates, penalties and the Tax Commissioner's office
- What happens after the digest is certified
- What we don't know yet
- Frequently asked questions
What arrived in the mail on Aug. 15
The Fulton County Tax Commissioner mailed all 2026 property tax bills on Saturday, Aug. 15, the county said. The bill inside the envelope is not the usual annual bill. It is a temporary one, issued under an order from the Superior Court of Fulton County.
Homeowners are getting bills that may be lower than they usually pay, and a bigger bill may be on the way, WSB-TV reported Tuesday evening.
The bills went to every property owner in the county, the county said, and they reflect levies from the county itself, the public school districts and the municipalities. Each of those entities sets its own tax rate, and each is listed separately on the bill.
Robb Pitts, chairman of the Fulton County Commission, told WSB-TV that the explanation is included in an insert with the bills, and that property owners who look up their bill online will see an explanation there.
Which year's numbers the temporary bill uses
Fulton County's own release says the temporary bills were calculated from valuations in the preliminary 2026 Tax Digest and from each taxing jurisdiction's 2025 millage rate, as authorized on Aug. 4 by the Superior Court of Fulton County.
Accounts differ on that point. WSB-TV reported that the bills people are getting are based on 2025 evaluations of their property, while Fulton County says the valuations come from the preliminary 2026 digest and it is the millage rate that is carried over from 2025, and Atlanta News First reported that the order allows bills based on 2025 millage rates and the 2026 Board of Assessors' property values.
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Judge Shukura Ingram's order, and the three cities left out
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Shukura Ingram granted the county's petition on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, authorizing the issuance of temporary real and personal ad valorem property tax bills and the collection of those estimated amounts, according to the county.
The order does not cover the whole county. The cities of Alpharetta, Milton and Roswell are excluded from it, according to both WSB-TV and Atlanta News First. WSB-TV put it this way: the court order says the temporary collection order does not include the cities of Alpharetta, Milton and Roswell.
The county said its Board of Commissioners authorized the County Attorney to file the petition seeking a Temporary Collection Order at its regular meeting on July 15, 2026.
Why Fulton County went to court
The county said it sought the order upon learning that the Fulton County Board of Assessors had not yet processed an unprecedented number of land packages, which delayed submission of the 2026 Tax Digest to the Georgia Department of Revenue.
That submission is the hinge. The Department of Revenue must certify the Tax Digest before taxing authorities can set annual millage rates, and before the Tax Commissioner can bill and collect at all, the county said.
Waiting for certification would have postponed both the issuance and the payment of property taxes, which are the main source of revenue for the county, the school systems and the cities, according to the county. An inability to collect would leave the county unable to pay its bills, pay employees, maintain its credit rating and continue essential services, with similar effects on every other taxing jurisdiction.
Atlanta News First reported the same stakes: without a judge's order the county would not be able to collect taxes, meaning employees would not be paid, the county could not settle its debts and school districts would not receive funding.
What the commission chairman and a homeowner said
Pitts told WSB-TV the situation has to do with issues in the Tax Assessor's office.
“It should not have happened. I'm not happy about it. I'm going to say that,” Pitts said.
He said the board of assessors had not assessed an unprecedented number of properties, or land packages, and that this delayed the Department of Revenue from certifying the 2026 tax digest, which must be done before taxes can be sent out. The last time the county had to send out temporary bills was back around 2017, Pitts said.
Loretta Green, a Fulton County homeowner, was not aware of any of it when she opened her tax bill. It said she owed about $40. She is accustomed to paying nearly $400.
“I was shocked. I was ready to go pay it right then,” Green told Channel 2's Tom Jones. “Somebody blessed me.”
“And a lot of seniors gonna think this is their bill and they're gonna spend money for something else that they probably had reserved to pay the property tax,” Green said. None of that is explained in her bill, she said.
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Due dates, penalties and the Tax Commissioner's office
The county published a single set of dates with the bills. City of Atlanta property taxes are due by Sept. 30, 2026. Fulton County taxes, and those from all other jurisdictions, are due by Oct. 15, 2026.
Attention: a property owner who does not receive an expected tax bill by Sept. 15 is directed by the county to contact the Fulton County Tax Commissioner's Office at 404-613-6100.
If taxes are not paid by the due date, interest begins to accrue the next day and continues until the bill is paid in full, the county said. An additional 5% penalty is charged on the 120th day after the due date and continues to accrue 5% every 120 days thereafter until paid in full, up to a maximum of 20%. The office accepts partial payments, but interest accrues on the unpaid principal balance until the bill is paid in full.
The Tax Commissioner's Office is at the Fulton County Government Center, 141 Pryor St. SW, and its telephone number is 404-613-6100. The county also lists three other full-service locations.
What happens after the digest is certified
Each taxing jurisdiction within Fulton County will set its millage rate after the tax digest is completed by the Board of Assessors and certified by the state Department of Revenue, the county said. Taxpayers will have the opportunity to give input during the millage rate setting process.
Once millage rates are set, final property tax calculations will be made, and a refund or a revised tax bill will be issued only as needed, according to the county. Atlanta News First reported that residents may be rebilled once the 2026 Tax Digest is complete, and that a taxpayer who overpaid will be refunded with interest.
“Taxpayers may get a refund or they may have to pay more depending on the final evaluations of the properties,” Pitts told WSB-TV.
What we don't know yet
- When the 2026 Tax Digest will be completed, or when the Georgia Department of Revenue will certify it. No date has been published.
- How many property owners will end up owing more, and how many will be due a refund.
- Why Alpharetta, Milton and Roswell are excluded from the temporary collection order. No reason has been published.
- What happens to a taxpayer who pays the temporary bill in full and is later billed for more.
- Which year's property valuations sit behind the temporary bill. The county's account and WSB-TV's account differ on that point.
- The size of the backlog in the Board of Assessors' office, which has been described only as an unprecedented number of land packages.
- When the millage rate setting process will begin, and what the schedule for taxpayer input will be.
- Whether the Sept. 30 and Oct. 15 due dates could move if the digest is certified before then.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my Fulton County property tax bill lower than usual this year?
The bill mailed on Aug. 15 is a temporary bill. Fulton County said it was calculated from valuations in the preliminary 2026 Tax Digest and each taxing jurisdiction's 2025 millage rate. WSB-TV reported that homeowners are getting bills that may be lower than they usually pay, and that a bigger bill may be on the way.
When were the 2026 Fulton County property tax bills mailed?
The Fulton County Tax Commissioner mailed all 2026 property tax bills on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, according to the county.
When are Fulton County property taxes due in 2026?
Fulton County taxes, and those from all other jurisdictions, are due by Oct. 15, 2026, the county said. City of Atlanta property taxes are due by Sept. 30, 2026.
Which year's property values are on the temporary bill?
The accounts differ. WSB-TV reported that the bills people are getting are based on 2025 evaluations of their property. Fulton County's release says the bills use valuations from the preliminary 2026 Tax Digest combined with each jurisdiction's 2025 millage rate, and Atlanta News First reported that the order allows bills based on 2025 millage rates and the 2026 Board of Assessors' property values.
Who authorized the temporary Fulton County tax bills?
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Shukura Ingram granted the county's petition on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, authorizing the issuance of temporary real and personal ad valorem property tax bills and the collection of those estimated amounts, the county said.
Which cities are excluded from the temporary collection order?
The cities of Alpharetta, Milton and Roswell are excluded from the order, according to WSB-TV and Atlanta News First. A reason for the exclusion has not been published.
Why did Fulton County need a court order to send tax bills at all?
The county said it sought the order after learning that the Fulton County Board of Assessors had not yet processed an unprecedented number of land packages, which delayed submission of the 2026 Tax Digest to the Georgia Department of Revenue. The Department of Revenue must certify the digest before taxing authorities can set annual millage rates and before the Tax Commissioner can bill and collect.
What happens if the temporary bill turns out to be wrong?
Each taxing jurisdiction within Fulton County will set its millage rate after the digest is completed by the Board of Assessors and certified by the state Department of Revenue, the county said. Once the rates are set, final property tax calculations will be made and a refund or a revised tax bill will be issued only as needed. Atlanta News First reported that a taxpayer who overpaid will be refunded with interest.
What is the penalty for paying a Fulton County property tax bill late?
If taxes are not paid by the due date, interest begins to accrue the next day and continues until the bill is paid in full, the county said. An additional 5% penalty is charged on the 120th day after the due date and continues to accrue 5% every 120 days thereafter until paid in full, up to a maximum of 20%.
What does the county say to do if no tax bill arrives?
A property owner who does not receive an expected tax bill by Sept. 15 is directed by the county to contact the Fulton County Tax Commissioner's Office at 404-613-6100.
Does the Fulton County Tax Commissioner accept partial payments?
Yes. The Tax Commissioner's Office accepts partial payments, the county said, but interest accrues on the unpaid principal balance until the bill is paid in full.
Has Fulton County issued temporary tax bills before?
Robb Pitts, chairman of the Fulton County Commission, said the last time the county had to send out temporary bills was back around 2017, WSB-TV reported.
Where is the Fulton County Tax Commissioner's office?
The Tax Commissioner's Office is at the Fulton County Government Center, 141 Pryor St. SW, and its telephone number is 404-613-6100. The county also lists three other full-service locations.
Sources
- WSB-TV — “Fulton County homeowners face potential tax increases after temporary bills issued,” by Tom Jones, published 7:25 p.m. ET, Aug. 18, 2026. Source for the lower-than-usual bills, the exclusion of Alpharetta, Milton and Roswell, and the interviews with Robb Pitts and Loretta Green.
- Fulton County — “Fulton County Issues Property Tax Bills,” news release, Aug. 14, 2026. Source for the Aug. 15 mailing, the preliminary 2026 digest and 2025 millage rates, the due dates, the penalty schedule and the Tax Commissioner's contact details.
- Fulton County — “Fulton County Obtains Approval For Temporary Tax Bills,” news release, Aug. 10, 2026. Source for Judge Shukura Ingram's Aug. 4 order, the July 15 Board of Commissioners vote, the unprocessed land packages and the revenue consequences.
- Atlanta News First — “Judge allows Fulton County to collect property taxes despite incomplete data,” published Aug. 5, 2026. Source for the incomplete digest, the 2025 millage rates and 2026 Board of Assessors values, the excluded cities, and the rebilling and refunds with interest.
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