DeKalb County, GA Property Tax Due Dates and Penalties

DeKalb County, GA property tax due dates fall on September 30 and November 15 each year, splitting the annual bill into two equal installments. If you’d rather settle the whole thing at once, the full amount is due September 30. Bills are mailed to the owner of record around August 15, giving you roughly six weeks before the first payment lands.¹²

The Two Installment Deadlines

The first installment covers half your total bill and must be paid by September 30. The second installment covers the remaining balance and is due November 15.² Your bill shows how the money is divided among the county general fund, fire and police services, the school system, and any city levy that applies. Properties inside the City of Atlanta portion of DeKalb County have their city taxes included on the same bill.¹

A wrinkle for 2026: November 15 falls on a Sunday. In previous years when the deadline landed on a weekend, the Tax Commissioner extended it to the next business day. In 2025, a Saturday deadline was pushed to November 17.³ Expect something similar for 2026, but confirm with the Tax Commissioner’s Office rather than assume. Paying by Friday, November 13 removes the guesswork entirely.

What Happens If You Miss a Deadline

Miss either installment and a 5% penalty attaches to the unpaid amount the day after the deadline. There is no grace period.²

Georgia law then piles interest on top of the penalty. Interest accrues monthly at the bank prime loan rate plus 3%.⁴ With the prime rate at 6.75% as of early 2026, that works out to roughly 9.75% per year. Any partial month counts as a full month, so being a single day late costs a full month of interest.

The penalties keep coming if the balance stays unpaid. Another 5% penalty is added after 120 days, and again every 120 days after that, until the penalties reach a maximum of 20% of the original tax.⁵ With interest compounding alongside, a delinquent bill can grow by a third or more in a single year.

Liens and Tax Sales

Unpaid taxes lead to a recorded tax lien against the property, known in Georgia as a “fi. fa.” The lien clouds the title, making the property difficult to sell or refinance until the full debt and administrative fees are paid.

If the debt lingers across multiple years, the county can auction the property at a tax sale. DeKalb County holds these sales periodically; the next is scheduled for April 7, 2026, and includes properties with delinquencies going back as far as 2005. After a tax sale, the former owner has 12 months to redeem the property by paying the full amount owed plus statutory redemption costs.⁶ Once that window closes and the buyer completes the foreclosure-of-redemption process, the property is lost for good.

How to Pay Before the Deadline

The Tax Commissioner accepts payments online, by mail, at secure drop boxes, and in person. Online payments go through the Tax Commissioner’s portal and take Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and electronic checks.⁷ Fees vary depending on the method:

E-check: no fee.
Credit card online: 2.25%, $1.50 minimum.
American Express: 2.95%, $1.95 minimum.
Debit card in person: 1.50%, $1.50 minimum. Debit cards used online are processed as credit cards at 2.25%.
International credit cards: additional 1.50% surcharge.

E-check is the best deal online. On a $3,000 bill, the gap between e-check and a credit card is roughly $67.⁷

Mailed payments go to the DeKalb County Tax Commissioner, Property Tax Division, P.O. Box 117545, Atlanta, GA 30368-7545.⁷ Confirm the address on your current bill, since lockbox addresses can change. Drop boxes are available at three office locations: the central office at 4380 Memorial Drive in Decatur, the north office at 3653 Clairmont Road in Chamblee, and the South DeKalb Mall office at 2801 Candler Road, Suite 66, Decatur.⁸ Walking your payment in gets you an immediate printed receipt.

The Postmark Trap

This is where people get tripped up. A mailed payment must carry a USPS postmark dated on or before the due date. Metered postage and kiosk-printed dates do not count as proof of timely mailing.² A payment mailed September 29 with a meter stamp will be treated as late if it arrives after the deadline without an official USPS postmark to back it up.

If you’re mailing near the deadline, take the envelope inside the post office and ask for a hand cancellation so the postmark is clear.³ Better still, pay online or drop the payment in a county drop box. There’s no reason to gamble on postal processing when free alternatives exist.

If a Mortgage Company Pays Your Taxes

Many homeowners have property taxes paid through a mortgage escrow account. Even then, responsibility for on-time payment sits with you. If the lender misses a payment or sends it late, the penalties attach to your property, not theirs.

This matters most during transitions. If you refinance, pay off the loan, or the servicing gets transferred, check that the tax bill is still going to the right place. A missed handoff between lenders is a common way homeowners end up delinquent without knowing. After any mortgage change, check the Tax Commissioner’s website to see whether your account shows a balance due.

Asking for a Penalty Waiver

Georgia law allows the Tax Commissioner to waive penalties and interest, but the process is narrow and shouldn’t be treated as a backup plan. You must show the late payment resulted from reasonable cause rather than carelessness. The waiver also requires written approval from the DeKalb County governing authority, granted case by case or under a standing resolution that delegates the authority.⁹

If a real emergency caused the delay, such as a medical crisis, a natural disaster, or a documented mail failure, contact the Tax Commissioner’s Office as soon as you can with supporting documentation. Waiting months and then asking for forgiveness is much less likely to succeed.

1
DeKalb County Tax Commissioner’s Office. DeKalb County Tax Commissioner’s Office Set to Mail Annual Property Tax Bills August 15th
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DeKalb County Tax Commissioner’s Office. Tax Bill Information
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DeKalb County Tax Commissioner’s Office. DeKalb County Tax Commissioner Reminds Property Owners Final Installment Due Nov 17
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Justia. Georgia Code 48-2-40 – Rate of Interest on Past Due Taxes
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Justia. Georgia Code 48-2-44 – Willful Failure to File Return or Pay Revenue Held in Trust for State; Willful Failure to Pay Ad Valorem Tax; Penalties and Interest
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Justia. Georgia Code 48-4-40 – Persons Entitled to Redeem Land Sold for Taxes
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DeKalb County Tax Commissioner’s Office. Property Tax Payment Information
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DeKalb County Tax Commissioner’s Office. DeKalb County Tax Commissioner Extends Property Tax Hours at Memorial Dr Office Location
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Fastcase. Georgia Code 48-5-242 – Waiver of Penalties or Interest Due on Unpaid Taxes