VA BENEFITS · GEORGIA

The Georgia Property Tax Exemption Most Disabled Veterans Don’t Know They Have

Reviewed by Susan Pryor, Licensed Mortgage Loan Originator, NMLS #157369 — Updated August 2026

This guide covers Georgia purchase contracts. If you’re buying in another state we’re licensed in, the details differ — ask us.

Last updated: August 2026

Key Takeaways

  • Qualifying disabled Georgia veterans can exempt $126,526 of their home’s value (2026 figure — indexed annually) from property taxes on their primary residence.
  • It applies to veterans rated 100% disabled, those rated lower but paid at 100% due to unemployability, and those with certain statutory loss awards.
  • Un-remarried surviving spouses and minor children keep the exemption as long as they live in the home.
  • You apply once through your county tax commissioner — it doesn’t happen automatically.
  • A lower tax bill means a lower monthly payment. We build this into your numbers when we run them.

Property taxes are part of your monthly payment — for most Georgia homeowners, a meaningful part. So an exemption this large isn’t a footnote. It changes what home a disabled veteran can afford.

What the exemption is

Georgia exempts a set amount of a qualifying disabled veteran’s home value from property taxes — $126,526 for 2026, adjusted each year based on an index set by the VA. That exemption applies to your primary residence and up to 10 acres.

Who qualifies

Honorably discharged veterans who are VA-rated 100% totally disabled; veterans rated less than 100% but compensated at the 100% level due to unemployability; and veterans with a statutory award for loss (or permanent loss of use) of feet, hands, or sight.

  • Honorably discharged veterans who are VA-rated 100% totally disabled
  • Veterans rated less than 100% but compensated at the 100% level due to unemployability
  • Veterans with a statutory award for loss (or permanent loss of use) of feet, hands, or sight

If you’re not sure which category fits your rating letter, bring it to the conversation — that’s what we’re for.

It stays with your family

The exemption extends to an un-remarried surviving spouse or minor children, as long as they continue to live in the home. That matters for planning, and it’s a question we make sure gets answered before closing, not after.

How to apply

File a homestead exemption application with your county tax officials — and know that Georgia’s 159 counties each administer exemptions their own way, and some counties layer additional local exemptions on top. Start with the Georgia Department of Veterans Service page → veterans.georgia.gov/disabled-veteran-homestead-tax-exemption and your county tax commissioner’s office.

File a homestead exemption application with your county tax officials

Georgia’s 159 counties each administer exemptions their own way, and some counties layer additional local exemptions on top. Start with your county tax commissioner’s office.

FAQ

Common Questions

It exempts $126,526 of home value (2026, indexed annually) from property taxes. The dollar savings depend on your county’s millage rate — commonly a four-figure amount every year.

Yes — an un-remarried surviving spouse (or minor children) keeps it as long as they occupy the home as their residence.

Not necessarily. Veterans compensated at the 100% rate due to unemployability qualify, as do veterans with certain statutory loss awards. Check your award letter — or ask us and we’ll help you read it.

Yes, if your taxes are escrowed — lower taxes mean a lower monthly payment. When we pre-approve a qualifying veteran, we account for the exemption so your real payment is what we quote.

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About Southern Mortgage Authority — Susan Pryor, Branch Manager | Licensed Mortgage Loan Originator, NMLS #157369, has served 6,000+ clients over 25 years. Based in Marietta, GA and licensed in 13 states. Call 678-712-2063 or send us a message.

Susan Pryor NMLS #157369 | Ark-La-Tex Financial Services, LLC NMLS #2143 d/b/a Benchmark Mortgage | Equal Housing Lender. Not a commitment to lend. All loans subject to credit approval.