81% of Georgia homeowners have never appealed, yet half believe they're overvalued. Here's the letter template that changes that.
How to Write a Property Tax Appeal Letter in Georgia (Template Included) According to a 2025 Ownwell survey, 81% of Georgia homeowners have never appealed their property tax assessment. Yet 52% believe their property is overvalued. That gap represents thousands of dollars left on the table across the state every single year. If you are one of those homeowners sitting on an assessment notice that feels too high, a property tax appeal letter is your first move. This article gives you a Georgia-specific property tax appeal letter template you can copy, customize, and submit today. You have 45 days from the date printed on your Annual Notice of Assessment. That clock is already ticking. The good news: Georgia law is on your side. The burden of proof rests on the assessor, not you. And the letter you are about to write could save you hundreds of dollars a year, potentially thousands if you qualify for the three-year assessment freeze. This guide includes a complete copy-paste template with every Georgia-required field, a comparable sales table format, tone guidance, common mistakes to avoid, and a clear explanation of what happens after you drop that letter in the mail. Can You Write a Letter Instead of Using the PT-311A Form? Yes. Georgia law explicitly allows either the official PT-311A appeal form or a written letter of appeal. Under O.C.G.A. 48-5-311, both carry equal legal weight. Counties like Gwinnett accept "any letter of disagreement that identifies the property" by parcel number or address. Fulton, DeKalb, and Cobb all accept freeform letters as well. So why would you choose one over the other? The PT-311A is a structured checklist. It handles procedural requirements efficiently: parcel ID, appeal method election, billing preference, signature. It ensures you do not accidentally omit a required field. Think of it…