Alpharetta and Milton homeowners who opened their Fulton County property tax bills in August and noticed the word "temporary" still owe payment by Thursday, Oct. 15.
Fulton County mailed bills to all property owners on Aug. 15, according to the Fulton County Tax Commissioner's Office. The bills cover county and school district levies. The Oct. 15 deadline applies to every Fulton County property owner outside the City of Atlanta.
The bills are labeled temporary because the county's 2026 tax digest is not finished. A backlog of 292 unprocessed land packages, representing about 1,000 parcels, left the Fulton County Board of Assessors unable to certify final property values, Appen Media reported. Superior Court Judge Shukura Ingram issued a Temporary Collection Order on Aug. 4 allowing the county to bill homeowners using preliminary 2026 values and 2025 millage rates.
Fulton County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts told WSB-TV on Aug. 18 that the assessor delay "It should not have happened." He said the last time the county issued temporary bills was around 2017.
One important distinction for Alpharetta and Milton residents: the three cities of Alpharetta, Milton and Roswell collect their own city-portion taxes independently, and the court order does not cover those city levies, according to 11Alive. The county and school portions of the bill still apply and are due Oct. 15.
Milton City Manager Steven Krokoff described the situation as procedural when Milton's City Council voted July 22 to join the county's petition for the temporary order. "The purpose of the resolution is to prevent a disruption before one occurs," Krokoff said in an Aug. 3 Appen Media report.
What happens after you pay
Once the Board of Assessors finishes the 2026 digest and the Georgia Department of Revenue certifies it, Fulton County will set final millage rates. Homeowners will then receive either a refund or a revised bill for any difference. No timeline for that second notice has been announced.
Alpharetta's proposed 2026 city millage rate held steady at 5.750 mills, according to Appen Media. Fulton County Schools tentatively approved a rate of 18.08 mills at its Aug. 20 Board of Education meeting, according to a board bulletin. Final adoption still requires public hearings and a separate vote.
Penalties for late payment
Interest begins accruing the day after the Oct. 15 deadline. A 5% penalty kicks in 120 days later, with another 5% added every 120 days until the total penalty reaches 20%, according to a Fulton County news release cited by Fulton Neighbor. The Tax Commissioner's Office accepts partial payments, but interest accrues on any unpaid balance.
How to pay and what to check
Payments can be made online at fultoncountytaxes.org, by phone at 404-613-6100, in person at the Fulton County Government Center at 141 Pryor St. SW, or by mail to Fulton County Tax Commissioner, 141 Pryor St. SW, Suite 1106, Atlanta, GA 30303.
Homeowners who pay through an escrow account should confirm their mortgage servicer has received the bill and plans to pay it on time. The county makes tax data available to lenders but does not guarantee a servicer will retrieve the bill, according to the North Atlanta Star.
Anyone who has not received a bill by Sept. 15 should call the Tax Commissioner's Office at 404-613-6100 or check fultoncountytaxes.org.
