← All articles · October 16, 2026 · By Justin Pollard, J.D., Managing Broker & CEO, Realty ONE Group Edge

Rome, GA Homestead Exemption: A New Homeowner's Guide

Closing on a home in Rome feels like the finish line, but there's one more step many new homeowners miss: filing for the homestead exemption. It takes one application, it renews itself, and in Floyd County it also locks in a value freeze that can save you more over time. Here's how it works and when to file.

What a Homestead Exemption Does

In Georgia, property tax isn't charged on your home's full market value. The Floyd County Tax Commissioner explains that your assessed value is set at 40% of fair market value, and your tax rate (the millage) is applied to that assessed number. One mill equals $1 for every $1,000 of assessed value.

A homestead exemption takes a slice off that assessed value before the tax is figured. It's only for the home you own and live in, so rentals and second homes don't qualify.

The Regular Floyd County Homestead Exemption

According to the Floyd County Board of Assessors, the regular homestead exemption has no age or income requirement. To qualify, you have to own and live in the home on January 1 of the year the exemption applies.

The regular exemption takes up to $2,000 off your assessed value for state and school taxes and up to $5,000 for county taxes. Once it's granted, it renews automatically every year. You only file again if you move, your ownership changes, or you qualify for a different exemption.

The Rome and Floyd County Homestead Freeze

This is the part that makes filing really pay off in Rome. Rome and Floyd County voters passed local legislation in 2002 that froze homestead values for county and city taxes. As your home's market value rises, your exemption rises along with it, so your taxable value for those two taxes stays put.

There's one catch for buyers: the freeze doesn't follow the house. When a home sells and the new owner gets a homestead exemption, the freeze starts over at the current market value. So don't budget off the seller's tax bill, since a long-time owner's frozen value could be much lower than yours. Ask me for a realistic tax estimate on any Rome home you're considering.

On top of that, Georgia's 2024 law, House Bill 581, created a statewide floating homestead exemption tied to inflation. Local governments could opt out, but the Rome News-Tribune reported that Floyd County, the City of Rome and Floyd County Schools all chose not to. For Floyd County Schools, that means homeowners now get the floating exemption on school taxes too.

The April 1 Deadline and Why Your Closing Date Matters

The Board of Assessors accepts homestead applications any time from the year the home becomes your primary residence up to and including April 1 of the following year. Miss April 1, and the exemption won't start until the next tax year.

Because you have to own and live in the home on January 1, your closing date matters:

• Close and move in by December 31, 2026. You'll own and live in the home on January 1, 2027, so file by April 1, 2027, and the exemption applies to your 2027 taxes.
• Close in January 2027 or later. You won't have owned the home on January 1, 2027, so your first exemption year is 2028. You still need to file by April 1, 2028.

If you're shopping this fall, that's one more reason to aim for a December closing.

Extra Exemptions for Seniors and Veterans

Floyd County offers more relief for older homeowners. Per the Board of Assessors, homeowners who are at least 65 on January 1 can get a $40,000 school tax exemption on the home and one acre, with no income limit. There are also school tax exemptions at age 62 and age 75 that have income limits, and the age 75 exemption removes school tax on the home and one acre entirely for those who qualify.

Veterans who are 100% service-connected disabled, and certain surviving spouses, can qualify for a much larger exemption. The Georgia Department of Revenue sets that amount and changes it each year. Income-based exemptions need proof of income and a notarized affidavit.

How to File in Floyd County

• File online or in person. The Board of Assessors now offers online homestead filing. It doesn't accept mailed applications unless you call ahead, and mailed applications sent without calling are subject to denial.
• Bring your warranty deed. The Tax Commissioner's office says first-time homeowners should have a copy of their deed so the application is filed correctly.
• Questions? Call the Floyd County Tax Assessor's Office at 706-291-5143.
• Watch your mailbox. Floyd County tax bills are mailed to the homeowner, never to the mortgage company. If your taxes are escrowed, forward the bill to your lender.

Buying in Rome? Let's Plan for It

A homestead exemption won't change your closing costs, but it can make a real difference in what you pay every year after. When I help buyers in Rome and Floyd County, the tax picture is part of the plan from the first showing to filing after closing.

If you're thinking about buying a home in Rome, GA, or you just closed and have questions, call or text me at (706) 685-6478.

Sources: Floyd County Board of Assessors, Exemptions; Floyd County Tax Commissioner, General Information and FAQ; Rome News-Tribune (2025) on HB 581. Exemption amounts and rules can change, so confirm current details with the Floyd County Tax Assessor's Office.

Justin Pollard, J.D. · GA license #374145 · Realty ONE Group Edge, brokerage license #79426 · Office (706) 528-1000