Senate · Introduced · 2025-2026 Regular Session

SB166: SB166 Counties; ordinances for governing and policing unincorporated areas of counties; revise provisions

Last action February 9, 2026 · Senate Read Second Time

A Georgia Senate bill would let counties and cities impose bigger fines for repeat code violations tied to public health and safety, while limiting when local governments can require rental property registration.

In plain language

Currently, county ordinances in Georgia are generally capped at a $1,000 fine or 60 days confinement, and local governments face restrictions on inspecting or requiring registration of rental housing. This bill changes both areas. It lets counties and municipalities set escalating fines, up to $3,000 for a second violation and as much as $15,000 for a fifth or later violation, for repeated violations of codes covering things like zoning, litter, junked vehicles, and overgrown vegetation, as long as the violation involves public health and safety. These enhanced fines would not apply to homesteaded properties or to owners with fewer than ten rental properties in the same county. The bill also revises the rule against requiring rental property registration, allowing it only for owners with ten or more single-family or duplex rentals in the same county. It creates a new consumer protection violation under the Fair Business Practices Act for owners who use shell companies to dodge registration requirements.

What the bill does

Lets counties and municipalities set enhanced monetary fines, from $3,000 to $15,000, for a second through fifth-or-later violation of certain codes or ordinances tied to public health and safety.
Exempts homesteaded properties and owners of fewer than ten single-family or duplex rentals in the same county from these enhanced penalties.
Rewrites the general county ordinance law (O.C.G.A. § 36-1-20) to reference the new enhanced-penalty section and adjusts the wording from 'imprisonment' to 'confinement.'
Allows local governments to require registration of residential rental property, but only from owners who own ten or more single-family or duplex rental properties in the same county.
Adds a new violation to Georgia's consumer protection law (the Fair Business Practices Act, O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393) for property owners who use multiple LLCs or corporate names to dodge rental registration requirements.

Who it affects

County and city governments that enforce codes and ordinances, owners of rental housing (especially those with multiple properties), homeowners with a homestead exemption, code enforcement officers, and licensed property managers who may be asked to share contact information with tenants.

Why it matters

Landlords with larger rental portfolios could face steep, escalating fines for repeat code violations and new registration requirements, while smaller landlords and homesteaded homeowners would be shielded from the bigger penalties. Local governments gain a stronger enforcement tool for recurring public health and safety problems.

Key provisions

Section 1 adds a new violation to the Fair Business Practices Act (O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393) for attempting to avoid rental property registration through shell LLCs or corporations.
Section 2 revises O.C.G.A. § 36-1-20 so county ordinance penalties can exceed the usual $1,000/60-day cap when the new enhanced penalty section applies.
Section 3 creates O.C.G.A. § 36-60-33, defining covered codes and ordinances and setting tiered enhanced fines ($3,000 for a second violation up to $15,000 for a fifth or later violation).
Section 3 exempts homesteaded properties and owners with fewer than ten rental properties in the same county from the enhanced fines.
Section 4 revises O.C.G.A. § 36-74-30 to allow rental registration requirements only for owners of ten or more single-family or duplex rentals in the same county.
Section 4 also lets code enforcement officers request property manager contact information from tenants when there is probable cause of a code violation.
Section 5 repeals conflicting laws.

Status timeline

2026-02-09Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
2026-02-06Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
2026-01-27Senate Withdrawn & Recommitted (Senate)
2025-02-13Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2025-02-12Senate Hopper (Senate)

Topics

county ordinances
code enforcement
rental property registration
local government fines
consumer protection law