---
title: HB 142. Ad valorem tax; extension of preferential assessment periods for certain historic properties; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb142
cite_as: HB 142, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb142
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb142.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb142/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69564
date: 2025-01-30
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb142.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 142
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-01-28
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Mark Newton
- Robert Dickey
- Bruce Williamson
- Jaclyn Ford
- Debbie Buckner
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB142/2025
upstream_id: 1945125
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- property taxes
- historic preservation
- county government
- ad valorem tax
---
# HB 142. Ad valorem tax; extension of preferential assessment periods for certain historic properties; provide
## Text
House Bill 142
By: Representatives Newton of the 127th, Dickey of the 134th, Williamson of the 112th, Ford
of the 170th, and Buckner of the 137th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 1 of Chapter 5 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to general provisions relative to ad valorem taxation of property, so as to provide for
an extension of preferential assessment periods for certain historic properties; to provide for
related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 1 of Chapter 5 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
general provisions relative to ad valorem taxation of property, is amended in Code
Section 48-5-7.2, relating to preferential assessment for rehabilitated historic property, by
revising paragraph (4) of subsection (h) as follows:
"(4) The expiration of nine years during which the property was classified and assessed
as rehabilitated historic property; provided, however, that any such property may qualify
thereafter as rehabilitated historic property if such property is subject to subsequent
rehabilitation and qualifies under the provisions of this Code section; provided, further,
that, if approved by the governing authority of the county, the classification and
assessment under this Code section may continue for a period of up to an additional
12 years for income-producing real property."
SECTION 2.
Said article is further amended in Code Section 48-5-7.3, relating to preferential assessment
for landmark historic property, by revising subparagraph (e)(1)(E) as follows:
"(E) The expiration of nine years during which the property was classified and assessed
as landmark historic property; provided, however, that any such property may qualify
thereafter as landmark historic property if such property is subject to subsequent
rehabilitation and qualifies under other portions of the historic properties tax incentive
program contained within the provisions of this Code section; provided, further, that,
if approved by the governing authority of the county, the classification and assessment
under this Code section may continue for a period of up to an additional 12 years for
income-producing real property."
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
A Georgia House bill would let counties extend the special property tax assessment period for certain historic buildings that produce income, adding up to 12 more years beyond the current nine-year limit.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia law already gives owners of rehabilitated historic properties and landmark historic properties a preferential (lower) property tax assessment for nine years, under O.C.G.A. §§ 48-5-7.2 and 48-5-7.3. After nine years, that special treatment normally ends unless the owner does new rehabilitation work.
This bill would add an option for county governments: if a county's governing authority approves, the special assessment period for income-producing real property (buildings used to generate income, such as rental or commercial space) could continue for up to an additional 12 years beyond the original nine, without requiring new rehabilitation. This change applies to both the rehabilitated historic property program and the landmark historic property program. The bill does not automatically extend anyone's tax break; it requires the local county government to sign off first. It also repeals any conflicting laws.
### What it does
- Allows counties to extend the preferential property tax assessment period for rehabilitated historic income-producing property by up to 12 additional years, if the county governing authority approves.
- Applies the same optional 12-year extension to landmark historic income-producing property under a separate but similar tax incentive program.
- Leaves the existing nine-year preferential assessment period as the default, only adding an extension option rather than replacing the current rule.
- Limits the extension option to income-producing real property, meaning owner-occupied or non-income-generating historic property would not qualify for the extension.
### Who it affects
Owners of historic properties that generate income, such as rental buildings or commercial space that have been rehabilitated or designated as landmark historic property; county governing authorities, who would decide whether to approve the extension; and county tax assessors who administer these preferential assessments.
### Why it matters
For owners of income-producing historic buildings, this could mean many more years of reduced property tax assessments if their county agrees, potentially affecting how much tax revenue local governments collect from those properties and shaping incentives for maintaining historic buildings.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 48-5-7.2 (rehabilitated historic property) to add a county-approved extension of up to 12 years for income-producing real property beyond the standard nine-year period.
- Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 48-5-7.3 (landmark historic property) with the same up-to-12-year extension option for income-producing real property, subject to county approval.
- Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws, a standard closing provision.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-01-28)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2025-01-30)
- Sponsors: Mark Newton, Robert Dickey, Bruce Williamson, Jaclyn Ford, Debbie Buckner
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69564
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb142.md?full=1