---
title: O.C.G.A. § 36-36-16. Procedures for annexation; referendum.
collection: code
id: 36-36-16
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 36-36-16 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/36-36-16
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/36-36-16.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/36-36-16/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t35-t36-ch1-59-(v27)-2025-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=66569db4_0#page=738
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/36-36.md
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Session of the General Assembly of Georgia
heading_path: LOCAL GOVERNMENT / Provisions Applicable to Municipal Corporations Only / ANNEXATION OF TERRITORY / ANNEXATION BY LOCAL ACT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
---

# O.C.G.A. § 36-36-16. Procedures for annexation; referendum.

(a) Local Acts of the General Assembly proposing annexation of any area composed of more than 50 percent by acreage of property used for residential purposes shall be adopted pursuant to the procedures of this article.

(b) Such bill may include a requirement for referendum approval of the annexation under such terms and conditions as specified in such local law; provided, however, that, if the number of residents in the area to be annexed exceeds 3 percent of the population of the municipal corporation or 500 people, whichever is less, as determined by the most recent United States decennial census, referendum approval shall be required in the area to be annexed. The cost of holding the referendum required by this article shall be paid from funds of the municipality proposing the annexation.

## History

Code 1981, § 36-36-16, enacted by Ga. L. 1996, p. 192, § 2; Ga. L. 2002, p. 985, § 4; Ga. L. 2020, p. 493, § 36/SB 429; Ga. L. 2025, p. 1029, § 36(11)/SB 153, effective July 1, 2025.

## Amendments

The 2025 amendment, effective July 1, 2025, part of an Act to revise, modernize, and correct the Code, substituted “however, that,” for “however, that” in subsection (b).