---
title: O.C.G.A. § 48-2-40. Rate of interest on past due taxes.
collection: code
id: 48-2-40
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 48-2-40 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/48-2-40
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/48-2-40.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/48-2-40/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t48-ch1-6-(v36)-2024-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=2edc88a7_0#page=101
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.
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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: REVENUE AND TAXATION / STATE ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION, ADMINISTRATION, AND ENFORCEMENT / ADMINISTRATION
---

# O.C.G.A. § 48-2-40. Rate of interest on past due taxes.

Except as otherwise expressly provided by law, taxes owed the state or any local taxing jurisdiction shall bear interest at an annual rate equal to the bank prime loan rate as posted by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in statistical release H. 15 or any publication that may supersede it, plus 3 percent, to accrue monthly. Such annual interest rate shall be determined for each calendar year based on the first weekly posting of statistical release H. 15 on or after January 1 of each calendar year. Interest shall begin to accrue from the date the tax is due until the date the tax is paid. For the purposes of this Code section, any period of less than one month shall be considered to be one month. This Code section shall also apply to alcoholic beverage taxes.

## History

Code 1933, § 91A-239.2, enacted by Ga. L. 1980, p. 10, § 4; Ga. L. 1980, p. 1759, § 1; Ga. L. 2016, p. 574, § 3/HB 960.

## Cross References

Penalties for failure to pay taxes or license fees on alcoholic beverages, § 3-2-11.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2016, p. 574, § 6(b)/HB 960, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: “The new penalty and interest rates provided in Sections 2, 3, and 4 of this Act shall apply to penalties and interest accrued on or after the effective date of this Act.” This Act became effective July 1, 2016.

## Law Reviews

For article, “Procedure and Problems in Georgia Ad Valorem Tax Appeals,” see 26 Ga. St. B.J. 98 (1990).