Chatham County GA Owner Name & Property Records Guide
Find Chatham County Property by Owner Name, PIN, Address & 2026 Tax Record
The fastest way to complete a Chatham County tax assessor property search by name is to start with the Board of Assessors’ GIS-enhanced QPublic search. Search the owner’s surname, business or trust name, open every plausible Savannah-area match, and then verify the property address and Property ID before relying on values, exemptions, taxes or deed information.
Chatham County also operates a combined property-record portal containing Owner Search, Property ID Search, Address Search, Annual Assessment Notices, Value History, land and building data, permits, sketches, exemptions, sales, payment history and tax-by-authority information. As of August 12, 2026, however, the Tax Commissioner has temporarily disabled 2026 property-tax viewing and payments while the county completes its 2026 Tax Digest, with restoration anticipated around August 16. The official QPublic search is therefore the best current starting point for owner-name research.
Search individual, trust, estate, LLC or company owner
Confirm Property ID, situs address & January 1 owner
Read TY2026 value, exemption & 299C history
Route taxes, deeds, GIS & appeals correctly
OWNER NAME → PROPERTY ID → VALUE → TAX / DEED
CHATHAM OWNER LOOKUP
Owner
MATCH
Property ID
VERIFY
Digest Owner
JAN 1
TY2026 Value
CHECK
299C / Exemption
REVIEW
NAME MATCH → VERIFY THE PIN
Chief Appraiser
Corey Gillenwater
Assessor office
222 W Oglethorpe Ave #113
Tax Commissioner
Sonya L. Jackson
Verified
August 12, 2026
Important live-service notice
2026 Property Tax Service Is Temporarily Offline — QPublic Still Solves the Search Intent
Beginning August 9, Chatham County temporarily disabled viewing and payment of tax-year 2026 property taxes while the Tax Commissioner completes the 2026 Tax Digest process. The county currently anticipates restoring the service by August 16.
Need owner / parcel now?
Use the Board of Assessors’ GIS-enhanced QPublic search rather than repeatedly refreshing the unavailable tax portal.
Need TY2026 notice?
Once the combined portal is available, retrieve the property and open the Annual Assessment Notice tab.
Need payment status?
Return through the official Tax Commissioner once the 2026 tax service is restored.
Current 2026 appeal status: Chatham’s ordinary TY2026 assessment appeal deadline was July 31, 2026. That deadline has passed.
Current 2026 homestead status: Chatham’s extended in-person exemption filing window also ran through the TY2026 45-day appeal deadline. July 31 has passed, so applications filed now generally affect a later tax year unless another specific statutory rule applies.
Property value, tax bill, deed and map are different records
Which Chatham County Office Handles Your Property Question?
Board of Assessors
- Owner / PIN record
- Fair-market value
- Property characteristics
- Exemptions
- Value history
- Appeal filing
Tax Commissioner
- Tax bills
- Payment history
- Online payment
- Delinquent taxes
- Tax sales
- Refund processing
Superior Court Clerk
- Warranty deeds
- Liens
- Security deeds
- Plats
- Certified copies
- Title-record research
SAGIS / QPublic Map
- Parcel location
- Assessment map
- Neighborhood context
- Zoning layers
- Aerial imagery
- Nearby parcels
Owner-name search does not replace a title search. The Assessor owner field is excellent for identifying the parcel; the recorded deed is the controlling document when legal ownership, lien priority, probate or a chain of title matters.
Choose the Chatham County Search You Need
Search a person’s name
Start with the surname and add the first name only when the result list is too broad.
Search LLC / company
Use the most distinctive portion of the legal business name and verify every matching property.
Search by address
Useful when the owner’s spelling, trust name or company structure is uncertain.
Search Property ID
Best exact-match option once you already know the PIN.
Read 2026 assessment
Open fair-market value, value history, exemptions, assessment notice and appeal information.
Verify legal ownership
Move from the Assessor’s owner match to Superior Court recorded deed records.
Primary keyword intent: search by owner name
How to Search Chatham County Property by Name
Choose owner-name search.
Search the person, trust, estate, LLC, corporation or other entity shown as owner.
Start with less information.
For a person, begin with the surname. Add the first name when too many matches appear.
Remove punctuation and middle initials if needed.
A shorter name search often finds records that a perfectly formatted full name misses.
For an LLC, use distinctive business words.
If the complete legal business name fails, remove punctuation and organizational suffixes such as LLC or Inc. and search the distinctive words.
Open every plausible match.
Common surnames can correspond to several Savannah, Pooler, Tybee Island or unincorporated Chatham properties.
Confirm Property ID and situs address.
Never use an owner-name match alone to make a payment, file an appeal or order a deed.
Check current owner and Digest Owner separately.
The January 1 digest owner can differ from the newest owner after a sale.
Fastest owner-name sequence: Surname → Surname + First Name → property address → Property ID. Once the correct PIN is confirmed, use that identifier for every later task.
Interactive owner-name search helper
Build Cleaner Name Searches Before Opening QPublic
This helper does not query county records. It only creates practical text variants to paste into the official Chatham County property search.
What to Verify After You Find the Owner
| Record field |
Why it matters |
What to do next |
| Current Owner |
Newest ownership reflected in the assessment system. |
Compare with recorded deed if title matters. |
| Digest Owner |
Owner associated with January 1 tax-year status. |
Expect differences after a mid-year sale. |
| Property ID / PARID |
Primary parcel identifier for Chatham property research. |
Copy it before leaving the record. |
| Tax District |
Identifies the property’s taxing-area combination. |
Do not copy another property’s millage. |
| Situs Address |
Physical property location. |
Distinguish it from mailing address. |
| Neighborhood |
Appraisal grouping and market context. |
Useful when researching comparable properties. |
| Zoning |
Portal can display a zoning code. |
Verify zoning decisions with the appropriate planning authority. |
| Legal Description |
Abbreviated legal parcel description. |
Use deed/plat for full legal reliance. |
| Acres |
Land area used in assessment records. |
Compare with deed, plat or survey when disputed. |
| Deed Book / Page |
Useful recording reference where available. |
Use it to locate the recorded deed. |
| Permits |
Portal can show permit number, date, type and value. |
Check whether renovations explain a value change. |
| Inspection |
Shows appraisal-review activity on some records. |
Useful when a physical characteristic recently changed. |
Georgia assessment ratio
Fair Market Value vs Assessed Value in Chatham County
Georgia generally requires property to be assessed at 40% of fair market value. That means a Chatham County home with a $500,000 fair-market appraisal normally begins with a gross assessed value of $200,000 before applicable homestead, Stephens-Day or other exemption treatment is considered.
Basic calculation: Fair Market Value × 40% = Gross Assessed Value. Applicable exemptions are then applied before the applicable millage rates produce the final tax.
Do not confuse a value increase with the final tax increase. Exemptions, base-year protection, taxable assessed value, millage rates and the property’s municipality/tax district can all affect the bill.
TY2026 Annual Notice changed statewide
How to Read the Chatham County 2026 Annual Assessment Notice
The TY2026 notice uses Georgia’s revised statewide format. Chatham County explains that the new notice includes more detail about exemptions, credits, preferential assessments, estimated savings, taxable-value changes, fair-market value and appeal contacts.
Fair Market Value
Compare current value with prior year and understand the reason for a change.
Exemptions & Savings
Review every exemption shown rather than assuming prior benefits automatically transferred to a new property.
Appeal Instructions
TY2026 notices contain more specific point-of-contact and filing guidance.
Lost the notice? Once the combined Chatham property portal is available, search the property and click Annual Assessment Notice in the record menu to view, print or download recent notices.
2026 deadline: Chatham County mailed TY2026 notices in June and extended the appeal and qualifying exemption filing deadline through July 31, 2026. That window is now closed.
Important Chatham appeal consequence
What the 299C Value Protection Means in 2026
Chatham’s 2026 guidance gives special attention to Georgia’s 299C value protection. Property owners should review whether an existing appeal-based freeze is already active before challenging the new value.
How to check
Search the property in chathamtax.org and open Value History. Chatham says a TY2026 value reason of “APPEAL DECISION” indicates an active 299C freeze.
Appeal warning
Filing a new appeal while an existing 299C protection is active can cause the earlier protection to be removed.
New 2026 rule
Chatham explains that new 299C protection generally requires the appeal to result in a reduction in value under the changed Georgia law.
Do not file merely to “renew” a freeze without understanding the consequences. For future years, review Value History and current Georgia rules before starting a new appeal.
Ordinary TY2026 filing is closed
Chatham County Property Assessment Appeal Process
Notice
Annual Assessment Notice starts the clock.
45 Days
File written appeal with Board of Assessors.
BOA Review
Assessor reviews evidence and value.
BOE / Other Method
Unresolved appeal follows selected statutory route.
Superior Court
BOE decision can generally be appealed within 30 days.
For TY2026, the July 31 filing deadline has passed. Do not assume the Board of Equalization can be used as a substitute when no timely first-level appeal was filed.
Evidence worth preparing for a future appeal
- Property Record Card
- Comparable sales
- Purchase documents
- Written appraisal
- Exterior / interior photos
- Condition evidence
- Correct building measurements
- Income / lease data for income property
Board of Equalization is free. If the Assessor makes no change and the taxpayer selected BOE, Chatham’s appeal is forwarded for a hearing before a three-member Board of Equalization.
Binding arbitration: Chatham describes a separate arbitration route that requires a certified appraisal and a $25 filing fee under applicable Georgia procedures.
Permanent residence protection
Chatham County Homestead & Stephens-Day Exemption
Basic homestead eligibility
Property owner must own and occupy the home as the permanent residence. Chatham generally looks to ownership and occupancy as of January 1 for the tax year.
Only one homestead
A family group cannot claim homestead on multiple residences, and rental property does not qualify as the owner’s homestead.
Documents Chatham may request
- Valid Georgia driver’s license or Georgia ID
- Vehicle registration in applicant’s name
- Prior-year utility bill when requested
- Chatham County voter registration when requested
- Proof applicant appears on title
- Power of attorney if another person files
Stephens-Day exemption: Chatham describes this as protection based on the difference between the current fair-market value and an adjusted base-year value, with qualifying improvements and certain CPI adjustments affecting the protected value.
Surviving spouse: Chatham says an unremarried surviving spouse can retain the original Stephens-Day protection when the property is placed in that spouse’s name and the required application is made.
2026 filing is now closed. The extended TY2026 exemption window ran through July 31. Online filing had already closed after April 1; later TY2026 filings had to be made in person before the extended deadline.
Open Current Homestead & Stephens-Day Rules
Review eligibility, documents and special exemptions before preparing the next filing.
Senior, Disability, Veteran & Other Special Exemptions
Homeowners who already qualify for basic homestead may also qualify for one or more Chatham County special exemptions depending on age, income, disability, veteran status and jurisdiction.
Senior School Tax
Chatham lists a separate senior school-tax exemption with age/income criteria.
Disability
School-tax disability and other qualifying disability programs can require medical or income documentation.
Disabled Veterans
Chatham administers applicable Georgia exemptions for qualifying disabled veterans and eligible surviving spouses.
Surviving Service-Member Spouse
State-authorized relief may apply to an unremarried surviving spouse of a U.S. service member killed in action.
Firefighter / Peace Officer
A separate surviving-spouse exemption can apply under qualifying circumstances.
Tax Deferral for Elderly
Chatham also lists an elderly tax-deferral program separate from ordinary exemption treatment.
QPublic + Savannah Area GIS serve different map tasks
Use SAGIS to Verify Parcel Location & Geographic Context
GIS parcel lines are not a substitute for a boundary survey. If a fence, driveway, marsh edge, easement or building location is disputed, obtain the controlling recorded documents and professional survey evidence.
Tax Commissioner handles collection
Search Chatham County Property Tax Records After Finding the Owner
Copy the Property ID first.
Do not move to tax payment from a name-only result.
Search the parcel.
Use Property ID, address or owner as appropriate.
Open Tax Commissioner Summary.
Confirm tax district, bill number, exemptions, most-current owner and January 1 digest owner.
Open Payment History.
Verify whether a payment actually posted before paying again.
Use Tax by Authority.
This helps separate county, school, municipality and other jurisdictional portions where displayed.
Make payment only from the verified parcel.
Save the official confirmation after payment.
As of August 12, 2026: viewing and paying tax-year 2026 property taxes is temporarily unavailable while the county completes the 2026 tax digest. Chatham currently anticipates restoring service around August 16.
eCheck: the Tax Commissioner currently advertises no fee for eCheck payments. Card payments are subject to a service charge.
Uses Georgia’s verified 40% assessment ratio
Chatham County Property-Tax Estimate Calculator
Enter fair-market value, any assessed-value exemption amount you already know and the combined millage for the property’s actual tax district. The tool intentionally does not invent one countywide 2026 millage because Savannah, unincorporated Chatham and other municipalities can have different tax components.
Estimated base property tax
$0
Enter the parcel’s value, known exemptions and applicable millage.
Formula: Fair Market Value × 40% = Gross Assessed Value. Gross Assessed Value − applicable assessed-value exemptions = Net Taxable Assessment. Net Taxable Assessment × Mills ÷ 1,000 = estimated base tax.
Use recorded documents for legal ownership
Search Chatham County Deeds, Liens, Plats & Security Deeds
The Chatham County Clerk of Superior Court Real Estate Division records and indexes real-estate documents including deeds, liens, plats and UCC filings. Use these records when an Assessor name search identifies the parcel but you need the actual legal document.
Deeds
Warranty deeds and other recorded property conveyances.
Security Deeds
Mortgage-related security instruments and cancellations.
Liens
Recorded liens and related releases/cancellations.
Plats
Recorded subdivision and parcel plat records.
Copy owner and Property ID from the Assessor first.
Add deed book/page and legal description when available.
Search through GSCCCA.
The Clerk directs users to the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority for online real-estate record searching.
Compare party names and legal description.
Do not accept a deed merely because one person’s name matches.
Order the correct copy.
The Clerk currently lists ordinary deed copies at $0.50 per page and also offers electronic certified-copy services.
Need a full chain of title? The Clerk says its staff does not perform title searches. Use a title searcher, title company or attorney when a complete chain of ownership is required.
Use FANS to Monitor New Property Filings
Chatham’s Superior Court Clerk links to Georgia’s Filing Activity Notification System (FANS), which can help property owners monitor filing activity associated with their property or name.
Register
Open FANS through the official Clerk/GSCCCA resource and create your monitoring profile.
Monitor filings
Watch for newly indexed activity that matches the information you registered.
Verify the document
An alert is a reason to review the official recording; it is not itself proof that fraud occurred.
Practical homeowner workflow: Assessor name search identifies the parcel → Clerk deed search confirms the legal document → FANS helps monitor later recorded activity.
Buyer, Owner & Name-Search Decision Table
| Situation |
Search first |
Then verify |
| Looking for property owned by a person |
Owner surname in QPublic. |
First name, address and Property ID. |
| Looking for LLC property |
Distinctive company words. |
Legal entity and parcel address. |
| Recent home purchase |
Address plus buyer and seller names. |
Recorded deed and January 1 digest owner. |
| Need 2026 value |
Property ID / Property Record Card. |
Annual Assessment Notice and Value History. |
| Need tax payment status |
Tax Commissioner Summary. |
Payment History before paying. |
| Need 299C status |
Value History. |
TY2026 reason shown as APPEAL DECISION. |
| Need legal title |
Assessor owner + deed reference. |
Superior Court recorded deed. |
| Need exact boundary |
QPublic / SAGIS for orientation. |
Deed, recorded plat and survey. |
Chatham County Assessor, Tax Commissioner & Real Estate Records Offices
Board of Assessors
Chief Appraiser: Corey Gillenwater
Pete Liakakis Government Building
222 W Oglethorpe Ave, Suite 113
Savannah, GA 31401
Phone:
912-652-7271
Hours: Mon–Fri, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Tax Commissioner
Sonya L. Jackson
222 W Oglethorpe Ave, Suite 107
Savannah, GA 31401
Phone:
912-652-7100
Property Tax email: tax@chathamcounty.org
Hours: Mon–Fri, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Superior Court Real Estate Division
Tom Coleman Judicial Courthouse
133 Montgomery Street
3rd Floor, Room 304
Savannah, GA 31401
Phone:
912-434-8970
Hours: Mon–Fri, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Suite shortcut: Board of Assessors = Suite 113. Tax Commissioner = Suite 107. Both are at 222 W Oglethorpe Avenue.
Chatham County Name Search Problems & Fixes
| Problem |
Best fix |
Next route |
| Full owner name gives no result |
Search surname only and remove initials/punctuation. |
QPublic Owner Search |
| Too many Smith / Johnson results |
Add first name or compare addresses. |
QPublic |
| LLC search fails |
Remove LLC/Inc. and search distinctive business words. |
QPublic |
| Buyer not shown as owner |
Search address and previous owner, then verify deed recording. |
Clerk + Assessor |
| Tax portal says unavailable |
As of Aug. 12, use QPublic while the 2026 digest maintenance is completed. |
Assessor QPublic |
| Need assessment notice |
When legacy portal returns, retrieve parcel and open Annual Assessment Notice. |
ChathamTax.org |
| Need 299C status |
Open Value History and review reason for TY2026 value. |
Board of Assessors |
| 2026 appeal missed |
July 31 has passed; contact Assessor about factual errors and future statutory options. |
Board of Assessors |
| Need payment status |
Open Payment History rather than assuming a bill is unpaid. |
Tax Commissioner |
| Owner field conflicts with deed |
Confirm recorded instrument and contact Assessor with recording details. |
Clerk + Assessor |
| Need certified deed |
Use Superior Court Clerk/eCertification rather than printing Assessor record. |
Superior Court Clerk |
| Map line looks wrong |
Use recorded plat/deed and licensed survey when exact boundary matters. |
Clerk / Surveyor |
“I am researching Chatham County Property ID __________ at __________. The owner search shows __________, while the deed / address / tax record shows __________. Please confirm whether I should contact the Board of Assessors, Tax Commissioner or Superior Court Clerk for the next correction.”
Official final-action routes
Chatham County Name Search & Property Records Action Center
Search by Name
Owner, address, PIN and GIS-enhanced assessment research.
Open Full Property Record
Annual notices, value history, sales, permits, sketch and tax history.
View / Pay Taxes
Official Tax Commissioner billing, payments and delinquent-tax help.
Find Deeds & Liens
Real-estate deeds, liens, plats, certified copies and recording help.
Exactly 10 Chatham County owner-search answers
Chatham County Tax Assessor Property Search by Name FAQs
1. How do I search Chatham County property by owner name?
Open the GIS-enhanced Chatham County QPublic property search and use owner-name search. Start with the surname for an individual or the distinctive words of a company, trust or LLC. Open the matching result and confirm the Property ID and property address before relying on values, taxes or ownership information.
2. What should I do if a full owner name returns no Chatham County property?
Use fewer words. Search the surname without middle initials or punctuation, then add the first name only if necessary. For a company, remove organizational suffixes such as LLC or Inc. and try the distinctive words of the legal business name.
3. What is the difference between Current Owner and Digest Owner?
Current Owner reflects the newer ownership information available in the property system, while Digest Owner identifies the owner associated with the January 1 tax-year digest. A property sold after January 1 can therefore show different current and digest owners.
4. Is the Chatham County 2026 property-tax portal working right now?
As of August 12, 2026, the Tax Commissioner says tax-year 2026 viewing and payments are temporarily unavailable beginning August 9 while the 2026 Tax Digest process is completed. The county anticipates restoration around August 16. The Board of Assessors’ QPublic search remains the best current route for parcel and owner research.
5. What percentage of fair market value is assessed in Chatham County?
Georgia generally assesses taxable property at 40% of fair market value. A $500,000 fair-market appraisal therefore normally begins with a $200,000 gross assessed value before applicable exemptions and other authorized tax treatments are applied.
6. What was the Chatham County 2026 property assessment appeal deadline?
The ordinary TY2026 Chatham County assessment appeal deadline was July 31, 2026. Property owners generally receive 45 days from the Annual Notice of Assessment to file an appeal with the Board of Assessors.
7. Can I still file a Chatham County homestead exemption for tax year 2026?
The extended TY2026 filing period has passed. Chatham allowed qualifying homestead and other exemption applications through the Annual Notice of Assessment’s 45-day appeal deadline, which for the general TY2026 notice cycle was July 31, 2026. Applications filed now generally affect a later tax year unless another specific statutory provision applies.
8. What is the Chatham County Stephens-Day exemption?
Stephens-Day is a homestead value-protection program based on the difference between current fair-market value and an adjusted base-year value. Qualifying improvements and certain CPI adjustments can change the protected base. Chatham also allows an eligible unremarried surviving spouse to continue the protection after completing the required ownership and application steps.
9. How do I know whether a Chatham County property has a 299C freeze?
Use ChathamTax.org, retrieve the property record and open Value History. Chatham County states that if the tax-year 2026 appraised value shows the reason “APPEAL DECISION,” a 299C value protection is currently in place.
10. Where do I verify the legal owner of a Chatham County property?
Use the Chatham County Clerk of Superior Court Real Estate Division and the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority records. The Assessor owner field is useful for locating a parcel, but the recorded deed and related title documents should be reviewed when legal ownership is important.
Official Sources & Verification
Chatham County Board of Assessors
TY2026 notice guidance, QPublic search, homestead filing, 299C warnings, office contact and current legislative notices.
GIS-Enhanced Property Search
Officially linked owner, address and property-record lookup.
Combined Property & Tax Portal
Owner Search, Property ID Search, notices, value history, land, improvements, permits, sketch, tax summary and payment history.
Homestead & Stephens-Day
Permanent-residence rules, supporting documents and special exemptions.
Assessment FAQ
Property characteristics, appraisal methods, 45-day appeal rule and appeal evidence.
Board of Equalization
BOE hearing route, arbitration and Superior Court appeal information.
Chatham County Tax Commissioner
Current 2026 digest-maintenance notice, payments, tax bills, tax sale and office contact.
Georgia DOR Valuation
State 40% assessment ratio and Georgia property-tax valuation rules.
Superior Court Real Estate Division
Deeds, liens, plats, PT-61 requirements, copies and certified real-estate documents.
Real Estate Records FAQ
Online deed search, title-search limits, copy costs and Clerk procedures.
Savannah Area GIS
Savannah and Chatham County geographic and parcel-context mapping.
Verified August 12, 2026: Chief Appraiser Corey Gillenwater, Tax Commissioner Sonya L. Jackson, official QPublic route, available property-record fields, TY2026 notice changes, July 31 appeal/exemption deadline, active 299C guidance, Georgia 40% assessment ratio, temporary August 9–16 tax-service interruption, Assessor/Tax Commissioner office routing, SAGIS and Superior Court Real Estate Division procedures were checked against current county and Georgia government sources.
CountyPropertyAppraiser.org is an independent informational website. It is not affiliated with Chatham County, the Chatham County Board of Assessors, Tax Commissioner, Board of Equalization, Superior Court Clerk, Savannah Area GIS, Georgia Department of Revenue, Schneider QPublic or the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority.
Owner names, parcel data, values, exemptions, tax bills, millage rates, appeal status, filing deadlines, payment services and recorded documents can change. Verify time-sensitive information with the responsible official office before paying taxes, filing an exemption, disputing value, purchasing property or relying on a land record.
Article slug: chatham-county-tax-assessor-property-search-by-name