Definitions of State Property Codes (from the State of Georgia Department of Revenue)
*Note: Properties with codes C, E, P and V are subject to the Atlanta Commercial Buildings Energy Efficiency Ordinance. Parties that are unaware of or wish to confirm a property code can do so at the Fulton or DeKalb Tax Assessor’s website.
The following information is from the Georgia Department of Revenue.
Property Classifications
The consolidation sheets have a section for each use classification of property. These sections refer to the established classes set out in the Department’s Rules and Regulations:
R – Residential
Classification of all land utilized, or best suited to be utilized as a single family homesite, the residential improvements and other non-residential homesite improvements thereon. Duplexes and triplexes are also classified as residential use.
T – Residential Transitional
Classification of land and improvements located in areas that are changing from residential to business use and thus experiencing unusually high value growth. Owners of this type property may enter into a ten-year covenant and receive a reduced assessment based on the current residential use rather than the prospective business use. No more than five acres under the taxpayer’s home can be put into a residential transitional covenant. There are substantial penalties for selling the homesite for commercial development before the expiration of the ten-year covenant.
A – Agricultural
Classification of all real and personal property utilized, or best suited to be utilized, as a farm unit. Includes the single family homesite which is an integral part of the farm unit, the farm family residence, the non-residential homesite improvements, the non-homesite farm land and the production and storage improvements (barns, silos, etc.). This use classification also includes the personal property owned and used on the farm unit (tractors, livestock, grain, etc.) and the nonfarm use personal property (boats, 4-wheelers, etc.) of the family residing in the farm home. For information on conservation use assessment of agricultural land click here.
P – Preferential
Classification of covenanted agricultural properties. By entering into a ten-year covenant and devoting the property to an agricultural use, the owners may receive a 25% preferential assessment discount on land and improvements put into this program.
V – Conservation Use
Classification of covenanted agricultural properties. Similar to Preferential, owners of agricultural land and improvements may elect to enter into the conservation use program and have their property valued based on its current use as farmland rather than its prospective use as residential or commercial land. The owner must enter into a ten year covenant and will have their land valued according to a table developed by the State. There are substantial penalties for selling the land for residential or commercial development before the expiration of the ten-year covenant.
B – Brownfield Property
Classifies all land and improvements receiving preferential assessment under O.C.G.A. Section 485-7.6 due to its release of hazardous waste, constituents, and substances into the environment.
W – Environmentally Sensitive
Classification of environmentally sensitive lands, such as wildlife refuges, wetlands, mountain ridges, etc., under a ten-year covenant. Owners have the opportunity to have the land valued according to the table of conservation use values developed by the state for agricultural properties. The owners of this property do not have to devote the land to an agricultural use, however, they may not use it in a way that is destructive to the property or has an adverse environmental affect.
C – Commercial
Classification of all real and personal property utilized as a business unit the primary nature of which is the exchange of goods and services at either the wholesale or retail level. Also includes multi-family dwelling units having four or more units.
H – Historic
Up to two acres of land and improvements may receive a reduced preferential assessment if it is a landmark or is historic in nature and has been rehabilitated by the owner. This is the classification for the properties where the owners have been granted this preferential assessment.
I – Industrial
Classification of all real and personal property utilized as a business unit the primary nature of which is the manufacture or processing of goods destined for wholesale or retail sale.
U – Utility
Classification of the property of companies which are required to file an ad valorem tax return with the Revenue Commissioner; includes all the real and personal property of railroad companies, railroad equipment car companies, public utility companies and the flight equipment of airlines companies.
E – Exempt Property
Classification of property totally exempted from ad valorem taxation. This includes non-profit homes for the aged, public property, places of religious worship, property used for charitable purposes, places of religious burial, charity hospitals, educational institutions, etc.
S – State Exemptions
Classification of partial property exemptions such as homestead exemptions, disabled veterans, Freeport, covenanted agricultural property, personal property less than $7,500, residential transitional property, conservation use property, etc.
L- Local Exemptions
Classification of partial property exemptions such as homestead exemptions that are local to the county and not applied statewide
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