← Back to Chatham County Property Taxes
Georgia provides one of the more generous property tax exemptions in the country for disabled veterans and certain surviving spouses — a statewide benefit that applies in Chatham County just as it does everywhere else.
Who Qualifies
You qualify for the Disabled Veterans Homestead Exemption (O.C.G.A. §48-5-48) if you are a veteran who is:
- Rated 100% totally and permanently disabled by the VA due to a service-connected condition, or
- Rated as having lost (or lost the use of) one or both hands or feet, or has permanent vision loss in both eyes as a result of service-connected injury
The exemption amount is set annually based on a federal VA index and applies against the assessed value used for county, school, and municipal taxes. For 2025 the maximum exemption is $121,812 of assessed value — enough to eliminate most or all property tax liability on a typical Chatham County home.
This exemption also extends to:
- The unremarried surviving spouse (or minor children, if no spouse) of a qualifying disabled veteran, provided they continue to occupy the home as their primary residence
- The unremarried surviving spouse of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces killed in action, under a related but separate provision
How and When to Apply
File with the Chatham County Board of Assessors, 222 West Oglethorpe Ave., Suite 113, Savannah, GA 31401, (912) 652-7271. Deadline: April 1 of the tax year. Bring:
- Georgia driver’s license or ID showing the property address
- VA disability award letter (or Summary of Benefits letter) confirming the qualifying rating
- DD-214 or other discharge documentation, if requested
- For surviving spouses: documentation of the veteran’s qualifying status and proof of the applicant’s unremarried status
You must own and occupy the home as your primary residence. This exemption can be applied for at the same time as (and is separate from) a standard homestead exemption. Once approved, it renews automatically; the dollar amount is adjusted periodically based on the federal VA compensation index, so the exact figure can change year to year.
Confirm the current-year maximum exemption amount and documentation requirements with the Chatham County Board of Assessors (912-652-7271). Questions about how this affects your home search? Contact us.
