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Taxation

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Real Property Tax

Real property tax is assessed at 40 percent of the fair market value. This value is determined on an annual basis by the Cobb County Tax Assessor's office; for more information, visit www.cobbassessor.org.

Property located in the city limits of Acworth, Austell, Kennesaw, Marietta, Powder Springs or Smyrna is taxed by the city and county.  In unincorporated Cobb County, a fire service district tax of $2.96  per $1,000 of assessed value is applied.

State Income Tax

All residents of the State of Georgia and some nonresidents are subject to income taxes, currently sitting at 6 percent.  For more information on Georgia income tax, visit dor.georgia.gov.

Sales Tax

The Cobb County sales tax currently is at 6 percent. This percentage is made up of a four percent state sales tax and two one-percent special local option sales taxes (SPLOST).

Motor Vehicle Registration

For non-Georgia residents relocating to the state, your vehicle title, registration, license plate, and insurance need to be changed to Georgia within 30 days of moving. For most transfers, you will need:

  • Your Georgia Driver’s License
  • The title from your previous state, or registration if the title is held by a lien holder
  • A Georgia insurance policy
  • A Georgia emission inspection
  • Proof of name change (if different from your title)
  • All owners of the vehicle present or a Power of Attorney for those who are not
  • Funds for Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT) payment

TITLE AD VALOREM TAX†

TAVT is a one-time, per owner tax that is collected at the time the vehicle is titled. This tax applies to all title ownership changes, purchases or vehicles being brought into the state of Georgia by residents or new residents. For detailed information on TAVT, visit the Cobb County Tax Commissioner’s website Vehicle Taxes page.

†TAVT rates are set by the Georgia Department of Revenue (DOR). As-of 2018, it was determined that the TAVT rate will remain 7% indefinitely. TAVT rates are capped, by law, at 9.0%. See the Georgia DOR TAVT FAQ page for more information.

Utilities

The Cobb County Water System and city water distributors partner with a wholesale water provider, the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority, to distribute water to residents throughout the county.  Additionally, the Water System treats all sewer in the county. All customers are billed on a monthly basis for water and sewer fees based on use and the applicable rate per gallon. Residents residing in one of the six municipalities may be required to go through the city for activity and billing for water and sewer.

Cobb County, like much of Georgia, benefits from a utility industry that is deregulated – rates are consistently below national rates.  Georgia Power, Greystone Power, Marietta Power and Cobb EMC are electrical utility providers that operate in Cobb County.

Property Tax Millage

General Fund: 8.46

Fire Fund: 2.99

Debt Service Fund: 3.50

Cobb County School District: 18.70

*Non-school district Millage Rates applicable to residential property located in unincorporated Cobb County only. City tax rates vary based on jurisdiction.