Bulloch County, GA Property Records: Search Deeds, Owners, Tax Records, and Maps

Bulloch County has over 35,000 parcels of land and has one of the most active real estate markets in Southeast Georgia. The local property market is largely driven by agriculture and the student rental market, courtesy of Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, the county seat. Agencies responsible for maintaining property records in the county include the County Clerk of Superior Court, the Tax Commissioner’s Office, and the Tax Assessor’s Office.

The county’s housing stock is dominated by single-family homes, with Statesboro, Brooklet, Nevils, and Portal accounting for the bulk of the inventory. Brooklet, Nevils, and Portal also have a large concentration of the housing stock. It takes an average of 55 to 65 days for a typical listed home in Bulloch County to receive an offer. This is slightly faster than Georgia’s average.

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How to Look Up Bulloch County Property Records

Depending on the information needed, several online portals are available to help users look up property records in Bulloch County. For property ownership and assessment information, use the Tax Assessor’s Public Portal. If the information sought relates to property taxes, the best resource is the Property Tax Online Search tool provided by the Tax Commissioner. The GSCCCA Search portal provides public access to recorded land documents, such as liens and deeds.

For certified copies of recorded land documents and other real estate filings, contact the Bulloch County Clerk of Superior Court at (912) 764-9009 or visit the office in Statesboro.

Who Keeps Bulloch County Property Records?

Almost all property records in Bulloch County are public documents under the Georgia Open Records Act. These records are maintained by the following county agencies:

• Clerk of Superior Court: The Clerk of Superior Court in Bulloch County keeps legal property documents, such as deeds, liens, mortgages, easements, subdivision plats, property transfer records, and satisfaction and release documents. It also maintains the county’s real estate index from January 1, 1999.

• Tax Assessor’s Office: It maintains ownership and assessment data, such as assessed values, property tax assessment data, land characteristics, parcel ID numbers, homestead exemption status, and names of property owners. This office determines property taxability, value, and equalization of all assessments in Bulloch County.

• Tax Commissioner: The Tax Commissioner’s Office handles tax billing and collections and processes applications for homestead exemptions. It maintains tax bills, delinquent tax data, tax collection records, and payment history.

How to Search Bulloch County Property Records Online

You can search Bulloch County property records online by taking these steps:

1. Locate the Parcel: Open the Tax Assessor’s qPublic and search the property by owner name, parcel ID, subdivision name, or property address. You’ll see matching parcels with assessment and basic ownership information in the search results.

2. Open the Parcel Details: Open the matching parcel from the search results to view the property record card. You will find details such as the parcel number, owner’s name, property characteristics, legal description, maps, assessed value, and acreage.

3. Pull the Recorded Documents: Use the GSCCCA Search portal to find deeds, plats, mortgages, and other recorded property documents. This portal allows users to search by owner name, recording date, or book and page reference.

4. Verify the Current Tax Status: Open the Tax Commissioner’s Property Tax Search portal to review tax information and confirm the current tax balances, assessed value, payment history, delinquent taxes, and exemptions.

5. Request Certified Copies if Required: If you need a certified copy of any recorded land records, contact the Bulloch County Clerk of Superior Court by phone or visit the office in Statesboro. This typically comes at a fee.

Clerk of Superior Court: Deeds, Mortgages, and Liens

The Clerk of Superior Court in Bulloch County records official real estate documents and maintains other instruments affecting title and property ownership.

Tax Assessor: Ownership, Values, and Parcel Data

The Tax Assessor’s Office identifies, appraises, and maintains records for all taxable property in Bulloch County. It keeps information regarding parcel maps, ownership, assessed values, homestead exemptions, and property characteristics.

Tax Commissioner: Tax Bills and Payments

In Bulloch County, the Tax Commissioner’s Office collects property taxes, processes tax payments, maintains tax billing records, and administers tax sales.

Property Tax in Bulloch County: Rates, Exemptions, and Appeals

Bulloch County considers a property’s fair market value (FMV) as of January 1 each year in determining property taxes. Each property is assessed at 40% of its FMV. The resulting assessed value is then multiplied by the millage rate (mill) set by the county. Note that 1 mill is equivalent to $1 of tax for every $1,000 of a property’s assessed value.

• Property tax due = assessed value x millage rate

• Assessed value = FMV x 40%

Homestead Exemptions

• Basic Homestead Exemption: Under Georgia law, homeowners who occupy a property in Bulloch County as their primary residence may be eligible for the basic homestead exemption, which removes $2,000 from the property’s assessed value. This reduces the overall tax burden. Eligible homeowners can apply through the Tax Assessor’s Office.

• Local Additions: Residents may also qualify for other locally administered exemptions. These include school tax exemptions for eligible seniors, senior exemptions for homeowners 62 or older, and additional exemptions for homeowners 65 or older who meet income requirements.

• CUVA & FLPA: CUVA stands for Conservation Use Valuation Assessment, while FLPA is short for Forest Land Protection Act. CUVA is a program designed for substantial tax savings through a 10-year covenant. It allows qualifying agricultural and environmentally sensitive land to be assessed according to its current use, rather than its market value.

FLPA provides a similar preferential assessment program for qualifying tracts of forest land but taxes eligible parcels based on forestry use rather than potential development value. This reduces the annual tax obligation.

Appealing an Assessment

If you disagree with an assessment, file an appeal with the Bulloch County Board of Tax Assessors within 45 days of the date listed on your annual assessment notice. Be sure to provide proof such as comparable sales, evidence of factual errors, or appraisals.

Typically, the Board reviews the appeal and issues a decision. However, if the assessment is not adjusted, the appeal is assigned to the County Board of Equalization for a hearing. If you are dissatisfied with the decision issued by the Board of Equalization, appeal to County Superior Court.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

The county’s Geographic Information System (GIS) is maintained by the Bulloch County GIS office under the Tax Assessor’s Office. This public GIS and parcel view provide property and mapping information such as tax parcel maps, parcel boundaries, aerial imagery, property ownership data, and lot dimensions.

You can access the county’s GIS through qPublic or GIS Data Hub. Both platforms allow you to look up properties by owner name, address, or parcel number. You can also navigate directly on an interactive map.

Foreclosure and Tax Sales

The O.C.G.A., Title 48, authorizes the Bulloch County Tax Commissioner to sell tax-delinquent properties through tax executions and tax sales. Tax-delinquent properties are those whose taxes remain unpaid. The county holds tax sales first Tuesday of the scheduled sale month.

Right of Redemption

Under Georgia law, a property owner retains a statutory right of redemption after the tax sale. This right exists for at least 12 months and allows a property owner or lienholder to reclaim the property after paying the required redemption amount to the tax-sale buyer.

In addition to paying the legally required redemption amount, a statutory 20% premium applies during the first year. Additional premiums will accrue in later years for any redemption that happens after the first year.

Costs to Access Property Records

Recording fees and other fees associated with accessing Bulloch County property records are authorized by the O.C.G.A., Section 15-6-77. The county charges these fees when you record or access property documents or related records:

How to Record a Document

Take these steps to record a property document in Bulloch County:

1. Prepare the Document: Ensure the document meets Georgia’s recording requirements. It is important to accompany the filing with a completed PT-61 Real Estate Transfer Form if the document transfers real property.

2. Calculate Fees: Calculating recording fees before filing property documents helps prevent processing delays. The recording fee for most deeds is $25 for the first page and $2 for each additional page. Note that additional fees may apply, depending on the type of documents you intend to record.

3. Submit to the Clerk: Submit the prepared document to the Bulloch County Clerk of Superior Court in person, by mail, or through any approved e-recording vendor. Once submitted, the Clerk’s Office reviews the document, collects recording fees, and assigns a recording number. Afterward, the document is registered and becomes part of the county’s real estate records.

4. Retrieve a Copy of the Recorded Document: You may retrieve a copy of the recorded document by submitting a request directly to the Clerk of Superior Court or through GSCCCA.

FAQs

Quick Reference: Your Bulloch County Property Records Checklist

Key Contacts and Official Portals