Catoosa County, GA Property Records: Search Deeds, Owners, Tax Records, and Maps
Catoosa County has more than 28,000 parcels of land and approximately 6,900 personal property and mobile home records. The local property market is largely driven by lower tax rates, agriculture, and the school district quality. Custodians of 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 the majority of it concentrated in Fort Oglethorpe, Ringgold, and Lakeview. An average home listed in the county typically takes about 26 days to receive an offer. This is slightly faster than Georgia’s average.
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How to Look Up Catoosa County Property Records
There are several online portals where you can look up property records in Catoosa County. Use the GSCCCA Search portal for deeds, the County Tax Assessor portal to view property ownership, and the County Tax Commissioner’s Online Property Tax Payment portal for tax payment and delinquent tax.
To obtain copies of deeds and other official records, visit the Catoosa County Clerk of Superior Court courthouse in Ringgold. You can also call the office by phone at (706) 935-4231 to make inquiries about property records.
Office | Documents/Information Available | Online Portal |
|---|---|---|
Clerk of Superior Court | Deed, lien, mortgage, plat, easement, and other recorded estate filings | |
Tax Assessor | Property tax assessment data, parcel data, parcel map, appraisal data, and legal descriptions | |
Tax Commissioner | Property tax bills, collection records, payment history, and delinquent tax data |
Who Keeps Catoosa County Property Records?
Under the Georgia Open Records Act, most Catoosa County property records are public records unless exempt by law. The agencies responsible for maintaining property records for the county include the following:
Clerk of Superior Court: The Catoosa County Clerk of Superior Court keeps and maintains property-related documents including deeds, liens, plats, contracts, s and easements.
Tax Assessor’s Office: This office manages property tax assessment data, parcel maps, and parcel data.
Tax Commissioner: This office oversees the collection of all property taxes in the county, keeps and updates tax payment histories, and maintains delinquent tax data.
How to Search Catoosa County Property Records Online
You can search Catoosa County property records online by following the steps below:
Locate the Parcel: Proceed to the County Tax Assessor’s search system. Search the property by owner name, parcel ID, or property address.
Open the Parcel Details: Select the right parcel from the display results to view the property information. Information available to viewers may include the parcel number, owner’s name, property characteristics, legal description, maps, assessed value, and acreage.
Pull the Recorded Documents: You can access recorded deeds and other recorded property documents through the GSCCCA portal. This portal allows you to search by owner name or recording date.
Verify the Current Tax Status: To check for payment history or delinquent taxes, use the County Tax Commissioner’s search portal.
Request Certified Copies if Required: If needed, you can obtain a certified copy of recorded land records through the office of the Catoosa County Clerk of Superior Court. Fees may apply.
Clerk of Superior Court: Deeds, Mortgages, and Liens
The Clerk of Superior Court is the official custodian of Catoosa County's real estate records, including deeds, mortgages, plats, liens, and other recorded property documents.
Office | Catoosa County Clerk of Superior Court |
|---|---|
Address | 875 Lafayette Street, Ringgold, GA 30736 |
Phone | (706) 935-4231 |
Statewide Deed Search System | |
Search Parameters | Grantee name, grantor name, book and page number, recording date range, or county name |
Tax Assessor: Ownership, Values, and Parcel Data
Use the Catoosa County Tax Assessor search portal to get insight into property information and property appraisals used for tax assessments.
Office | Catoosa County Tax Assessor’s Office |
|---|---|
Address | County Admin Building, 798 Lafayette Street, Ringgold, GA 30736 |
Phone | (706) 965-3772 |
Search Portal | |
Annual Return Deadline | April 1 |
Tax Commissioner: Tax Bills and Payments
The Catoosa County Tax Commissioner’s Office collects property taxes and maintains tax billing records for the county.
Office | Catoosa County Tax Commissioner’s Office |
|---|---|
Address | 796 LaFayette St., Ringgold, GA 30736 |
Phone | (706) 965-2571 |
Tax Facts | |
Tax-Sale Schedule | First Tuesday of the month |
Property Tax in Catoosa County: Rates, Exemptions, and Appeals
In Catoosa County, the basis for property tax is the fair market value of the property, established as of January 1 of each year. The tax is levied on the assessed value of the property, which is 40% of the fair market value (FMV). The amount of tax is determined by various entities. Typically, one mil is equal to $1.00 for each $1,000 of assessed value.
Property tax due = assessed value x millage rate.
Assessed value = FMV x 40%
Homestead Exemptions
Basic Homestead Exemption: Homestead exemptions are designed to reduce the burden of property tax for Catoosa County homeowners by $2,000. To qualify for basic homestead exemptions, you have to own and occupy the property as your legal residence.
Local Additions: Local governments are authorized to provide locally administered exemptions. These include veterans exemptions and senior exemptions.
CUVA & FLPA: CUVA means Conservation Use Valuation Assessment. It is a Georgia property tax program that allows qualifying landowners to have eligible agricultural, conservation, or timber land assessed based on its conservation use rather than its fair market value. FLPA stands for Forest Land Protection Act. It is a similar program for qualifying forest land. CUVA requires a 10-year covenant, while FLPA requires a 15-year covenant.
Appealing an Assessment
If you disagree with your property assessment, you can appeal the assessed value through the Catoosa County Board of Tax Assessors. When the Board of Tax Assessors changes the value of property from the value in place for the preceding year, a notice of that change must be sent to the property owner. The property owner must appeal the change in value within 45 days of the date of mailing of the assessment notice.
An assessment appeal may be made on the basis of the taxability of the property or the uniformity of that value when compared to other similar properties in the county. When a property owner files an initial appeal, the owner must declare their chosen method of appeal. The three methods of appeal include the Board of Equalization, Hearing Officer, or Arbitration.
GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer
The GIS maps and parcel viewer is a tool used to view property boundaries, geographical data, and land ownership cards. This tool is maintained by the Catoosa County Tax Assessors. You can access the county’s GIS through the qPublic portal using the owner’s name, property address, or parcel number as the search parameter.
Foreclosure and Tax Sales
If property taxes remain unpaid, the Catoosa County Tax Commissioner may begin the tax execution process and sell the property at a tax sale. When a tax sale is scheduled, it is typically held on the first Tuesday of the month.
Right of Redemption
After a tax sale, the original owner of the property has at about 12 months to redeem the property by paying the required redemption amount. If the property is not redeemed within that period and the purchaser follows the required legal process, ownership rights may be transferred.
Costs to Access Property Records
Per Section 15-6-77 of the Georgia Code, the fees for accessing property records in Catoosa County are listed below:
Service Type | Fee (Georgia Statutory Schedule) |
|---|---|
Online parcel, tax, and GIS Searches | Free |
Deed recording (first page) | $25.00 |
Each additional recorded page | $2.00 |
Real estate transfer tax | $1.00 for the first $1,000 of consideration plus $0.1 or each additional $100 |
Intangible recording tax (security deeds) | $1.50 per $500 of the loan amount, with a $25,000 maximum tax |
Certified copies | $2.50 for certification plus $1.00 per copied page. Fees may vary slightly if you require additional services |
How to Record a Document
Follow these steps to record a property document in Catoosa County:
Prepare the Document: Ensure the document meets Georgia’s recording requirements, along with proper legal description and notary acknowledgment. For a property ownership transfer, include a completed PT-61 Real Estate Transfer Form.
Calculate Fees: Recording a document costs $25 for the first page, with an additional $2 charged for each extra page. Some transactions may also be subject to state taxes.
Submit to the Clerk: Submit the documents to the Catoosa County Clerk of Superior Court in person, by mail, or through the GSCCCA portal. Once submitted, the clerk will process the document and assign a recording number. Afterward, the document becomes part of the county’s real estate records.
Retrieve a Copy of the Recorded Document: Once processed, you can access recorded deeds directly from the Clerk of Superior Court or through the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority.
FAQs
Yes, access to Catoosa County property records is publicly available to anyone under Georgia’s Open Records Act. You can access these records through the County Clerk of Superior Court, the Tax Commissioner’s Office, and the Tax Assessor’s Office.
To calculate property taxes in Catoosa County, the county first determines a property's assessed value, which is 40% of its fair market value. Local millage rates are then applied to that amount to determine the tax bill.
In Catoosa County, a homestead exemption can lower the taxable value of a home for qualifying homeowners by $2,000. Because property taxes are calculated using the reduced assessed value, receiving a homestead exemption may lower the amount of property tax you owe.
A tax sale is one way Catoosa County collects overdue property taxes. When taxes remain unpaid, the property may be sold at a tax sale. Tax sales typically hold on the first Tuesday of the month. Under Georgia law, the original owner has at least 12 months to redeem the property by paying the required amount.
In Georgia, the Conservation Use Value Assessment (CUVA) allows qualifying landowners to receive lower property taxes by keeping their land in an approved conservation or agricultural use for 10 years. Instead of being taxed at its full market value, the land is taxed based on its conservation use value.
Quick Reference: Your Catoosa County Property Records Checklist
Task | Action |
|---|---|
Verify ownership | Search the qPublic portal. Review the parcel record and confirm ownership with the most recent deed recorded by the Clerk of Superior Court |
Pull a deed copy | Look up the deed through the GSCCCA portal and download the image if available. You can also request a copy from the Clerk of Superior Court |
Check the tax bill | View current tax bills and other tax-related information through the County Tax Commissioner’s Property Tax Search Portal |
File a homestead exemption | Apply for a homestead exemption by submitting the required documents and proof that the property is your primary residence to the Tax Assessor’s Office by April 1 of the current tax year |
Appeal your assessment | After reviewing your assessment notice, file a written appeal with the County Board of Tax Assessors within 45 days of the date printed on the annual assessment notice |
Record a new document | Prepare the document to meet Georgia’s recording requirements, pay the applicable recording fees, and submit the document to the Clerk of Superior Court |
Key Contacts and Official Portals
Office | Details |
|---|---|
Catoosa County Clerk of Superior Court | 875 Lafayette Street, Ringgold, GA 30736, (706) 935-4231 |
Catoosa County Tax Assessor | County Admin Building, 798 Lafayette Street, Ringgold, GA 30736, (706) 965-3772, qpublic.net/ga/Catoosa |
Catoosa County Tax Commissioner | 796 LaFayette St., Ringgold, GA 30736, (706) 965-2571 |
Georgia Superior Court Clerk’s Cooperative Authority | 1875 Century Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30345, (404) 327-9058, search.gsccca.org/RealEstate |
Georgia Department of Revenue (Property Tax) |