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

Chatham County has roughly 125,000 parcels of land and is a major hotspot for real estate in Georgia’s coastal area. Its real estate market is diversified, driven by maritime logistics, student rentals from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and Savannah State University, and tourism. As the county seat, Savannah is home to multiple agencies responsible for maintaining property records. These include the Tax Commissioner’s Office, Board of Assessors, and Clerk of Superior Court.

While Chatham County has plenty of condos and historic apartments, single-family houses still dominate the local real property market. The housing landscape in the county is mostly centered in Savannah, Pooler, Port Wentworth, and Bloomingdale. Suburban communities, including Wilmington, Tybee, and Skidaway Island, also account for a high percentage of the area's residential real estate.

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How to Look Up Chatham County Property Records

Many online tools and offline methods are available for looking up property records in Chatham County. Depending on the type of record needed, individuals can find assessments, parcel data, and sales records maintained by the Board of Assessors and Tax Commissioner on the Property Record Search portal. Property tax information, bills, and payments are available through the Chatham County Tax Commissioner's online portal. The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA) portal helps provide public access to deeds, liens, and plats.

Certified copies of deeds or other real estate documents are available by contacting the Chatham County Clerk of Superior Court at (912) 434-8970 or visiting the Real Estate Division in Savannah.

Who Keeps Chatham County Property Records?

Pursuant to the Georgia Open Records Act, most property records in Chatham County are public, and anyone can inspect them. Responsibility for maintaining these records remains with the following agencies:

• Clerk of Superior Court: The clerk is tasked with indexing, recording, preserving, and providing access to real property records. These include liens, plats, deeds, and mortgages. The Office of the Superior Court Clerk ensures that property owners can track unauthorized filings through a free automated notification service called the Filing Activity Notification System (F.A.N.S).

• Tax Assessor’s Office: It is responsible for determining the fair market value for taxable real estate properties. The office compiles the county's annual tax digest, ensuring that the tax burden is distributed fairly among all property owners.

• Tax Commissioner: As the county’s chief financial collector, the tax commissioner bills property taxes, collects taxes, and distributes tax revenues.

How to Search Chatham Property Records Online

Individuals may follow these steps to retrieve property records in Chatham County electronically:

1. Locate the Parcel: Visit the Tax Commissioner’s Property Search portal and select a search parameter using address, owner name (first and last name), or property ID.

1. View the parcel details: Locate your property in the search results, and you will find information about the ownership lines, building details, and fair market values.

1. Pull the Recorded Documents: Enter the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA) Portal. Register an account and search by grantor/grantee name, property description, or the specific deed book and page number. Select the record to view it. Alternatively, you can print the certified PDF image scan of the recorded deed.

1. Open the SAGIS Portal: On the Savannah-Area Geographical Information System (SAGIS) Portal, tap on the outlined property boundary line to pull open an informational pop-up window.

1. Verify Property Tax Status: View property tax bills, outstanding balances, delinquent tax data, payment history, and collection status through the Tax Commissioner’s property search tool.

1. Request Certified Copies if Required: This may be requested through the Clerk of the Superior Court, Real Estate Division. Interested parties may visit the clerk’s office during regular business hours or submit a written request by mail. A fee is usually required through cash, check, or money order.

Clerk of Superior Court: Deeds, Mortgages, and Liens

The Superior Court Clerk is the custodian of real property documents. The office indexes, records, archives, and ensures these documents are available to the public when requested.

Tax Assessor: Ownership, Values, and Parcel Data

The Tax Assessor’s Office provides a finalized digest to the Tax Commissioner. It keeps records of parcel data, mapping information, property valuation, and characteristics for all properties in the county.

Tax Commissioner: Tax Bills and Payments

The Tax Commissioner maintains the public payment history portal and indicates if the property tax account is delinquent, current, or under a tax lien. It generates and mails out the annual tax bill through the records maintained by the tax assessor.

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

Chatham County establishes a property’s market value by determining the fair market value (FMV) on January 1 of the tax year. State law sets the assessment ratio at 40% of FMV. The assessed value is used to calculate taxes by applying the applicable mileage rates adopted by local taxing authorities. One mill equals $1 in tax for every $1,000 of assessed value.

• Assessed value = FMV x 40%

• Property tax due = assessed value x millage rate

Homestead Exemptions

• Basic Homestead Exemption: It lowers taxes for Chatham County residents who use their homes as their permanent primary location of residence. The basic home exemption automatically activates the local Stephens-Day Act. This protects homeowners from spikes in property taxes even when real estate prices skyrocket. This keeps the annual housing costs in check.

• Local Additions: The county has a specialized tax relief program that freezes a primary home-based assessment value. This is to protect against inflation in prices of real property. In addition, the Chatham County Schools Tax Relief Act extends the valuation freeze to education taxes. It guarantees that both county and school taxes remain predictable every year.

• CUVA & FLPA: CUVA means Conservation Use Land Agreement. It allows landowners to sign a 10-year deal committing to use their land for forestry, environmental preservation, or agriculture in exchange for substantial property tax relief.

The Forest Land Protection Act (FLPA) is a Georgia state tax incentive program (O.C.G.A. § 48-5-7.7) that allows landowners to dedicate their lands to timber production or natural habitat preservation.

Appealing an Assessment

Property owners who disapprove of their property assessments may appeal to the Chatham County Board of Assessors within 45 days of the date on their annual assessment notice. Appeals cannot be made online but delivered by mail or in person. Individuals must complete the PT-311A form and attach evidence such as comparable property sales, photographs, or a certified written appraisal dated January 1 of the tax year.

After the appeal is received, the Board of Assessors may make an adjustment to the assessment if necessary. If the decision does not change, it is referred to the Board of Equalization for further review. After this step, if the property owner is dissatisfied with the ruling made by the Board of Equalization, an appeal can be filed with the Superior Court within 30 days of the decision.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

Public access to property records in Chatham County is available on the county’s GIS Mapping System. The information available includes parcel boundaries, aerial imagery, ownership records, property characteristics, and tax parcel maps. Property information can be found using address, owner name, or parcel ID.

Foreclosure and Tax Sales

The Chatham County courthouse hosts public auctions to sell real estate with delinquent tax liens. This is done through a non-judicial disclosure, and deeds are sold via public outcry to the highest bidder. Nevertheless, the bidder cannot immediately claim ownership of the property because Georgia law mandates a statutory one-year redemption period.

During this timeframe, the original owner can reclaim the property by paying the bid amount, including a 20 percent penalty fee. Per state law (O.C.G.A. § 9-13-161), all county tax executions and sheriff's sales across Georgia take place on the first Tuesday of the month.

Right of Redemption

According to Georgia law, properties sold at the tax sale are tied to the statutory rights of redemption. Redeeming the property allows the property owner, lienholder, and anyone with interest in the property to pay the redemption amount to the tax sale purchaser. The redemption period begins on the date of the tax sale, lasting for at least 12 months. After this, the purchaser may follow legal procedures to foreclose and permanently own the property if it has not been enforced.

To redeem this property, the original property owner must pay the purchase price, allowable costs, and a statutory premium. The premium makes up 20% of the redemption amount during the first year after the sale. Additional premiums apply if redemption occurs after the first year.

Costs to Access Property Records

Certain fees apply when reviewing and recording property records in Chatham County according to Georgia Statutes (O.C.G.A., Section 15-6-77). The following include the fees charged for recording and accessing real estate documents in the county:

How to Record a Document

The public can take the following steps as a guide to recording a document in Chatham County:

1. Prepare the Document: Ensure you print the document on 8.5" x 11” paper as required by Georgia recording requirements. It must also contain the notary and witnesses' signatures accompanied by the PT-61 transfer deed form. This must be converted into a searchable PDF form before submitting it electronically.

2. Calculate Fees: Calculating fees accelerates the process, and a flat statutory fee of $25 is required per real property instrument. In addition, you must add a real estate transfer tax of $1 for every $1,000 of the property’s sales price, excluding assumed loans.

3. Submit to the Clerk: File the document with the Chatham County Clerk of Superior Court. This is possible through in-person visits, by mail, or any recognized e-recording vendor. After submission, the clerk reviews the document, collects recording fees, and issues a recording number. Upon filing the document is archived and logged into the county's permanent land records.

4. Retrieve a Copy of the Recorded Document: Recorded documents, including certified copies, may be obtained directly from the Chatham County Superior Court Clerk or through the partnered GSCCCA certification portal.

FAQs

Quick Reference: Your Chatham County Property Records Checklist

Key Contacts and Official Portals