State records guide
Title research in Georgia
Facts below are taken from official Georgia state and county pages and a federal Census guide, each linked, each checked on the date shown. General information, not legal advice.
A Georgia title search runs through the clerk of superior court in one of 159 counties. The Attorney General's page says lenders can foreclose without a judge, on the first Tuesday of the month. County pages describe a sheriff's tax deed as lien-like until redemption is foreclosed by notice, which can begin after twelve months.
What a Georgia title search has to account for
| Where deeds are recorded | A deed, security instrument or other writing is recorded in the office of the clerk of the superior court, and the real estate transfer tax must be paid before it can be recorded. Once the tax is paid, the clerk or a deputy attaches a certification that the tax has been paid. Source: Georgia Department of Revenue, Real Estate Transfer Tax, checked 2026-11-06. |
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| Recording jurisdictions | Georgia has 159 counties; the Census guide says six are not considered functioning because each has consolidated its services with an incorporated place, and it does not address clerks of court. The search is run in the county where the parcel sits. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Georgia state and local geography guide, checked 2026-11-06. |
| Mortgage foreclosure process | Georgia is a non-judicial foreclosure state: the lender can foreclose without filing suit or appearing in court before a judge, following Official Code of Georgia Sections 44-14-162 through 44-14-162.4. The sale is held on the courthouse steps on the first Tuesday of the month between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Source: Georgia Attorney General, Mortgage and Foreclosure Information, checked 2026-11-06. |
| Delinquent property tax sales | The Greene County page linked states that the sheriff's tax deed, not the property, is sold to the highest bidder. Until the right of redemption has been foreclosed, that tax deed has about the same effect as a lien. Source: Greene County, Georgia, Delinquent Property Tax Sale, checked 2026-11-06. |
| Redemption after a tax sale | DeKalb County's page says the taxpayer or anyone with a right, title, interest or lien in the property may redeem within 12 months of the tax sale by paying the amount paid for the tax deed plus later taxes paid, plus 20% for the first year or fraction of a year and 10% for each additional year or fraction until redemption. The purchaser receives no rents or profits during that period. Source: DeKalb County, Georgia, Tax Commissioner, Tax Sales General Information, checked 2026-11-06. |
Where are Georgia deeds recorded?
Georgia records deeds in the office of the clerk of the superior court. The Department of Revenue page linked above says the real estate transfer tax must be paid before a deed, security instrument or other writing can be recorded, and the clerk or a deputy then attaches a certification that it was paid. That page sends questions about taxability and exemptions to the clerk of superior court in the county.
Georgia has 159 counties, and the report runs the search in the county where the parcel sits. The Attorney General's page linked above calls the security instrument a deed to secure debt, commonly referred to as a mortgage, and says it is cancelled on the day the loan is paid off. The report traces the chain of title as far back as the county's records go, with document images of the key instruments, and verifies its findings with the tax office, recorder and courts.
How does a Georgia lender foreclose without a court?
Georgia is a non-judicial foreclosure state. The Attorney General's page linked above says the lender can foreclose without filing suit or appearing before a judge; it says the procedure is spelled out in the Official Code of Georgia, Sections 44-14-162 through 44-14-162.4, and that the sale happens on the courthouse steps on the first Tuesday of the month between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
The Attorney General's page linked above states that the holder must send the borrower notice at least 30 days before the sale, publish notice in the official county newspaper for public announcements for four consecutive weeks before it, and file proof with the clerk that it owns title to the security instrument before the sale starts, and that the mortgage holder signs a deed of foreclosure to the winning bidder. An auction title report reports the foreclosing lien's position, the liens that would survive the sale, and the total cost to own in dollars. DeKalb County's tax page adds that a tax lien against real property is superior to all other liens. This page states no redemption period after a Georgia foreclosure sale because none appears in the sources above. What rights remain after a sale is for a Georgia attorney.
What does a Georgia tax deed convey?
The Greene County page linked above states that the sheriff's tax deed, not the property, is sold to the highest bidder, and that until the right of redemption has been foreclosed that deed has, in its words, about the same equivalent as a lien. The DeKalb County page calls what the purchaser receives defeasible title, and says full ownership is not acquired until the redemption period has elapsed and proper procedures are followed. Greene County recommends that a purchaser seek legal advice about a petition to quiet title after the right is foreclosed, and points readers to Title 48, Chapters 3 and 4 of the Code.
The same page states that possession of, improvements to and eviction of any tenants on the property are not allowed immediately by the purchaser, and that redemption puts the title conveyed by the tax sale back to the owner of record, subject to all liens that existed at the time of the tax sale. The report states the surviving liens, taxes and assessments in dollars for the bidder's attorney.
How long can a Georgia owner redeem after a tax sale?
At least twelve months, on the county pages linked. DeKalb says the taxpayer, or anyone with a right, title, interest or lien in the property, may redeem within twelve months of the sale, at the amount paid for the tax deed plus later taxes, plus 20% for the first year or fraction of a year and 10% for each additional year or fraction until redemption. Greene County says the price may also include special assessments.
The DeKalb County page linked above states that after twelve months the purchaser may begin to bar or foreclose the right of redemption by proper notice served on all parties with recorded interests, that additional fees may apply for sheriff's service and advertising, and that the purchaser is not entitled to rents or profits during the redemption period. Greene County describes that notice as mail and newspaper publication, so it may not appear in the deed records. Where a Georgia tax deed appears in the chain, the report flags it for the client's attorney, who decides whether the right to redeem has ended.
What does a Georgia title search look for after a death?
A probate title search finds the decedent's property by name and reports vesting at death and how title passes: joint tenancy, a transfer on death deed, a trust or a life estate. Georgia's probate courts handle wills and estates, so the search reads the land records for any deed or order recorded from an estate.
This page does not state Georgia's rules on who inherits. Whether a deed out of an estate was enough to pass title is for a Georgia attorney.
Which package fits a Georgia property?
Every package covers Georgia property wherever it is recorded. Pick by situation:
- Probate law firm: Find every property a decedent held, how it was vested and what has to be paid before it passes. $595 per estate.
- Real estate law firm: A preliminary report with schedule-style exceptions and print-ready exhibits for your matter. $695 per property.
- Builders and developers: Multi-parcel research on access, easements, restrictions, mineral reservations and entity ownership. $995 first parcel.
- Auction buyer: Know the total cost to own, which liens survive the sale and whether to bid at all. $395 for 1 property.
- Home buyer: Confirm the seller owns the home and learn what has to be cleared before you pay. $449 per property.
- Home seller: Find the old mortgage, judgment or name mismatch before a buyer's title company does. $449 per property.
Questions about Georgia title research
Which office records deeds in Georgia?
Deeds, security instruments and other writings are recorded in the office of the clerk of the superior court, and Georgia has 159 counties. The Georgia Department of Revenue page linked on this page explains that a deed or security instrument cannot be recorded until the real estate transfer tax is paid, after which the clerk or a deputy attaches a certification that the tax has been paid. A Georgia title search is run on the county where the parcel sits.
How does a Georgia foreclosure sale work?
Georgia is a non-judicial foreclosure state, and the Attorney General's page linked above says the lender can foreclose without filing suit or appearing before a judge, under Official Code of Georgia Sections 44-14-162 through 44-14-162.4. The sale is held on the courthouse steps on the first Tuesday of the month between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. The page also calls for notice to the borrower at least 30 days before the sale and four weeks of newspaper notice.
What does the high bidder receive at a Georgia tax sale?
On the county pages linked, the bidder receives a sheriff's tax deed, and the Greene County page linked above states that until the right of redemption has been foreclosed that deed has about the same equivalent as a lien. The same page states that possession, improvements and eviction of tenants are not allowed immediately by the purchaser, and that redemption puts the title back to the owner of record subject to all liens that existed at the time of the tax sale.
How long does a Georgia owner have to redeem after a tax sale?
At least twelve months. DeKalb County's page says the taxpayer or anyone with a right, title, interest or lien may redeem within twelve months of the sale, at the tax deed price plus later taxes, plus 20% for the first year or fraction and 10% for each additional year or fraction until redemption. After twelve months the purchaser may begin to bar or foreclose the right by proper notice on all parties with recorded interests, and fees may be added.
What is a deed to secure debt in a Georgia title search?
The Attorney General's foreclosure page linked above describes the deed to secure debt as the loan document commonly referred to as a mortgage, and says it is cancelled on the day the loan is paid off. That page says a loan may be assigned at any time, so the last recorded assignment may not name the current holder. The report states what it finds of record with images.
How many counties does a Georgia title search have to cover?
Georgia has 159 counties, and the Census Bureau guide linked above notes that six are not considered functioning because each has consolidated its services with an incorporated place. That guide speaks to government services and does not address clerks of court. The search covers the county where the property is located, and the report verifies its findings with the tax office, recorder and courts.