Gwinnett County Property Tax Help for Homeowners Behind on Their Taxes
If you've fallen behind on your Gwinnett County property taxes — or you've received a notice from the Tax Commissioner — you have options, and the sooner you look at them, the more of them you have.
Georgia Tax Aid works with homeowners across Gwinnett County — Lawrenceville, Duluth, Norcross, Peachtree Corners, Suwanee, Buford, Snellville, Lilburn, Dacula, Sugar Hill, and every community in between — who are behind on property taxes and worried about what comes next.
In Gwinnett County, property taxes are billed and collected by the Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner (Tax Commissioner Denise R. Mitchell). When an account goes delinquent, that office can place a lien on your property and, if the taxes stay unpaid, sell the property at a public tax sale in Lawrenceville. That process moves in steps, and at every step before the sale, you still have choices.
A review of your situation is free, and there is no obligation. Call us at (678) 329-9288 and we'll look at your dates and your balance with you.
Behind on property taxes? You have options.
Every situation is different. When we talk, we walk through the paths that fit yours — including catching up on the taxes yourself if that's realistic. There is never a fee to talk and no obligation.
1. Stay in your home
In some situations, we can purchase the home and lease it back to you, so you can remain in the home while the tax problem is resolved and the property is brought current.
2. More time to transition
If you expect to move within about a year, a temporary rental arrangement can give you time to plan your next step instead of facing a rushed sale on the county's schedule.
3. Sell and move on
A direct sale to our team: the back taxes are handled at closing, you avoid the tax sale and its added costs, and you choose a closing date that works for you.
How Gwinnett County tax sales work
Understanding the process is the first step to protecting your home. In Gwinnett County:
- When property taxes go unpaid, the Tax Commissioner issues a tax lien — called a Fi. Fa. (short for Fieri Facias), also known as a tax execution — against the property. For real property, the Tax Commissioner must send the owner a 30-day notice before filing the lien, and a Fi. Fa. filing fee is added to the account.
- While only a lien is in place, the Tax Commissioner's office accepts partial payments — but it does not offer formal payment plans, and partial payments do not necessarily stop the property from moving toward levy and tax sale.
- After a levy, the picture tightens: only certified funds are accepted, and no partial payments are taken. Once a property is set for sale, the owner can still stop the sale by paying all taxes, costs, and fees — again, in certified funds only.
- Tax sales are held on the first Tuesday of a month, though the Tax Commissioner generally holds sales in only a few selected months each year. Sales take place in front of the Gwinnett Justice & Administration Center at 75 Langley Drive in Lawrenceville, and the properties are advertised in the Gwinnett Daily Post for four consecutive weeks before the sale. Owners — and mortgage and lien holders — also receive written notification. The Tax Commissioner's office currently shows a tax sale scheduled for Tuesday, December 1, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.
- After a tax sale, Georgia law gives the owner a 12-month right of redemption: the property can be recovered by paying the purchaser the amount paid at the sale, plus a 20% premium and certain allowed costs — including property taxes the purchaser paid after the sale (O.C.G.A. § 48-4-40 and § 48-4-42). After that year, the purchaser can foreclose the right of redemption, so the clock matters.
- If a property sells for more than the taxes and costs owed, the extra money — called excess funds — is held by the Tax Commissioner, and the record owner at the time of the sale can file a claim for it (O.C.G.A. § 48-4-5).
The earlier you act, the more options you have. Before a sale, there are simply more paths available than after one. If you've received a notice — or you're not sure where your property stands — call us at (678) 329-9288 and we'll look at your dates with you.
Common questions from Gwinnett County homeowners
I got a notice from the Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner. What does it mean?
It depends on the notice. A notice of intent to file a Fi. Fa. means the county is about to place a tax lien on your property — you have a short window before the lien is filed. A levy or tax sale notice means the process is further along and the deadlines are firmer. Either way, don't ignore it: the notice tells you where you are in the process, and where you are determines what can still be done. Call us at (678) 329-9288 and we'll walk through your notice with you, free.
Can I just make partial payments to the county?
Before a levy, the Tax Commissioner's office does accept partial payments — but it does not offer formal payment plans, and paying part of the balance does not necessarily keep your property from progressing to levy and tax sale. Once a property has been levied, partial payments are no longer accepted at all, and payment must be in certified funds. If partial payments aren't going to get you caught up in time, that's exactly the situation our three options are built for.
When and where is the next Gwinnett County tax sale?
Gwinnett County tax sales are held on the first Tuesday of a month, in front of the Gwinnett Justice & Administration Center, 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville. The Tax Commissioner doesn't hold a sale every month — generally only a few times a year. The office currently lists a sale for Tuesday, December 1, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., and the list of properties is advertised in the Gwinnett Daily Post for four consecutive weeks beforehand and posted by the Tax Commissioner's office. If your property is on that list, treat it as urgent.
My property was already sold at a tax sale. Is it too late?
Not necessarily. Georgia gives you a 12-month right of redemption after a tax sale — but redeeming means paying the purchaser the full amount paid at the sale plus a 20% premium and allowed costs, and after the year runs out the purchaser can cut off that right. If your property sold for more than was owed, you may also have excess funds on file with the Tax Commissioner that you can claim. Time matters in both directions, so reach out quickly and we'll review your timeline.
Do I have to sell my house?
No. The first step is understanding your situation and your options. For some homeowners, catching up on the taxes is realistic, and we'll tell you that honestly. If selling — or one of the stay-in-your-home paths — makes sense, we'll explain what that would look like. The decision is always yours.
Are you part of Gwinnett County or the government?
No. Georgia Tax Aid is a private service of DR Investing Group LLC. We are not a government agency, a law firm, or financial advisers, and we are not connected to the Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner's office. The information on this page is general information about the Gwinnett County and Georgia tax sale process, not legal or financial advice for your specific situation. For questions about your county tax account itself, the Tax Commissioner's Property Tax Department can be reached at 770-822-8800.
To see if you qualify, give us a call at (678) 329-9288 or fill out the form below
One of our representatives will be in touch with you shortly.