deedplatState guides / Georgia / Clarke County
Clarke County property data
Where Clarke County's property records live, how its tax and foreclosure sales work, and what Deedplat puts on one map, including Athens-Clarke County.
- 3Cities and towns
Where the records are
The county offices an investor deals with in Clarke County, and what each one puts online.
Deeds and mortgages
Clarke County Clerk of Superior and State Courts. Recorded deeds are indexed in the statewide GSCCCA real estate index, where name and book-page searches are available and some searches are premium; older Clarke County deeds from 1801 to 1984 are on Kofile QuickLinks with a free account, but images must be purchased to view clearly.
Owners and values
Athens-Clarke County Tax Assessor. Owner, value and parcel information can be searched free on the Assessor's qPublic property record site.
Tax sales
Athens-Clarke County Tax Commissioner, Delinquent Tax Division. The Tax Commissioner links an online tax sale list from its Tax Sales page, and sale notices run in the legal section of the Athens Banner-Herald.
Foreclosure sales
Athens-Clarke County Sheriff. Georgia mortgage foreclosures are advertised in the county legal newspaper, the Athens Banner-Herald, rather than on a county foreclosure list.
Parcel maps
Athens-Clarke County Interactive Map and GIS. The Unified Government's free interactive ArcGIS map shows parcels and other county map layers.
How property is sold here
Clarke County follows Georgia's rules, with its own calendar and offices. Read the Georgia guide for how the state works.
Tax sales
Georgia sells the property itself at tax sales, with a redemption right: the buyer gets a tax deed, and the owner can redeem by paying the price plus a premium until the buyer forecloses the right of redemption, which can start 12 months after the sale. In Athens-Clarke County the Tax Commissioner acts as ex officio sheriff and holds tax sales at 10:00 AM on the first Tuesday of the month, ordinarily in front of the courthouse, as a public outcry auction with an opening bid equal to the taxes plus costs, paid at the sale by cashier's or certified check. Each sale is advertised for four weeks in the legal section of the Athens Banner-Herald, and sales are not held every month.
Foreclosure sales
Georgia mortgage foreclosures are nonjudicial sales under power held on the first Tuesday of the month at the Clarke County Courthouse in Athens between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Notices run once a week for four weeks in the county legal newspaper, the Athens Banner-Herald.
Assessed values
The Athens-Clarke County Board of Tax Assessors values property each year as of January 1, and owners can appeal through the Assessor's office.
Transfer tax
Georgia charges a real estate transfer tax of $1.00 per $1,000 of value ($0.10 per $100), paid when the deed is recorded, and Athens-Clarke County adds no local transfer tax.
Land bank
The Athens-Clarke County Land Bank Authority, created under Georgia's land bank law and staffed by the Housing and Community Development Department, can acquire and transfer tax-delinquent and vacant property.
Worth knowing
Athens and Clarke County are one consolidated government (the Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County), so county and city offices are the same; the separate town of Winterville sits inside the county.
Worth knowing
If a tax sale buyer bids more than the taxes owed, the excess funds are held by the Tax Commissioner and can be claimed by the owner or lienholders.
Worth knowing
The University of Georgia drives a large student rental market in Athens.
Every town in Clarke County
The cities, towns and townships inside the county line.
- Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance)
- Bogart town
- Winterville city
Questions
Where are deeds recorded in Clarke County?
Deeds are recorded by the Clerk of Superior and State Courts, 325 E. Washington St., Suite 450, Athens. Recorded deeds can be searched in Georgia's statewide GSCCCA real estate index.
When is the Clarke County tax sale?
Athens-Clarke County tax sales start at 10:00 AM on the first Tuesday of the month, usually in front of the courthouse, when a sale is scheduled. Each sale is advertised for four weeks in the Athens Banner-Herald legal ads.
How do I find who owns a property in Clarke County?
Search the Athens-Clarke County Tax Assessor's free qPublic property record site by owner, address or parcel number. The deed itself is with the Clerk of Superior Court.
Are Clarke County property records online?
Yes. Assessor records and parcel maps are free online, recent deeds are indexed in the statewide GSCCCA system, and older deeds back to 1801 are on Kofile QuickLinks.
Sources for this guide
Office hours, fees and sale dates change. We checked these sources in October 2026; confirm with the county before you act.
Every parcel in Clarke County, on one map
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