Section 48-5-20. Effect of failure to return taxable property; acquisition of real property by transfer; penalty for failure to make timely return

   (a) (1) Any taxpayer of any county who returned or paid taxes in the county for the preceding tax year and who fails to return his property for taxation for the current tax year as required by this chapter shall be deemed to have returned for taxation the same property as was returned or deemed to have been returned in the preceding tax year at the same valuation as the property was finally determined to be subject to taxation in the preceding year. Each such taxpayer shall also be deemed to have claimed the same homestead exemption and personal property exemption as allowed in the preceding year.

   (2) Any taxpayer of any county who acquired real property by transfer in the preceding tax year for which a properly completed real estate transfer tax form has been filed and the real estate transfer tax required under Article 1 of Chapter 6 of this title has been paid, and where no subdivision of the real property has occurred at the time of transfer, shall be deemed to have returned for taxation the same real property as was acquired by transfer at the same valuation as the real property was finally determined to be subject to taxation in the preceding year. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to relieve the taxpayer of the responsibility to file a new timely claim for a homestead exemption and personal property exemption or to file a timely return where improvements have been made to the real property since it was last returned for taxation.

(b) Any penalty prescribed by this title or by any other law for the failure of a taxpayer to return his property for taxation within the time provided by law shall apply only to the property:

   (1) Which the taxpayer did not return prior to the expiration of the time for making returns; and

   (2) Which the taxpayer has acquired since his last tax return or which represents improvements on existing property since his last return.

(c) Reserved.

Code 1933, § 92-6202.1, enacted by Ga. L. 1969, p. 960, § 1; Ga. L. 1970, p. 278, § 1; Code 1933, § 91A-1015, enacted by Ga. L. 1978, p. 309, § 2; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1643, § 2; Ga. L. 1994, p. 237, § 2.