Section 48-5-23. Collection and payment of taxes on tangible property in installments; authorization; alternate procedure

   (a) (1) The governing authority of each county and of each municipal corporation is authorized to provide by appropriate resolution or ordinance for the collection and payment of ad valorem taxes, fees, or special assessments on tangible property other than motor vehicles in installments. If the governing authority of any county or municipal corporation elects to provide for installment payments, any ad valorem taxes, fees, or special assessments due the state, county, and county board of education or the municipality and any municipal board of education which are levied upon tangible property other than motor vehicles shall become due and payable as provided in this Code section.

   (2) The resolution or ordinance required pursuant to this subsection shall be adopted by the governing authority of the county or municipal corporation on or before December 31 for the next succeeding tax year. Any governing authority of a county or municipal corporation electing to collect such taxes, fees, or special assessments in installments shall file with the commissioner a certified copy of the appropriate resolution or ordinance within ten days of its adoption. The resolution or ordinance shall continue in full force and effect in all subsequent tax years unless repealed by the governing authority of the respective county or municipal corporation, in which case the governing authority shall notify the commissioner of the repeal within ten days after such action is taken.

(b) Notwithstanding that the governing authority of any county or municipal corporation, pursuant to this Code section, provides for the collection and payment of ad valorem taxes, fees, or special assessments on tangible property other than motor vehicles in installments based on the fraction of such taxes, fees, or special assessments levied on the property for the preceding tax year, the governing authority of any county or municipal corporation is further authorized to provide by appropriate resolution or ordinance for the collection and payment of ad valorem taxes, fees, or special assessments on tangible property other than motor vehicles in installments with a single billing for the current tax year based on the current final tax digest as authorized by the commissioner pursuant to Code Section 48-5-345, or on a temporary digest authorized by the judge of superior court pursuant to Code Section 48-5-310. The resolution or ordinance required by this subsection shall be adopted by the governing authority of the county or municipal corporation on or before December 31 for the next succeeding tax year. The resolution or ordinance shall be filed with the commissioner and shall continue in full force and effect as provided in subsection (a) of this Code section. Notification of the repeal of the resolution or ordinance shall be made as provided in subsection (a) of this Code section.

(c) The resolution or ordinance providing for such taxes, fees, or special assessments due and payable in installments on tangible property shall establish the due dates for the installments.

(d) Nothing contained in this Code section shall be construed to impose any liability for the payment of any ad valorem taxes, fees, or special assessments upon any person for property which was not owned on January 1 of the applicable tax year.

(e) (1) This Code section shall apply to all persons required by law to make annual tax returns of all their property in this state to the commissioner.

   (2) The governing authority of each county and of each municipal corporation is authorized to collect taxes, fees, or special assessments in accordance with the installment provisions of subsection (c) of this Code section even though no assessment has been placed on the subject tangible property for the tax year for which the installments are being collected.

   (3) Taxes, fees, or special assessments not paid when due under any installment authorized pursuant to this Code section shall bear interest at the rate provided by law for unpaid ad valorem taxes from the due date of any such installment. Any taxes, fees, or special assessments not paid in full by December 20 or 60 days from the date of billing, whichever comes later, of any year shall be subject to the penalties and interest provided by law.

(f) The governing authority of each county may by ordinance or resolution provide for an earlier due date for the final installment authorized by this Code section. When the governing authority elects to establish an earlier due date, the final installment shall bear interest at the rate specified in Code Section 48-2-40 from the earlier date so established.

Ga. L. 1974, p. 972, §§ 1-5; Ga. L. 1977, p. 622, §§ 1-5; Code 1933, § 91A-1028, enacted by Ga. L. 1978, p. 309, § 2; Ga. L. 1979, p. 5, §§ 28, 29; Ga. L. 1980, p. 10, § 12; Ga. L. 1996, p. 744, § 1; Ga. L. 2010, p. 1104, § 9-1/SB 346.