The Homestead Exemption is available to legal residents of Georgia for their primary homes. You are able to claim a partial exemption, which can amount to substantial property tax savings. Senior citizens may have additional exemptions available. Check with your county tax office. You are entitled to the Homestead Exemption if you owned and occupied your home by January 1^st. The Homestead Exemption filing deadline is March 1^st.You can file at anytime during the year after the closing; however, if you purchase after January 1, the filing will be in effect for the subsequent calendar year. You may download the Homestead Exemption Application from most of the websites below.