How to Do a City of Atlanta Property Search: A Practical Guide for Residents and Visitors

Looking up property information in the City of Atlanta can help you check who owns a house, estimate taxes, research a neighborhood, or prepare for a purchase or renovation. Atlanta’s property records are public, but knowing where to search and what each office does saves a lot of time.

This guide walks you through how property search works specifically in Atlanta, Georgia—which tools to use, how the city and county roles fit together, and what to expect from each type of search.

Key Things to Know About Property Records in Atlanta

Before you start searching, it helps to understand how Atlanta’s property system is organized:

• Atlanta is a city, not a county.
  Most official real estate records are kept at the county level, not by the City of Atlanta alone.

• The City of Atlanta lies in multiple counties, mainly:

  • Fulton County (includes most of the city, including Downtown, Midtown, Buckhead, Westside)
  • DeKalb County (includes parts of East Atlanta, Kirkwood, East Lake, and other eastside neighborhoods)

• When you search for Atlanta property information, you may need to:

  • Use city tools (zoning, permits, code enforcement), and
  • Use county tools (ownership, tax assessments, deeds).

Understanding which office handles what will make your City of Atlanta property search much easier.

Types of Property Information You Can Search For

When people say “property search,” they may be looking for different things. In Atlanta, you can usually find:

• Property ownership and mailing address
• Assessed value and property tax information
• Deeds, liens, and recorded documents
• Zoning and land use information
• Building permits and inspection history
• Code violations or complaints
• Homestead exemptions and tax appeal details

Different departments and websites handle each area, so it helps to decide what you need first.

1. Finding Basic Property Details (Owner, Value, Taxes)

For most Atlanta properties, you begin with the county tax assessor’s property search. Because Atlanta spans Fulton and DeKalb Counties, you must know which county the property is in.

A. Determine Whether the Property Is in Fulton or DeKalb

If you’re not sure:

• Look at the ZIP code and neighborhood.
  • Many central and westside Atlanta neighborhoods are in Fulton County.
  • Many eastside neighborhoods (for example, parts of East Atlanta, Kirkwood, and East Lake) are in DeKalb County.
• If you have the address, most online mapping tools show the county name when you click the location.
• You can also call either county tax assessor’s office and provide the address.

B. Fulton County Property Search (for most of the City of Atlanta)

What you can find:

• Property owner name and mailing address
• Parcel ID / property ID
• Assessed value and taxable value
• Property characteristics (year built, square footage, land size, etc.)
• Tax history and payment status

Key office: Fulton County Board of Assessors

• Main office (central):
  Fulton County Government Center
  141 Pryor Street SW, Suite 1047
  Atlanta, GA 30303
• Phone (main line): 404-612-6440 (menu options typically direct you to real property information)

You can search by:

• Property address
• Owner name
• Parcel ID

If you live in Atlanta neighborhoods such as Downtown, Midtown, Old Fourth Ward, Buckhead, West End, Vine City, Westview, Cascade, or most of Southwest Atlanta, you’ll usually use Fulton County’s property search.

C. DeKalb County Property Search (for Eastside Atlanta in DeKalb)

If the Atlanta address is in DeKalb County, you’ll use DeKalb County systems instead.

What you can find:

• Property ownership information
• Land and building values
• Tax history and payment status
• Parcel ID and legal description

Key office: DeKalb County Property Appraisal Department

• Office location (main):
  1300 Commerce Drive
  Decatur, GA 30030
• Main phone: 404-371-0841 (general appraisal inquiries)

As with Fulton, you’ll usually search by:

• Owner name
• Street address
• Parcel ID

If you’re in neighborhoods like East Lake (DeKalb side), some parts of Kirkwood, Gresham Park area, and portions of unincorporated areas with “Atlanta” mailing addresses, DeKalb records often apply.

2. Looking Up Zoning, Land Use, and City Planning Info

If you want to know what can be built on a property or whether a use is allowed (for example, short-term rental, multifamily, commercial), you’ll focus on City of Atlanta zoning and planning tools.

City of Atlanta Zoning and Land Use

Primary office: Department of City Planning

• Main office:
  Atlanta City Hall
  55 Trinity Avenue SW, Suite 3350
  Atlanta, GA 30303
• General phone: 404-330-6070

Atlanta typically offers:

• Zoning maps showing the zoning district for each parcel (for example, R-4, R-5, C-1, MRC, etc.)
• Land use maps indicating long-term planning designations
• Zoning ordinance information explaining what is permitted in each zone

📝 Tip: Once you have the parcel ID or address from the county property search, use that in Atlanta’s zoning map or planning tools to confirm how the city classifies the property.

3. Checking Building Permits, Inspections, and Code Violations

A thorough property search in Atlanta often includes permit and code information, especially if you’re concerned about:

• Unpermitted work
• Safety and inspection history
• Open code violations or complaints

A. Building Permits and Inspections (City of Atlanta)

Building permits and inspections inside city limits are generally handled by the City of Atlanta.

Key office: Office of Buildings (within Department of City Planning)

• Address:
  Atlanta City Hall
  55 Trinity Avenue SW
  Atlanta, GA 30303
• Main phone (often via City Planning): 404-330-6150 (office of buildings main line is commonly accessed from City Planning’s menu)

Through city permit systems, you can often search:

• Issued building permits (renovations, additions, new construction)
• Trade permits (electrical, mechanical, plumbing)
• Inspection results and status

You typically search using:

• Street address
• Permit number (if you have it)
• Sometimes parcel/lot information

B. Code Enforcement and Complaints

If you want to know whether a property in Atlanta has code violations (for issues like overgrown yards, unsafe structures, or zoning violations), you can:

• Contact City of Atlanta Code Enforcement
• Check whether there are open cases or prior complaints for a particular address

Code Enforcement (City of Atlanta)

• Common contact route: through the Atlanta Police Department Code Enforcement Section or via the city’s non-emergency information line.
• City information line: Atlanta 311 (dial 3-1-1 within city limits or 404-546-0311 from outside)

Provide the exact address and ask about:

• Open code enforcement cases
• Recent orders or citations

4. Viewing Deeds, Liens, and Official Recorded Documents

Ownership and value information come from the assessor, but legal documents like deeds, liens, plats, and security deeds are recorded with the county clerk of superior court.

Because Atlanta spans more than one county, you must check the correct county:

Fulton County Real Estate Records (for most of Atlanta)

Office: Fulton County Clerk of Superior and Magistrate Courts – Real Estate Division

• Main location:
  Fulton County Justice Center Tower
  185 Central Avenue SW, Suite TG200
  Atlanta, GA 30303
• Phone (real estate records division): commonly 404-613-5313 (main real estate line may vary but is typically accessible via the clerk’s general number)

Available information usually includes:

• Warranty deeds and quitclaim deeds
• Security deeds (mortgages)
• Liens (tax liens, mechanics liens, etc.)
• Easements and plats

You can typically search by:

• Name of owner/grantor/grantee
• Legal description or lot/parcel info
• Sometimes book and page if you already know the reference

DeKalb County Real Estate Records (for DeKalb-side Atlanta)

Office: DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court – Real Estate Division

• Office location:
  556 North McDonough Street
  Decatur, GA 30030
• Phone (real estate records): generally 404-371-2836 (accessible via the clerk’s main line)

You can access:

• Recorded deeds
• Mortgages/security deeds
• Liens
• Plats and condominium documents

📝 Practical use:
If you want to verify that the person claiming to own a property in Atlanta really owns it, you’d match the owner’s name from the assessor search with the most recent deed recorded at the county clerk’s office.

5. Property Tax Bills, Payments, and Delinquent Taxes

Once you have property details, you might also want to check tax bills, payment status, and any past-due balances for a City of Atlanta property.

Fulton County Tax Commissioner (for Fulton-side Atlanta)

Office: Fulton County Tax Commissioner

• Main office (Downtown Atlanta):
  Fulton County Government Center
  141 Pryor Street SW, Suite 1085
  Atlanta, GA 30303
• Main phone: 404-613-6100

Services typically include:

• Viewing current and past tax bills
• Checking payment status
• Information on delinquent taxes
• Details about payment plans or tax sales

DeKalb County Tax Commissioner (for DeKalb-side Atlanta)

Office: DeKalb County Tax Commissioner

• Main office:
  4380 Memorial Drive
  Decatur, GA 30032
• Main phone: 404-298-4000

You can usually:

• Search tax records by address, owner name, or parcel
• Confirm amounts due
• See penalties, interest, or payment history

Remember that while the property is inside the City of Atlanta, the county tax commissioner still handles county and school taxes, and in many cases, city taxes are included on the same bill for Atlanta residents within that county.

6. How City, County, and “Atlanta Address” Interact

Atlanta property searches can be confusing because some locations have an “Atlanta, GA” mailing address but are not technically inside the City of Atlanta limits. This matters because:

• City of Atlanta zoning and code rules apply only inside city limits.
• County services (assessor, tax commissioner, clerk of court) apply across the county, including unincorporated areas.

To clarify whether a property is inside the City of Atlanta:

• Check city zoning maps (only properties within city limits will show a City of Atlanta zoning classification).
• Call Atlanta 311 at 3-1-1 or 404-546-0311 and give the address; ask if the address is within the City of Atlanta jurisdiction.
• Check property tax bills to see if City of Atlanta taxes are listed separately, especially in DeKalb County where multiple cities exist.

7. Common Reasons People Use a City of Atlanta Property Search

Residents, investors, and visitors often use Atlanta property searches to:

1. Research a home before buying or renting

   • Confirm ownership and compare assessed value to asking price.
   • Check for permits on recent renovations.
   • Look for code violations or zoning issues.

2. Plan remodeling or construction

   • Confirm zoning and whether a project is allowed.
   • Review permit history to see what’s been done before.

3. Verify tax and exemption status

   • Confirm that a homestead exemption is applied to a primary residence.
   • Check assessed value increases and review appeal deadlines.

4. Understand neighborhood trends

   • Compare assessed values or land use patterns in areas like West Midtown, Grant Park, Reynoldstown, or Virginia-Highland.

5. Resolve disputes or questions

   • Clarify boundary lines using plats and recorded documents.
   • Verify ownership in case of disputes or estate matters.

8. Step-by-Step: Example Property Search in Atlanta

Here is a simple, generalized process you can follow for most City of Atlanta property searches:

Following these steps will give you a broad, reliable picture of almost any property in the City of Atlanta or within an Atlanta mailing area.

9. Helpful Phone Numbers and Offices for Atlanta Property Searches

Here is a quick reference list for commonly used offices in an Atlanta property search:

• City of Atlanta – Department of City Planning
  55 Trinity Avenue SW, Suite 3350, Atlanta, GA 30303
  Phone: 404-330-6070

• City of Atlanta – Office of Buildings (permits/inspections)
  55 Trinity Avenue SW, Atlanta, GA 30303
  Common main line: 404-330-6150

• Atlanta 311 (City information & code enforcement requests)
  Dial 3-1-1 inside the city or 404-546-0311 from outside

• Fulton County Board of Assessors (property details & values)
  141 Pryor Street SW, Suite 1047, Atlanta, GA 30303
  Phone: 404-612-6440

• Fulton County Tax Commissioner (tax bills & payments)
  141 Pryor Street SW, Suite 1085, Atlanta, GA 30303
  Phone: 404-613-6100

• Fulton County Clerk of Superior & Magistrate Courts – Real Estate
  185 Central Avenue SW, Suite TG200, Atlanta, GA 30303
  Typical real estate line: 404-613-5313

• DeKalb County Property Appraisal Department
  1300 Commerce Drive, Decatur, GA 30030
  Phone: 404-371-0841

• DeKalb County Tax Commissioner
  4380 Memorial Drive, Decatur, GA 30032
  Phone: 404-298-4000

• DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court – Real Estate Division
  556 North McDonough Street, Decatur, GA 30030
  Phone: 404-371-2836

Use these contacts along with the steps above, and you’ll be able to carry out a thorough City of Atlanta property search—whether you live in Atlanta, are considering moving here, or are simply trying to understand how property information is organized in the city.