Morgan County Property Taxes: Fall Deadlines and the Homestead Exemption Homeowners Should Check

If you own a home in Hartselle or anywhere in Morgan County, October is the start of property tax season. The bill is one of the costs of ownership that is easy to forget about, especially if your lender pays it from escrow, and it is also one of the easiest places to leave money on the table if you have never claimed your homestead exemption. Here is a plain-English rundown of the dates, the ways to pay and the exemption worth checking, using information published by the Morgan County Revenue Commissioner and the Alabama Department of Revenue as of October 2026.

The dates that matter

According to the Morgan County Revenue Commissioner, property taxes are due October 1 and become delinquent January 1. In practice that gives you October, November and December to pay. After that the county's calendar moves quickly: a citation fee is added in February, unpaid property is advertised for sale in April, and the tax sale is held in May. If you have ever set a bill aside meaning to deal with it after the holidays, this is the one to handle before them.

Alabama taxes property a year behind. The Alabama Department of Revenue explains that the lien date is October 1 and the taxes are due the following October 1, and the county bases assessments and bills on ownership and status as of October 1 each year. That detail matters most to people who bought or sold during the year, which brings us to the next point.

If you bought a home this year

A new deed does not finish the job. The Revenue Commissioner asks new property owners to report the property to that office and to claim any exemptions they qualify for when they acquire it. If you closed on a home in the past year and have not contacted the Revenue Commissioner's office, put it on this month's list. Two things to confirm: that the property is assessed in your name, and that it is classified as your owner-occupied residence. Owner-occupied homes fall into a different property class than rentals and other non-homestead property, so the classification affects the bill.

If your mortgage includes an escrow account, your lender normally pays the tax bill from it. It is still worth looking up the bill to confirm it was paid and that the exemption you expect is showing.

The homestead exemption

A homestead exemption reduces the assessed value your tax is figured on. The Alabama Department of Revenue describes the regular homestead exemption as available to residents who own and occupy a single-family home, on not more than 160 acres. It exempts up to $4,000 of assessed value from state property tax and up to $2,000 of assessed value from county property tax.

There are larger exemptions for homeowners who are 65 or older and for homeowners who are permanently and totally disabled. Depending on age, disability and income, these range from an exemption from the state portion of the tax to an exemption from all property taxes on the home. The Morgan County Revenue Commissioner lists the documents to bring, such as proof of age. If you or a family member recently turned 65, ask the office which exemption applies. Exemptions have to be claimed, so do not assume one was added for you.

How and where to pay

Morgan County accepts payment in person by cash, check, credit card or money order, by mail with a check or money order, and online with a major credit card. Card payments carry a convenience fee charged by the card processor. In-person locations are the Morgan County Courthouse at 302 Lee Street NE in Decatur (second floor), the Hartselle satellite office at 560 Shull Road, and the Lacey's Spring satellite office at the East Service Center, 62 Guyer Cove Road in Somerville. If you have not received a bill, the Revenue Commissioner's office can be reached at 256-351-4690.

Why your value may change

The county reviews property values on an ongoing basis under Alabama's reappraisal program, and the appraised value is meant to reflect fair market value. That is why a bill can change from one year to the next even when nothing about the house has. Keep in mind that the county's appraisal is for tax purposes. It is not the same thing as what a buyer would pay today, and it is not a substitute for a current market analysis.

We are glad to help

Property taxes are one part of the bigger picture of what your home is worth and what it costs to own. If you would like a current, no-obligation look at your home's market value, or you are planning a purchase and want to understand the taxes and exemptions before you make an offer, call Maegan Jones Real Estate Company at 256-686-9048 or visit maeganjones.realtor.

This article is general information, not tax or legal advice. Confirm your own bill, deadlines and exemption eligibility with the Morgan County Revenue Commissioner.

Sources: Morgan County Revenue Commissioner (morgancountyrevenue.com) and Alabama Department of Revenue (revenue.alabama.gov), accessed October 2026.