SERVICE E EFFICIENCY E ACCOUNTABILITY

Appointment & Queuing System – Our appointment and queuing system enhances your experience by allowing staff to manage lobby traffic efficiently. This ensures timely service based on the complexity of your transaction. Managers can monitor wait times, add appointments, check employee availability, and provide personalized assistance. Make an appointment here.

Enhanced Payment System – Hall County residents can now make motor vehicle and property tax payments using contactless methods, including tap-to-pay and digital wallet solutions like Apple Pay and Google Pay. This enhancement not only streamlines the payment process but also meets the rising demand for secure and efficient payment options. On the first day of this new system, over 45% of credit card customers chose contactless payment methods.

Enhanced Online Bill Pay – Pay your property taxes conveniently online at https://hallcountytax.org/pay-bill. Last year, nearly 20% of payments were made online, saving time and reducing transaction fees for taxpayers.

Lower Transaction Fees – The Tax Commissioner’s Office has successfully negotiated with its online bill pay vendor to lower transaction fees, resulting in cost savings for taxpayers.

Save a Trip and Skip the Line Initiative – Launched in 2022, our “Skip the Line” campaign informs residents about convenient ways to save time on tasks like tag renewals and tax payments. Learn more here.

The Tax Commissioner’s Office consistently achieves over 99% payment collection for property taxes each year, thanks in part to our successful “Save a Trip. Skip the Line.” campaign and expanded payment options.

Self-Service Tag Renewal Kiosks – To serve residents after hours and on weekends, we have expanded our Motor Vehicle self-service kiosk network once again, now including a new location at Thompson Bridge Commons Kroger, 3630 Thompson Bridge Rd. With this addition, kiosks are now available in every Kroger across Hall County. These kiosks allow thousands of taxpayers to scan, pay, and print their tag decals conveniently reducing the need for trips to the Tax Commissioner’s Office.

Additionally, through a partnership with the Department of Driver Services, the kiosks at Spout Springs and Jesse Jewell Parkway can renew Driver’s Licenses

With your renewal notice or license tag number and a credit/debit card, most transactions can be completed in under a minute. The kiosks are available at:

– New Holland Marketplace Kroger

– Thompson Bridge Commons Kroger

– Clearwater Crossing Kroger

– Royal Lakes Kroger

During the fourth quarter of 2022, all kiosks were updated with features including a tactile device to assist visually and hearing-impaired customers.

Taxpayer Education  – Our new media campaigns keep you updated on property and motor vehicle laws. We provide user-friendly resources on our enhanced website and social media platforms. Subscribe to property tax e-Alerts and automated renewal reminders via text at 833.602.8497.

Customer Interaction Center – Our communications center handles phone calls, texts, emails, and faxes, ensuring personalized service to save you time.

Drive-Up Drop Box – A secure drop box is available across from the Hall County Government Center for easy submission of vehicle tag renewals and property tax payments without the need for the post office.

DRIVES Online E-Services – Our online system, DRIVES (Driver Record and Integrated Vehicle Enterprise System), allows you to handle many services from home, including renewals, title checks, and more. Access it at eservices.drives.ga.gov.

New Website – Launched in February 2023, our revamped website features a wealth of information and tools, including an AI assistant named Sidney for 24/7 support.

Public Information – In 2024, the Tax Commissioner’s Office has enhanced accessibility by offering documents and literature in Spanish. Residents can also call and speak with a bilingual representative or text with a Spanish-speaking agent for support.

Additionally, a new communications tool has been introduced to display important information and deadlines for taxpayers while they wait in office to process motor vehicle or property tax payments.

Security Enhancements – Your safety is our priority. Recent upgrades include hiring additional security, conducting assessments, and implementing key card access to enhance the safety of our office.

Social Media Engagement – In 2023, we significantly increased our interaction with Hall County citizens on Facebook. Our new URL, facebook.com/HallCountyTaxCommissioner, makes it easy to stay updated.

Our social media presence on Facebook has grown by 326%, enhancing our outreach.

Tax Statement Redesign – We redesigned tax statements to be more concise and visually appealing, complete with informative graphs—all while reducing printing costs.

Texting Service – Text us at 833.602.8497 for quick responses and tag renewal reminders. Just text “TAXTAG” to sign up.

EFFICIENCY

County Cooperation – We collaborate with other Hall County offices to improve efficiency and better serve taxpayers.

Cross Training – All Tax | Tag Agents are cross-trained to handle both motor vehicle and property tax transactions, minimizing wait times and improving service flow.

Compensation Study – In 2023, we implemented a countywide wage study to improve employee retention and attract new talent, ensuring we remain a competitive employer.

Dedicated Dealer Fleet Specialist – A Tax | Tag Specialist is available for automobile dealers and businesses with fleet vehicles, streamlining complex transactions and keeping wait times low.

Earlier Tax Statement Due Date – Property tax payment deadlines have been moved to November 15 to better align with resident preferences.

Elimination of Mobile Home Decals – Mobile home owners no longer need to display decals, saving Hall County approximately $20,000 annually in costs.

Multiple Payment Options – We offer various payment methods, including mail, online, in-office, phone, secure drop boxes, and self-service kiosks.

Property Tax Billing and Collection System – The Hall County Office of the Tax Commissioner is upgrading its property tax billing and collection system through an agreement with Tyler Technologies.

The current software, dating from the 1990’s, is no longer adequate for counties the size of Hall. Tyler will provide a modern, web-based system that not only will be robust enough to meet the current needs of the office, but also will allow for growth in the county for many years to come. The new system will provide updated features that will streamline processes, reduce the time needed for manual work, and provide enhanced reporting. It will also have the capability to interface with the existing Tyler product already being used by the Hall County finance department and would be able to fully integrate with a Tyler property assessment system in the future, which would provide many efficiencies that are currently impossible.

A web-based system such as Tyler will also reduce the amount of support required of county IT personnel, thereby increasing support response times, and will reduce the county’s cybersecurity footprint.

ACCOUNTABILITY

Cash Management – We ensure the financial stability of Hall County through effective cash management, continuous education, and conducting daily internal audits to protect public funds.

CIMA Cash Machine – Our new cash machine enhances cash processing efficiency, saving staff valuable time daily.

Fraud Prevention – Last year, we launched a training program to help staff detect counterfeit currency, continuously improving our financial security measures.

Homestead Auditing – The property tax department duties have expanded to include the audit of Homestead Exemptions. The Homestead Auditor is responsible for verifying the validity of exemptions. To ensure both initial and ongoing eligibility, the auditor checks for any fraudulent claims and confirms that all exemptions are legitimate.

Stewardship of Public Funds – We are committed to responsible resource management, maintaining lower revenue expenditures compared to similar counties.

Property Tax Collection Rate – We maintain a collection rate of over 99% for property taxes, thanks in part to our “Skip the Line” campaign and expanded payment options.