County resources
Utilities, schools, property records, homestead filing and more for new and soon-to-be homeowners in Madison, Rutledge, Bostwick, Buckhead.
Good to know: utility providers and school zones can depend on your exact address — always confirm with the provider. Information is provided as a convenience and may change; let us know if you spot something out of date.
Morgan County's Tax Assessor (values and exemptions) and Tax Commissioner (bills and tags) share the county administration building at 150 E. Washington St. in downtown Madison. Deeds are recorded by the Clerk of Superior Court a few blocks away on Hancock Street.
Sets property values, mails assessment notices, hears value appeals and accepts homestead applications. Open Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Mailing address: P.O. Box 1297.
The county's free parcel search, showing owner, values, sales and maps. Zoning and future land-use layers are on the map. Each parcel's page also has a copy of the current year's assessment notice.
Bills and collects property taxes. The official deadline is November 15, and penalties and interest accrue after that date. Open Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Mailing address: P.O. Box 151.
The online tax payment system linked from the Tax Commissioner's page. It blocks automated checks but opens in a browser.
Records all Morgan County deeds, plats and liens. Use the free terminal in the Deeds & Records Room or search online. Staff can't do title research for you. Open Mon–Fri, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Free alerts if any document is recorded against your name or property. It's a simple way to guard against deed fraud.
For acreage used mainly for farming or timber. It's a 10-year covenant with steep penalties for a breach. If you're buying land already in a covenant, ask the Assessor before closing.
In Morgan County you file for homestead in person at the Tax Assessor's office. File by April 1 to get the exemption that tax year; you must own and live in the home on January 1. Once approved it renews automatically until you sell, move or change exemption type.
Lists every exemption. The county adds a local $10,000 senior exemption (age 65+, no income limit) on county and school operating taxes. Disabled veterans must bring a DD-214 and a VA letter showing a 100% rating.
Homestead applications are only available at the Tax Assessor's office, and you must apply in person. Call ahead to ask which documents to bring, such as your ID and closing papers.
Madison city residents 65+ can get up to $10,000 off assessed value on city taxes. Apply at City Hall with an ID by April 1. This is separate from the county filing.
The state's explainer on HB 581's floating homestead, which caps yearly assessment increases unless a local government opted out. We couldn't confirm online whether Morgan County, its schools or Madison opted out, so ask the Assessor.
The state's overview of homestead exemptions, including senior, disabled veteran and surviving spouse exemptions.
Morgan County government doesn't list a water department. Public water comes from the towns: Madison, Rutledge, Bostwick and Buckhead each run their own system. Service depends on your address, so call the town nearest you. If a home isn't on a town system, it uses a private well (see Septic & Wells).
Water, sewer and natural gas for Madison customers. Public Works is at 1501 Fairground Rd. Pay online, by bank draft or at City Hall. Late fees apply after the 17th of the month.
Start service in person at City Hall, Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Bring a photo ID, your deed (or lease) and the move-in form, which you can download ahead of time.
Runs Rutledge's water system and sewage oxidation pond. City Hall is open Mon, Tue, Thu and Fri, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m., and Wed, 8 a.m.–noon (closed noon–1 p.m. daily). For after-hours water emergencies only, call 706-578-0529.
For water service and city business, call the city clerk or email cityofbostwick@gmail.com. Pay water bills online through the link on this page.
The town posts its annual drinking-water quality report. The office is only open Fridays, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Morgan County is in Georgia's Northeast Health District. Its Environmental Health office in Madison handles septic permits, existing-system evaluations and well-water sampling. For homes off public sewer, an existing-system evaluation is smart due diligence before you close.
Septic permits, repairs, evaluations and well sampling. Specialists are in the office only from 8–9:30 a.m. (Mon, Tue and Fri). At other times, call and choose option 3.
The district's septic program page, with Morgan County forms: septic requirements, a site evaluation form and a water sample request.
Use this form to have Environmental Health evaluate a home's existing septic system, for example before you buy.
Use this form to request well-water sampling through Environmental Health.
Current fees for septic permits, evaluations and other services.
Handles soil and water test kits, including well-water testing through UGA's lab, plus lawn and garden advice. Open Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. (closed noon–1 p.m.).
Explains which well tests to order and how often.
State guidance on private well safety and testing.
Electric service in Morgan County depends on your address. Georgia Power serves the city of Madison, and five electric co-ops each list Morgan County in their territory: Walton, Rayle, Snapping Shoals, Central Georgia and Tri-County EMC. Check a recent bill or ask the seller which one serves the house.
Madison's own 'Establish Power Service' page sends city residents to Georgia Power. Start, stop or move service online or by phone.
This co-op lists Morgan among its 10 northeast Georgia counties. Customer care is available Mon–Fri, 7 a.m.–7 p.m.
This co-op lists Morgan among the 10 counties it serves. The main office is in Washington, GA.
Its own site says it serves parts of Morgan County. Customer service is available Mon–Fri, 7 a.m.–7 p.m.
Lists Morgan among the 16 counties it serves. Headquarters is in Jackson, GA. Email csr@cgemc.com.
Its board has a seat for a Putnam/Jasper/Morgan district, so it serves part of Morgan County. Offices are in Gray and Eatonton.
The City of Madison runs its own natural gas system, which you set up at City Hall along with water and sewer. Outside Madison, piped gas depends on the street, and some homes use propane or have no gas at all. Ask the seller what fuel the home uses and who supplies it.
Madison supplies natural gas with water and sewer. Start service at City Hall, and sign the gas customer safety notice when you apply.
If you smell gas, leave right away and call from a safe distance. On weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., call the city. After hours, on weekends and on holidays, call 911.
If your home outside Madison has gas from Atlanta Gas Light lines, use this page for 24/7 leak reporting. Call from a safe location.
On Atlanta Gas Light's system, you buy gas from a certified marketer. This is the state's official list. It doesn't apply to Madison city gas customers.
Call 811 before digging for fences, mailboxes or landscaping so buried gas and other utility lines get marked.
Outside Madison, residents take bagged household trash to any of the county's 12 free compactor sites or hire a private hauler. The county's transfer station takes almost everything else for a fee. The City of Madison provides weekly cart pickup, curbside recycling and bulk-item collection.
Bagged household trash is free at the 12 compactor sites. Other items go to the transfer station, which charges per ton (metal, appliances and paint are free). The transfer station is open Mon–Fri, 7 a.m.–4 p.m., and on the first Saturday of each month, 7 a.m.–noon.
There are two staffed recycling centers: 2480 Athens Hwy and 2240 Newborn Rd. They take cardboard, glass, #1 and #2 plastics and aluminum cans. Hours are Mon and Sat, 7 a.m.–noon; Tue and Thu, 11:30 a.m.–7 p.m.; and Wed and Fri, 7 a.m.–2:30 p.m. The solid waste page still mentions recycle boxes at compactor sites, but the recycling page says they've been removed, so use the two centers.
Weekly pickup of bagged trash in a city cart. Put the cart at the curb the night before or by 6 a.m. A second cart costs $6 a month. The FAQ links a map of service days.
Takes cardboard, paper, metal cans and #1–7 plastics. Glass is collected separately on the first Wednesday of each month. No plastic bags.
The 'Junk Truck' picks up furniture and appliances every Wednesday. No construction debris or tires. For whole-house cleanouts, call to request a roll-away container; the dump fee goes on your utility bill.
Also covers leaf and limb pickup. Cut limbs to 4 feet or less, and keep yard waste separate from bulk items. Open Mon–Fri, 7 a.m.–4 p.m.
Service varies a lot from road to road in rural Morgan County, so check the exact address on the FCC map before you buy. Spectrum is building gigabit fiber across the county in a county-funded partnership.
The official federal map showing every provider reported at a specific address. Use it before you make an offer on a rural property.
Spectrum's October 2024 announcement of its partnership with Morgan County. ARPA funds plus Spectrum investment will bring gigabit service to more than 2,700 homes and small businesses. Check your address with Spectrum.
AT&T's local page for Madison. AT&T Fiber is offered in parts of the area, so check your address.
Morgan County Charter Schools is the single countywide public school district. It runs one primary, one elementary, one middle and one high school, so children attend by grade, not neighborhood. New students enroll through Central Registration at the Board of Education.
All new students, and those returning from another school system, must register before starting classes. Registration is handled centrally at the Board of Education, and an online registration portal is also available.
District bus and transportation information, including transportation change forms.
Who issues your permits depends on whether you're inside Madison's city limits. A Madison mailing address doesn't mean you're in the city. Outside Madison, the county Planning & Development office handles permits, and it now takes every application through its online portal. Inside Madison's historic district, exterior changes need a Certificate of Appropriateness before any permit is issued.
Handles zoning, plats, building permits, inspections and code enforcement outside Madison. Open Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Email planningoffice@morgancountyga.gov (permits) or zoning@morgancountyga.gov.
All county permit and license applications, inspection requests and code complaints go through this portal. Request inspections by 4 p.m. the business day before; no same-day inspections.
Explains county zoning and links the zoning ordinance and district maps. You can't build in a mapped floodplain without first getting a FEMA Letter of Map Amendment.
The full text of county ordinances, including animal control (Chapter 10).
Madison handles plan review, permits, inspections and code enforcement inside city limits. The page links a map so you can check whether you're in the city.
Madison's zoning map and ordinance, adopted in September 2025. For a zoning verification letter, email mbogle@madisonga.com with the address or parcel number.
Meets at 5:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at 160 N Main St. It reviews exterior changes in the local historic district, which covers downtown and the surrounding residential neighborhoods.
Exterior changes in the historic district need a COA before the city will issue a permit, including drives, walks and fences. Fees run $25–$150.
Any dock, seawall, boat lift, dredging or tree removal on Georgia Power lake property needs a Georgia Power permit. Apply online. The East Georgia lakes office number is listed.
Georgia Power's Lake Oconee rules. New boathouses aren't allowed except for original property owners or their heirs.
Call 911 for emergencies anywhere in the county. The Sheriff's Office covers unincorporated Morgan County, and Madison has its own police and fire departments. Make sure your 911 address number is clearly posted, which matters a lot on long rural driveways.
Use this number for non-emergencies such as information requests. Dial 911 only for emergencies.
Law enforcement for the unincorporated county. The crime tip line is (706) 342-1000. Sign up for community alerts through Nixle.
A combination career and volunteer department covering about 354 square miles. Its ISO rating is 5/5X, which can affect your homeowner's insurance rate.
Fire Rescue sells reflective 911 address signs for $15. It helps responders find your home fast.
Covers inside Madison city limits. Open Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. You can request a vacation house check.
Covers inside Madison city limits. City residents call this number the day of a burn for a same-day burn permit.
The Sheriff's registered sex offender search and alerts. It blocks automated checks but opens in a browser.
The statewide registry search.
No outdoor burning permits are issued May 1–Sept 30. Outside Madison, get permits from the Georgia Forestry Commission (1-877-OK2-BURN). Burning construction materials is illegal.
Most everyday county services are in downtown Madison. Update your Georgia driver's license to your Morgan County address first, because the tag office requires it for every transaction.
Register and title vehicles here. You need a Georgia license or ID showing your Morgan County address, so visit DDS first if you're moving in. Open Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Update your license address before you go to the tag office.
Register online through the state, at DDS or at the library, or call to have a form mailed to you. The Elections Office is at 237 North 2nd St, Madison.
Check your registration, polling place and sample ballot.
Runs the aquatic center, athletic complex, dog park, disc golf and trails, plus youth sports. The office is open Mon–Thu, 8 a.m.–8 p.m.; Fri, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.; and Sat, 8 a.m.–2 p.m.
A free PINES card gets you computers, Wi-Fi, a makerspace, a study room and notary service. Open Mon–Wed and Fri, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; Thu, 9 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sat, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; and Sun, 2–6 p.m.
Enforces animal rules for both the county and the City of Madison: strays, bites, cruelty and dangerous dogs. Open Mon–Fri, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Madison city dogs also need an annual city license.
A public ride service open to all residents. Book by 4 p.m. the business day before. Trips are $2 ($1.75 for ages 60+). Out-of-county trips must be booked a week ahead.
Report potholes, drainage problems or gravel-road issues on county roads. An online citizen request form is available.
Low-lying land along creeks, rivers and the Lake Oconee shoreline can fall in a FEMA flood zone. Check any property before you buy, and remember flood insurance usually takes 30 days to take effect.
Search an address to see its official flood zone and download the FIRM panel.
The Georgia DNR flood map viewer that Morgan County's zoning page points to for checking floodplains.
The county's flood page, covering NFIP flood insurance (30-day wait) and FEMA resources. For floodplain building questions, call Planning & Development.
The county's parcel map. Turn on layers to see a property's zoning and future land use next to its parcel lines.
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