Publications
ACCG has produced several publications to assist counties in their day-to-day operations on a variety of topics. Each publication is routinely updated to ensure that timely and accurate information is available for county use.
Handbook for Georgia County Commissioners
The Handbook for Georgia County Commissioners is a comprehensive reference guide to county government. The Handbook contains hard-to-find statutory authority, best practice tips, maps, tables, and most importantly, information that will assist in the day-to-day operations of the county. ACCG is currently creating new content for the Handbook. All new chapters will be made available online. No hard copies of the Handbook will be produced. Links to new chapters and existing chapters can be found here.
ACCG Guidebooks
ACCG Guidebooks are available for download. The guidebooks cover topics from county constitutional officers to local option sales tax to assist counties in their day-to-day operations on a variety of topics. Each publication is routinely updated to ensure that current and accurate information is available for county use.
Publications
- ACCG 2023 Annexation Arbitration Guidance
- The Arbitration Handbook for Annexation Land Use Disputes
- Charting a Course for Cooperation and Collaboration
- Constitutional County Officers Guide
- EMS Regionalization Study
- Salary Guide: Guide for Computing County Official Salaries
- A Guide to Local Government Construction Projects
- Handbook for Georgia County Commissioners
- Identity Theft Program
- LOST Guide
- Meetings Organization and Public Access for Counties
- Model Emergency Management Ordinance and Agreements
- Open Meetings/Open Records Guide
- Parliamentary Procedure for Counties: A Guide and Model Ordinance
- SPLOST Guide
- Populations Acts
- Local Constitutional Amendments
2026 SALARY GUIDE NOW AVAILABLE
The "Computing County Official Salaries for 2026" guidebook is now available. ACCG publishes this guidebook annually to assist counties in calculating salaries (effective as of January 1, 2026) of certain county officials, as well as state officials who receive supplements to their salaries from the county. The procedures outlined in this guidebook have been reviewed and approved by the Constitutional Officers Association of Georgia (COAG), the Magistrate Council of Georgia, and ACCG, but it is within the county attorney’s purview to interpret and apply all applicable state and local law. Please review the general principles on pages 4 through 7 of the guide for an overview of the complex considerations involved in the process of calculating salaries.
Important highlights in which counties may be most interested are shown below:
- There is no statewide 2026 cost-of-living adjustment.
- There are no major substantive statutory changes to compensation other than HB 85 (2025).
- HB 85 (2025) could have significant impacts on your county’s budget and may require legislative action by the county or the General Assembly. See Appendix J.
- The worksheets in the appendix of the guide have been significantly revised to improve clarity and usability.
Counties may still access the "Computing County Official Salaries for 2025". Use this edition of the guidebook to assist in the calculation of salaries (effective as of January 1, 2025) for county commissioners, coroners, magistrates, probate judges, sheriffs, superior court clerks, tax commissioners, and other officials.
If you have questions about how salaries should be calculated, please contact your county attorney.
Previous Salary Guides
EMS Regionalization Study
A study by ACCG prepared for the Georgia Department of Community Health State Office of Rural Health. Published in 2016, the report asses the feasibility of regionalizing EMS systems in Georgia.