$5M Richmond Hill Fire Fee Refund, Georgia Charged You an Illegal Fire Fee l Tax Here Is How to Get Your Refund

Richmond Hill Fire Fee Settlement is a class action tax refund case where Richmond Hill, Georgia property taxpayers who paid the city’s fire protection fee between November 7, 2018 and the date of final court approval can receive a refund of 60–100% of what they paid — with no claim form required if you still own the property. Plaintiff Joshua Lanier sued the City of Richmond Hill, Georgia, arguing the flat-rate fire fee was an illegal tax under the Georgia Constitution. The city agreed to a $5,000,000 refund fund to resolve the case. Lanier v. City of Richmond Hill, Georgia, Civil Action No. SUV2023000398, is pending in the Superior Court of Bryan County, Georgia. The Final Approval Hearing is scheduled for July 1, 2026.

Richmond Hill Fire Fee Settlement — Quick Facts

Field	Detail
Settlement Amount	$5,000,000
Who Qualifies	Richmond Hill, GA taxpayers who paid the fire fee between Nov. 7, 2018 and date of final approval
Payout Per Person	60–100% of all fire fees paid during the refund period, less pro-rata fees and expenses
Claim Form Required?	No — if you still own the property. Yes — if you sold the property
Objection Deadline	June 1, 2026
Settlement Status	Preliminarily approved — final approval hearing July 1, 2026
Administrator	Terry D. Turner, Jr., Gentle Turner & Benson, LLC
Official Website	RichmondHillFireFeesSettlement.com
Last Updated	May 13, 2026

Current Status

• Preliminary approval was granted on November 21, 2025. The settlement was revised and the Second Joint Motion for Preliminary Approval was filed April 23, 2026.
• The Final Approval Hearing is set for July 1, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. at the Bryan County Courthouse.
• The city will pay $2,000,000 within 15 days of final approval and $3,000,000 by January 10, 2027.
• Individual refund amounts will be calculated and posted on the settlement website within nine months of final approval.

What Did Richmond Hill Do Wrong? Lanier v. City of Richmond Hill, Georgia, No. SUV2023000398

Starting April 2, 2019, Richmond Hill began charging property owners a fire protection fee — a flat charge added directly to every tax bill regardless of property value. For residential property with improvements, that fee ran $185 per year through 2021 and jumped to $225 per year from 2022 through 2025. Commercial and industrial property owners paid $250 to $600 per year depending on the years and property type.

The lawsuit argues that is not a fee at all — it is a tax, and an illegal one. Under the Georgia Constitution and Georgia law, any tax on real property must be ad valorem — meaning calculated based on the property’s actual value, not a flat rate that hits a $100,000 home and a $2 million warehouse the same way. A property owner could pay this fee every year and never once call the fire department. The person who never used the service paid the same as someone who did. And crucially, the revenue went into a fund dedicated entirely to general fire department operations — the definition of a tax raised to fund core government services, not a fee for a specific service rendered.

The city’s own resolution confirmed that not a dollar of fire fee revenue could be used for anything other than fire prevention and firefighting operations. Named Plaintiff Joshua Lanier paid $185 or $225 every year from 2019 through 2025 on his property at 198 Lewis Drive, Richmond Hill. He brought this case on behalf of every Richmond Hill property owner who was assessed and paid the same illegal charge. This case follows a line of similar successful consumer rights challenges against Georgia municipalities under O.C.G.A. § 48-5-380, the state’s tax refund statute. For a broader look at how government tax refund class actions work, see our guide to class action settlements at AllAboutLawyer.com.

Are You Part of the Richmond Hill Fire Fee Class?

This case is different from most class actions. You do not need to file a claim to get paid — unless you no longer own the property. Here is exactly how to know if you are included.

You may qualify if:

• You owned property within the City of Richmond Hill, Georgia at any point between November 7, 2018 and the date of final approval of this settlement
• You were assessed and paid the city’s fire protection fee during that period
• You are not an attorney or law firm currently representing a Georgia county or municipality in any similar fire fee lawsuit
• You are not a current member of the Richmond Hill City Council or the Mayor of Richmond Hill

You do NOT qualify if:

• You owned property outside the Richmond Hill city limits
• You never received or paid a fire fee on your tax bill
• You are specifically excluded as described above

Not sure if you are listed? After final approval, the administrator will post every class member’s name and their calculated refund amount at RichmondHillFireFeesSettlement.com. You can also call the Claims Administrator at (800) 345-0837. Similar illegal-fee class actions have succeeded across Georgia — if you paid this charge and owned Richmond Hill property, there is a strong chance you are in this class. See also our coverage of related property tax and government fee class action settlements on AllAboutLawyer.com.

How Much Will You Get Back from the Richmond Hill Settlement?

Your refund is directly proportional to how much fire fee you paid over the years. The court documents lay out the fee structure clearly:

Annual fire fees by property type:

Property Type	2019–2021	2022–2025
Residential with improvements	$185/year	$225/year
Vacant/undeveloped residential	$92.50/year	$112.50/year
Improved commercial	$250/year	$600/year
Vacant commercial	$125/year	$300/year
Improved industrial	$250/year	$600/year
Vacant industrial	$125/year	$300/year

A residential property owner who paid every year from 2019 through 2025 paid approximately $1,230 in fire fees over that period. The settlement is designed to return 60–100% of that amount after attorneys’ fees (up to 40% of the fund), the administrator’s costs, and the class representative’s service award (up to 2.5% of the fund) are deducted on a pro-rata basis.

Your individual legal settlement payout is calculated as: your total fire fees paid ÷ all class members’ total fire fees paid × $5,000,000 — minus your pro-rata share of fees and expenses. The more you paid and the fewer other class members there are, the closer to 100% you recover. This is a straightforward property damage compensation calculation tied entirely to your own tax records — no guesswork required.

Do You Need to File a Claim to Get Your Richmond Hill Refund?

This is the most important part of this article, and it works differently from most settlements.

If you still own the property: You do not need to do anything. After final approval, the administrator will calculate your refund using city tax records and mail your check automatically. You are a Category 1 Class Member — no action required.

If you sold or no longer own the property: You are a Category 2 Class Member. After final approval, the administrator will mail a Claim Form to your last known address. You must complete and return it within 60 days certifying you are the taxpayer entitled to the refund. Missing that deadline means losing your payment. You can also download a claim form directly from RichmondHillFireFeesSettlement.com once it is available.

If you think you qualify but are not on the list: There will be a separate claim process for missing class members posted on the settlement website — you will have 45 days from the posting of individual refund calculations to submit your claim.

Richmond Hill Fire Fee Settlement Timeline

Milestone	Date
Lawsuit Filed	2023 (Civil Action No. SUV2023000398)
First Preliminary Approval Granted	November 21, 2025
Second Preliminary Approval Motion Filed	April 23, 2026
Objection Deadline	June 1, 2026
Final Approval Hearing	July 1, 2026 at 9:00 a.m., Bryan County Courthouse
City’s First Payment ($2M)	Within 15 days of final approval
City’s Second Payment ($3M)	On or before January 10, 2027
Individual Refund Calculations Posted	Within 9 months of final approval
Expected Payment to Class Members	After calculations are finalized and objection periods close

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there really a class action against the City of Richmond Hill? 

Yes. Lanier v. City of Richmond Hill, Georgia, Civil Action No. SUV2023000398, is pending in the Superior Court of Bryan County, Georgia. The court found Richmond Hill’s fire fee meets every legal test for an illegal tax under the Georgia Constitution. The $5,000,000 settlement is pending final approval at the July 1, 2026 hearing.

Do I need to do anything right now to get paid?

 If you still own the same Richmond Hill property you paid fire fees on, no — your refund will be mailed automatically after individual amounts are calculated. If you no longer own that property, watch for a claim form in the mail after July 1, 2026, and return it within 60 days.

How much fire fee did I probably pay in total?

 If you owned a residential home with improvements from 2019 through 2025, you paid roughly $1,230 over seven years. Commercial property owners who paid the full period paid significantly more — up to $600 per year in recent years. Your actual refund will be calculated from the city’s own tax records.

Can I exclude myself from the Richmond Hill settlement? 

No. Unlike most class action settlements, this one does not allow opt-outs. You have the right to object in writing by June 1, 2026, but you cannot exclude yourself entirely. Objections must be mailed to the Clerk of Superior Court of Bryan County, Class Counsel, and Defendant’s Counsel by that date.

When will I actually receive my refund check?

 The city’s first $2 million payment arrives within 15 days of the July 1, 2026 final approval, and the remaining $3 million arrives by January 10, 2027. The administrator has up to nine months after final approval to calculate individual amounts. Refund checks go out within 30 days after individual amounts are finalized and any objection periods close. Checks expire and are void after 120 days of issuance.

What if I paid fire fees before November 7, 2018? 

The refund period starts November 7, 2018. Fees paid before that date are not covered by this settlement. Only fees assessed and paid from that date through the date of final approval qualify for a refund.

Is this settlement legitimate — is this the real Richmond Hill?

 Yes. This is the actual City of Richmond Hill, Georgia — a municipality in Bryan County — and this is a court-supervised class action filed in the Superior Court of Bryan County, Case No. SUV2023000398. The city does not admit wrongdoing but agreed to the $5,000,000 settlement to resolve the case. Class Counsel is Roberts Tate, LLC and Manly Shipley, LLP. Questions? Call (800) 345-0837.

Will my refund payment be taxable income?

 This refund is a return of a tax you already paid — not income. However, tax treatment depends on individual circumstances, particularly if you deducted those fire fees on a prior federal or state tax return. Consult a tax professional about how to handle the refund.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your situation, consult a qualified attorney.

Prepared by the AllAboutLawyer.com Editorial Team, reviewed for factual accuracy against official court documents filed in the Superior Court of Bryan County, Georgia and the settlement notice on May 13, 2026. Last Updated: May 13, 2026