Want to do away with two-thirds of your tax bill? Those 70 or older this year can.

Monday is the last day for Hall County residents to apply for a full school tax exemption with the Hall County Tax Assessors Office.

Because the actual deadline falls on Saturday, the assessors office will accept applications until 5 p.m. Monday.

Assistant Chief Appraiser Don Elrod said county residents must have a copy of their driver’s license or birth certificate to get the exemption. The documents can be mailed, faxed, e-mailed or hand delivered.

“We’ll process it any way they can get it to us,” Elrod said.

Property owners older than 62 who already have a partial school tax exemption do not have to reapply for the full exemption. The exemption rules recently changed to lower the age to 70 for county residents, but Gainesville city residents must be 72 to be eligible for the full school tax exemption. House Bill 1411, which took effect Jan. 1, 2009, changed the rules.

There was some confusion last year from people who did not apply for the exemption on time because they either did not know about the new law or did not realize they must submit proof of age. Another point of confusion for some is that only primary residences, not vacation homes or rental properties in Hall County, are eligible for the exemption.

“It only follows your homestead property,” Elrod said.

Elrod said this year, the county has made major efforts to make sure as many people as possible apply for the exemption before the deadline.

“We’ve had a lot of people apply for it so far,” Elrod said. “That’s a sizeable exemption. They’ve paid school tax all those years, they deserve to get it.”