The Dawson County Tax Commissioner's office will close early today for state mandated staff training.

The office will close at 11:30 a.m. and reopen for business at 8 a.m. tomorrow.

Staff members will be participating in training on state HB 386 that involves a new manner for processing motor vehicles titles.

"We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your understanding," said Tax Commissioner Linda Townley.

The law eliminates sales-and-use tax and the annual ad valorem tax on vehicles purchased on or after March 1. They will be replaced by a one-time fee imposed on the fair market value of the vehicle.

Townley discussed the new law during a recent town hall meeting.

"The biggest change is if you buy a vehicle from an individual, you're still going to have to pay that 6.5 percent in 2013, 6.75 percent in 2014 and 7 percent in 2015, and it can go up to as high as 9 percent," Townley said.

"The biggest problem I'm going to see for my office is when that person who buys a car from his neighbor comes in and they want their title and their title is today $18, and they come in and say it's going to be 6.5 percent of this value - not what they paid for it, but the value in the state's system.

"If we let people know, it will be better and they will be prepared to know that they'll have to come up with more than the $18 to get their title before they can register their car."

While the measure has been publicized since its passage during the 2012 General Assembly, Townley said details of the law likely will surprise folks who come to her office to pay car tag fees.

Townley encourages the public to call her office at (706) 344-3500 or visit the state department of revenue's Web site, at http://onlinemvd.dor.ga.gov/Tap/welcome.aspx, which features a title ad valorem tax calculator.