General Notary Forms and Information

In Georgia, notaries public are commissioned for a four-year term by the Clerk of Superior Court in their county of residence. Georgia also allows residents of neighboring states to apply to become notaries public. These out-of-state residents must own a business in Georgia or be regularly employed in Georgia and must apply with the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where they own a business or are employed.
Note: Only out-of-state residents may apply in their county of employment; Georgia residents may only apply in their county of residence.

Fee:
The fee for a new notary appointment or for reappointment is $40.00 - $55.00. Please check with the county in which you are applying for the exact fee.

Jurisdiction:
Georgia notaries public may perform notarial acts anywhere within the State of Georgia.

Qualifications to become a notary in Georgia:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Be a citizen of the United States or a legal resident of the United States.
• Be a legal resident of the county in which he or she applies (or, if a non-Georgia resident, you must reside in a state bordering Georgia and carry on a business or profession in Georgia or be regularly employed in the Georgia county of application).
• Have, and provide at the time of application, the applicant's operating telephone number.
• Be able to read and write English.

Notary Training: Georgia does not require mandatory training; however, a free web-based training course is highly recommended. This course explains Georgia notary law, and presents basic notary procedures. Click HERE to access the training course. The course is not required in order to receive a commission.

The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority, in conjunction with the American Society of Notaries, offers "The Georgia Notary Handbook." This is an excellent reference book for Georgia notary law, notary procedures and best practices, and includes forms and definitions. To purchase a handbook, either use our Notary Handbook Online Order System or fill out the Notary Handbook Mail-In Order Form

New Applicants:
Overview:

• Complete a notary application and bring it to the Clerk of Superior Court in your county of residence. (Note the neighboring-state resident provision above.)
• Pay the application fee and take the oath of office.
• The clerk's office issues a notary certificate of appointment.
• Purchase a notary seal (metal emboss type or rubber ink stamp) from an office supply store or from a notary trade association.

Renewing Notaries Public:
A renewing notary is defined as someone who holds an active notary commission in the county of application.
Overview:

• Complete a notary application and bring it to the Clerk of Superior Court in your county of residence. (Note the neighboring-state resident provision above.) Some counties allow notaries to renew by mail. Contact your Clerk of Superior Court's office for specific details.
• Pay the application fee and take the oath of office.
• The clerk's office issues a notary certificate of appointment.
• Purchase a notary seal of office (metal emboss type or rubber ink stamp) from an office supply store or from a notary trade association. Note: You may use your existing notary seal/stamp if the information on the seal matches exactly the information on the new commission.

Information about the GSCCCA Notary Division
In 1997, the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA) assumed the role of maintaining the state-wide central database of notaries public from the Georgia Secretary of State.

The Authority was recognized in 1998 by the U.S. Department of State as the only state agency authorized to issue apostilles (certifications of public documents for use in a Hague Treaty Convention 12 country) for documents originating in the State of Georgia.