Georgia Notary Public Forms: Application, Oath, and Certificates

To become a notary in Georgia, you file a Georgia notary public application with the Clerk of Superior Court in your county of residence, after completing a free online training course run by the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA). The same form handles new commissions and renewals, the term runs four years, and the fee is roughly $40 to $55 depending on the county.¹

Who Can Apply

Under O.C.G.A. § 45-17-2, you must be at least 18 years old, a United States citizen or legal resident, a legal resident of the county where you apply, able to read and write English, and reachable at a working telephone number.²

If you live in a state bordering Georgia but work or are regularly employed in a Georgia county, you can apply in that county instead of needing Georgia residency.³

Filling Out the Application

Download the Georgia Notary Public Application from gsccca.org. The form asks for your legal name, residential address, business address if applicable, and a working phone number. You sign and swear to its truthfulness, and you disclose any criminal convictions (including nolo contendere pleas, but not minor traffic violations) and any prior notary commission denials, revocations, or suspensions.⁴

Two Endorsers

First-time applicants need endorsements from two people who live in the same county where you are applying. Each endorser must be at least 18, cannot be related to you, and must have known you for at least one month.⁴ They sign directly on the application. Make sure each endorser’s signature matches their printed name on the form; a mismatch is a common reason the Clerk’s office rejects the paperwork.

Training Certificate

Every applicant, new or renewing, must complete the GSCCCA notary training before submitting. The course is free online at elearn.gsccca.org.⁵ Print the Certificate of Completion and bring it with your application. For renewals, the training must be completed within 30 days before the renewal appointment.³

Filing With the Clerk and Taking the Oath

Bring the completed application, endorser signatures, and training certificate to the Clerk of Superior Court in your county of residence. Non-residents who qualify through a Georgia workplace go to the Clerk in the county where that business is located. The fee ranges from $40 to $55 depending on the county and is non-refundable; call ahead to confirm the exact amount.³

Once the Clerk approves the application, you take a formal oath of office administered by the Clerk or a designated deputy. The Clerk then issues your certificate of appointment, which shows your notary identification number and the start and end dates of your four-year term. Most Clerks hand you the physical certificate the same day.¹

Getting Your Seal

You cannot buy a notary seal before being commissioned. The Clerk gives you a duplicate original of your certificate of appointment, and you present that document to a seal supplier before they can produce the seal.⁶ The seal must include your name, the words “Notary Public,” your county of appointment, and the state name.⁷ A rubber stamp or an embosser is acceptable; an embossment is authorized but not required.

Renewing Your Commission

Renewal uses the same application form, requires the same training (within 30 days of the renewal appointment), and costs the same $40 to $55.¹ A renewing notary is one who already holds an active commission in the county of application, and some counties allow renewal by mail. Ask your Clerk’s office whether yours does.

If the information on your current seal matches your new commission exactly, you can keep using it. If you have moved to a different Georgia county since your last commission, renew in the new county; your existing commission stays valid statewide until it expires, but the renewal has to go through the county where you now live.¹

Updating Your Information After You’re Commissioned

If your name, address, or telephone number changes, file a written Notice of Change with your appointing Clerk of Superior Court and send a copy to the GSCCCA within 30 days. Include both the old and new information. For a name change, add your new signature as well; reporting the new name without the updated signature leaves the filing incomplete.⁸

If your seal is lost or stolen, send written notice to the Clerk and the GSCCCA within ten days. There is no special form; a letter describing the loss and including your commission details is enough. Then order a replacement using the duplicate original of your certificate of appointment.⁹

Certificate Forms You’ll Use on the Job

Once you’re commissioned, the GSCCCA posts downloadable templates for the two notarial certificates you will use most: the jurat and the acknowledgment.¹⁰ A jurat is used when the signer swears or affirms under oath that the contents of a document are true, and the signer must sign in your presence.¹¹ An acknowledgment confirms the signer appeared before you and acknowledged the document as their own act, without any oath.¹² Both certificates require the date of the act, the notary’s signature in ink matching the name on the commission, the seal impression, and the commission expiration date.¹³

1
Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority. General Notary Forms and Information
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Justia. Georgia Code 45-17-2 – Qualifications of Notaries
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Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority. Notary Public Application
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Justia. Georgia Code 45-17-2.1 – Application to Be a Notary; Endorsements and Declarations
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Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority. Online Training
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FindLaw. Georgia Code 45-17-5 – Certificate of Appointment
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Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority. Georgia Notary Law
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Justia. Georgia Code 45-17-13 – Change of Residence, Address, or Name
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Justia. Georgia Code 45-17-14 – Notice of Loss or Theft of Notarial Seal
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Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority. Georgia Notary Files and Forms
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Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority. Jurat Certificate
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Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority. Acknowledgment by an Individual
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Justia. Georgia Code 45-17-8.1 – Signature and Date of Notarial Act