Georgia professional license requirements are set by the specific board that governs your occupation, with the Secretary of State’s office providing a central online application system (GOALS) for 42 of those boards. You’ll generally need to meet your board’s education and exam standards, pass a criminal background check, prove lawful presence in the United States, and pay application and renewal fees on the schedule your board sets. Each board makes its own licensing decisions, so the specifics turn on which profession you practice.
Find the Right Board for Your Profession
The Professional Licensing Boards Division, housed within the Secretary of State’s office, supports 42 boards covering occupations from nursing and pharmacy to cosmetology, plumbing, counseling, and engineering.1Georgia Secretary of State. About the Licensing Division The division does not evaluate applications itself. Each board sets its own qualifications, decides who gets licensed, and handles discipline for its profession.
Not every licensed occupation runs through the Secretary of State. Insurance agents and agencies are licensed by the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire.2Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire. Agents and Agency Licensing Attorneys are admitted through the State Bar of Georgia. If you aren’t sure which agency handles your field, the Secretary of State website lists every board under its jurisdiction with links to board-specific rules.3Georgia Secretary of State. Licensing Division of the Georgia Secretary of States Office Confirm your board before anything else; the rest of the process flows from there.
Documents and Checks Every Applicant Needs
Education and exam requirements vary by board, but the paperwork pattern is consistent. Most boards expect official transcripts sent directly from your school to the board, not hand-carried in a sealed envelope. Many also require passing scores on a national or state examination: USMLE or COMLEX for physicians, NCLEX for nurses, the NIC exam for cosmetologists, and so on.4Georgia Secretary of State. Georgia Code Chapter 360-2 – License Requirements Some exams run only on fixed dates, so check your board’s requirements early.
Depending on the profession, you may also need to document supervised experience. Physician applicants must verify completion of accredited postgraduate residency training.5Cornell Law Institute. Georgia Comp R and Regs R 360-10-.03 – Requirements for Licensure Other boards accept employer verification letters. If you’ve held a license in another state and faced any disciplinary action, disclose it. Undisclosed discipline that surfaces during review is one of the fastest routes to denial.
Lawful Presence Verification
Georgia classifies a professional license as a “public benefit,” which triggers a two-part verification under O.C.G.A. § 50-36-1. You must submit at least one secure and verifiable document, such as an unexpired U.S. passport, a driver’s license issued by any U.S. state or territory, or a permanent resident card, from the Attorney General’s approved list.6Office of the Attorney General, Georgia. Secure and Verifiable Documents Under O.C.G.A. 50-36-2 The document must stay valid through the licensing period.
You must also sign a notarized affidavit of lawful presence confirming either U.S. citizenship or legal permanent residency, or qualified alien or lawfully present nonimmigrant status with your alien number. Official affidavit forms sit on the Secretary of State’s website under each board’s downloads. Make sure the name on the affidavit matches your ID exactly. Mismatches are a common cause of processing delays.
Criminal Background Check
Most boards require a fingerprint-based criminal history check through the Georgia Crime Information Center, submitted at an approved location via the Georgia Applicant Processing Service (GAPS). Results are typically available to the board within 24 to 48 hours.7Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Obtaining Criminal History Record Information Frequently Asked Questions Some boards also require a separate FBI check.
As of 2025, the GCIC fee is $30 for a Georgia-only check plus a GAPS processing fee of about $10, for roughly $40 total. A combined Georgia and FBI check costs $42 in GCIC fees plus the GAPS fee, totaling about $52.8Georgia Bureau of Investigation. GCIC Fees Effective January 1, 2025 These fees are separate from your application fee and non-refundable.
How to Submit Your Application
The primary application portal is GOALS, the Georgia Online Application Licensing System. Through GOALS you can file your application, upload supporting documents, pay fees, and track status. If you prefer paper, you can mail a packet to the Professional Licensing Boards Division at 3920 Arkwright Road, Suite 195, Macon, Georgia 31210. Paper applications carry a $10 processing fee compared with $5 online.1Georgia Secretary of State. About the Licensing Division
Application fees vary widely by board and license type. An Engineer in Training application is $20, a Professional Engineer application by exam is $30, and a Professional Land Surveyor application by comity is $350.9Georgia Secretary of State. Fee Schedule These fees are non-refundable, so confirm you meet your board’s eligibility rules before paying. The board communicates by email or through GOALS if it needs more documentation or when your license is granted.
Renewing Your License
Georgia professional licenses generally renew on a two-year cycle, but the actual expiration date varies by board. Speech-language pathologists renew by March 31 of odd-numbered years, while professional counselors renew by September 30 of even-numbered years.10Georgia.gov. Renew a Professional Certification or License There is no single statewide renewal date, so check your board’s calendar.
Continuing education requirements also vary. Professional counselors need 35 hours per two-year cycle, with at least 5 in ethics.11Georgia Secretary of State. Georgia Administrative Code Chapter 135-9 – Continuing Education Speech-language pathologists and audiologists need 20 hours per biennium. Whatever the number, complete the hours before your renewal date. Boards do not grant extensions because you ran out of time.
Late Renewal and Reinstatement
Missing your renewal deadline triggers escalating consequences. Most boards offer a short grace period, often one to three months, during which you can still renew by paying a late penalty on top of the renewal fee. For some boards the penalty is a flat $10; others charge more.12Georgia Secretary of State. Georgia Administrative Code Chapter 580-4 – Standards of Procedure
If you miss the late renewal window entirely, the stakes jump. Under Georgia law, failing to renew by the end of the penalty period has the same effect as having your license revoked.13Justia. Georgia Code 43-1-19 – Refusal to Grant, Revocation, and Suspension of Licenses Reinstatement is discretionary and typically requires a new application, proof of current continuing education, and a reinstatement fee that can be double the normal renewal fee.14Georgia Secretary of State. Georgia Administrative Code Chapter 609-8 – Renewal and Reinstatement For licenses lapsed more than a year, boards may require additional continuing education, in some cases 30 to 50 hours tied to your scope of practice, before considering reinstatement. The longer you wait, the harder it gets.
Moving to Georgia With an Out-of-State License
Georgia has not enacted a universal recognition law for out-of-state licenses, so you will generally need to apply for a Georgia license when you relocate. Some boards offer a “comity” or “endorsement” pathway that streamlines the process when your existing state’s requirements are substantially similar to Georgia’s. The engineering and surveying boards, for example, run explicit comity application tracks with their own fee schedules.9Georgia Secretary of State. Fee Schedule
A few professions avoid state-by-state licensing through interstate compacts. Nurses with a multistate license under the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact can practice in any member state, and Georgia participates. Teachers may benefit from the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact. For professions without a compact, expect to submit transcripts, exam scores, and a license verification from your current state. Verification fees from other states typically range from $0 to $25. Contact your Georgia board before relocating to confirm which pathway applies and whether additional exams are required.
Military Members and Spouses
Georgia law reduces licensing barriers for military families. Under O.C.G.A. § 43-1-34, every professional licensing board must have a process for issuing temporary, expedited, or endorsement-based licenses to service members transitioning out of the military when their military training and experience substantially meet or exceed Georgia’s civilian requirements.15Justia. Georgia Code 43-1-34 – Licenses for Transitioning Service Members
Spouses of active-duty service members stationed in Georgia get an immediate benefit. If a military spouse holds a current, good-standing license from another state and has filed an application for an expedited endorsement license under O.C.G.A. § 43-1-35, that spouse can begin working in Georgia right away, before the Georgia license is actually issued, as long as an in-state employer has verified the out-of-state license. If the board does not issue the expedited license within 30 days, the spouse can keep working without it.15Justia. Georgia Code 43-1-34 – Licenses for Transitioning Service Members The expedited endorsement license itself must be issued within 90 days of a complete application. The board can require only documentation needed to verify endorsement eligibility and may require a Georgia jurisprudence exam, but cannot require the full national licensing exam if the applicant already passed one in the original state.
Penalties for Practicing Without a Valid License
Working in a licensed profession without valid credentials carries real consequences. Georgia licensing boards can impose fines of up to $500 per separate violation of the laws or regulations governing a licensed profession.13Justia. Georgia Code 43-1-19 – Refusal to Grant, Revocation, and Suspension of Licenses Boards can also issue cease-and-desist orders and refer cases for criminal prosecution. Some professions, particularly in healthcare and construction, carry separate criminal penalties for unlicensed practice beyond the administrative fine structure.
This matters if your renewal slips. Continuing to work after your license expires and the grace period closes is practicing without a license, and the board treats that the same way it treats someone who never held one. If you realize you missed renewal, stop practicing and renew or reinstate before seeing another client or taking another job.
Appealing a Denial or Disciplinary Action
When a board denies your application or disciplines your existing license, you have the right to a contested case hearing under Georgia’s Administrative Procedure Act. The hearing is conducted by the Office of State Administrative Hearings, an independent agency that assigns an administrative law judge to the case.16Justia. Georgia Code 50-13-13 – Contested Cases The judge reviewing your appeal is not the same body that made the initial decision.
At the hearing, you can be represented by an attorney, present evidence, call witnesses, and cross-examine the board’s witnesses. After the administrative law judge issues an initial decision, either party has 30 days to request board review. The board may adopt, modify, or reject the judge’s findings. If you disagree with the board’s final order, judicial review is available through Georgia’s superior courts.
Boards can impose a range of sanctions short of outright denial or revocation. Under O.C.G.A. § 43-1-19, a board may issue a public or private reprimand, suspend a license for a set period, restrict the scope of practice, impose fines up to $500 per violation, require counseling or treatment, or place a licensee on probation.13Justia. Georgia Code 43-1-19 – Refusal to Grant, Revocation, and Suspension of Licenses The board can also charge you for the administrative and legal costs of the proceeding. If you receive a denial or disciplinary notice, respond within the deadline stated in the notice. Failing to request a hearing in time typically waives your right to one.