The Georgia T-22B form is a one-page Certification of Inspection that a city, county, or state law enforcement officer, or an authorized county tag agent, fills out after physically examining your vehicle, verifying its VIN, and running it through state and federal stolen-vehicle databases. You need it any time you apply for a Georgia title without a standard certificate of title or a manufacturer’s statement of origin to back the application. The form is a free PDF download from the Georgia Department of Revenue website.1Georgia Department of Revenue. T-22B Certification of Inspection
When You Need a T-22B
The form must accompany any Georgia title application that is not supported by either a certificate of title or a manufacturer’s statement of origin.2Georgia Department of Revenue. T-22B Certification of Inspection by a Duly Constituted Georgia City, County or State Law Enforcement Officer or County Tag Agent In practice, that covers several common situations:
- Bringing a 1986-or-newer vehicle into Georgia from another state and transferring the out-of-state title, including leased vehicles and military members whose title is held by a lien holder in another state.
- Registering a 1986-or-newer vehicle from a state or country that does not issue titles. In that case you submit the original registration certificate along with the T-22B.3Camden County. What Is Needed to Register and Obtain a Georgia Title and License Plate
- Titling an older vehicle. Georgia titles are optional for 1963–1985 model years and not required for 1962 and earlier models, but if you choose to title one, a T-22B is part of the package.4Georgia Department of Revenue. Title Not Required or Optional Titles
- Applying for a bonded title because you lack normal proof-of-ownership documents. If the officer notes that the serial plate is missing, you also need Form T-128, the Missing Serial Plate Affidavit.5Georgia Department of Revenue. Bonded Vehicle Title
- Titling a vehicle that was registered in a foreign country. The T-22B goes in with EPA, HS-7, CBP-7501, and DD-1252 documentation.
- Titling a trailer under 2,000 pounds when the trailer’s VIN is not in Georgia’s DRIVES system or the chain of ownership has been broken.
One boundary worth knowing: homemade trailers do not use the T-22B. They follow a separate process using Form T-23 and Form T-22C. The county tag office issues a serial plate that you rivet to the trailer, and a law enforcement officer certifies the placement on the T-22C.6Georgia Department of Revenue. Homemade Trailers and Serial Plates
What to Bring to the Inspection
Print the T-22B from the Department of Revenue website before you go. The officer cannot certify anything without the form in hand. Then have the following ready at the location where the vehicle is parked:
- Your driver’s license.
- Proof of insurance.
- Proof of ownership. This can be a notarized bill of sale, out-of-state registration, foreign title, or any document that connects you to the vehicle.
- The existing tag and registration if the vehicle was previously registered somewhere.
Requirements vary a bit by agency. The City of Conyers, for example, also asks for proof of residency within city limits.7City of Conyers, GA. VIN Verification and Inspection Call your local police department or sheriff’s office before you show up to confirm what they want and whether you need an appointment. Some agencies take walk-ins; others schedule inspections on specific days or times.
How to Fill Out Your Part of the Form
You complete only the top portion. The form asks for the vehicle’s year, make, and body style, along with your name, mailing address, and phone number. You also note the physical location of the vehicle so the officer can find it if the inspection happens later.2Georgia Department of Revenue. T-22B Certification of Inspection by a Duly Constituted Georgia City, County or State Law Enforcement Officer or County Tag Agent
Leave the entire lower half blank. That section is where the officer records the VIN, notes whether the serial plate is present, and certifies the stolen-vehicle database check. Writing in the officer’s section can void the form and force you to start over.
What the Officer Checks
The officer examines the VIN plate on the vehicle, looking for signs of tampering such as altered rivets, scratched surfaces, or inconsistent stamping, and compares the physical VIN against the ownership paperwork you provide.
The step most owners never see happens on the officer’s computer: a query through the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) and the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) stolen-vehicle databases. The officer’s signature certifies that they ran the check and that the vehicle did not come back as stolen.8Thomson-McDuffie County. T-22B Georgia Certification of Inspection Form If the vehicle shows up in the stolen-vehicle files, the officer will not sign, and the vehicle will be held for further investigation.
The signature is given under penalty of false swearing under O.C.G.A. §16-10-71, which carries a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment of one to five years, or both.9Justia Law. Georgia Code 16-10-71 – False Swearing That same statute applies to the information you put on the form. Don’t misrepresent the vehicle’s identity or your ownership claim.
Submitting the Signed Form
Once the officer signs, take the T-22B to your county tag office along with the rest of your title package. At a minimum, that package includes:
- Form MV-1, the Title/Tag Application, completed and signed.10Georgia Department of Revenue. MV-1 DOR Motor Vehicle Title/Tag Application
- Proof of ownership. This is the out-of-state title, registration, bill of sale, or surety bond documents that triggered the T-22B requirement.
- Proof of Georgia liability insurance.
- A passing emissions inspection, required in the 13-county metro Atlanta area for most vehicles.
- A valid Georgia driver’s license. Active-duty military may use a valid license from any state along with military ID.3Camden County. What Is Needed to Register and Obtain a Georgia Title and License Plate
You pay an $18 original title application fee, a $20 license plate registration fee if you are also getting a tag, and a $1 title mailing fee.11Georgia Department of Revenue. Motor Vehicles Fees, Fines, and Penalties You also pay the Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT) at the time of application, calculated by multiplying the vehicle’s fair market value by the applicable rate.12Georgia Department of Revenue. Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT) – FAQ
Submit everything to the county tag office where you live. Registration typically arrives within two to three weeks; if nothing shows up within 30 days, follow up with the tag office.13Georgia.gov. Register a Vehicle Keep a photocopy of the signed T-22B and everything else you submitted. Getting a second inspection because paperwork was lost is an avoidable hassle.
Extra Steps for Bonded Titles
If you are using the T-22B as part of a bonded title application, the form is one piece of a bigger package. You also need a surety bond on Form MV-46, written for at least twice the vehicle’s average retail value with a $5,000 minimum, backed by an insurance company licensed in Georgia. The bond must be accompanied by a notarized Form MV-46A affidavit and a report from the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS). If NMVTIS shows a title of record in another state, you also need a certified title history from that state.5Georgia Department of Revenue. Bonded Vehicle Title
Bonded titles are not available for 1985 or older vehicles or for abandoned vehicles. The T-22B inspection matters most here: if the GCIC/NCIC check flags anything, the process stops before you spend money on the surety bond.