Free Georgia Notary Acknowledgment Template

A Georgia notary acknowledgment is the notary’s documentation that a named signer appeared in person and acknowledged a signature on a document. Georgia’s notary law sits in Title 45, Chapter 17 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.

The Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA) oversees notaries statewide and publishes a summary of the law.

Who Commissions Georgia Notaries

Georgia handles notary commissions at the county level. Each applicant applies to the Clerk of Superior Court in their county of residence, and a commission lasts four years. Even so, a notary may act anywhere within the state.

Seal of Office

Every notarial act must carry the notary’s seal. It shows the notary’s name, the words “Notary Public,” the county of appointment, and the state. Embossing is allowed but not necessary, since a rubber stamp is sufficient.

Signature and Date

At signing, the notary signs the certificate in ink, exactly as their name appears on the commission, and records the exact date of the act. However, the date isn’t required when a notary attests deeds or other instruments pertaining to real property.

Who Can’t Notarize

A notary can’t act if they sign the document or are a party to it. Still, a notary who works for a bank or corporation may take acknowledgments on that business’s documents. The limit is that they can’t witness their own signature.

A notary may also decline in some situations. For example, they may suspect the transaction is illegal, see signs of coercion, or doubt that you understand the consequences.

Two dollars. According to the GSCCCA, the authorized fee is $2.00 for each notarial act, and a notary doesn’t have to charge anything at all. If a fee will apply, the notary must tell you before performing the service.

However, one extra charge is possible. At your request, a notary may add another $2.00 for a certificate from the Clerk of Superior Court confirming their commission is in effect. Ask for it only if whoever receives your Georgia notary acknowledgment has requested that proof.

Because state law sets the fee and can change it, confirm the amount when you book.

A typical visit looks like this.

1. Enter the county where you’ll sign and the date, and print your name exactly as you’ll sign it.
2. Find a commissioned Georgia notary, who can be from any county.
3. Bring government-issued photo ID, or use a notary who knows you.
4. Appear in person and acknowledge your signature on the document.
5. The notary marks how you were identified, signs in ink, adds the commission expiration date, and applies the seal.
6. Pay the fee, if any, which can’t exceed $2 per act.

The GSCCCA publishes sample acknowledgment certificates. For an individual, the sample includes:

• “State of Georgia” and the county
• A statement that the document was acknowledged in the notary’s presence on a specific date
• The printed name of the present, named signer
• A choice showing the signer is personally known or produced government-issued photo identification under § 45-17-8(e)
• The notary’s signature, “Notary Public, State of Georgia,” the seal, and the commission expiration date

A second sample covers someone signing as an attorney-in-fact or in another capacity. It adds the capacity or authority under which that person acted. Prepare your Georgia notary acknowledgment with Document Genius so the notary only needs to complete their part.