A Georgia notary acknowledgment form serves as a crucial certification by a notary public, affirming that signers voluntarily add their signatures on legal documents. This form attests that the signers personally appeared before the notary, confirming their identity and validating the authenticity of their signatures.
This formal attestation strengthens the validity of legal papers, affirming that the signers executed the document without coercion. While signature fields may be completed before submitting the document to the public official, they may also be finalized in the notary’s presence. The document is considered valid once the notary signs and affixes the seal on the form.
Legal Considerations
Statute: Code of Georgia, Title 45, Chapter 17.
Form of Acknowledgment: According to § 45-17-8, a notary public is required to confirm the identity of the individual involved, whether it’s the document signer, oath taker, or affirmant. This confirmation can be based on personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence, including, but not limited to, a valid Veterans Health Identification Card issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
Notary Term of Commission: Four years (§ 45-17-5(a)).
Notary Handbook: The Notary Handbook is only available for purchase and is a valuable source of information for proper notarization procedures in the state.
Is Online Notarization Legal in Georgia?
No, Georgia has not officially authorized online notarization. Nevertheless, the Department of Revenue allows remote notarization for specific tax-related forms, as per Rule 560-1-1-.14.
The signer must provide satisfactory evidence of identity through communication technology, and the notary must be physically located in the state. Additionally, the signer must transmit a copy of the signed document to the notary on the same execution date. The acceptance of electronic signatures and remote notarizations extends to forms and documents authorized by the Commissioner through Department regulations, publications, policy bulletins, or other accepted guidance.
Despite the absence of a specific Remote Online Notarization (RON) law, the state acknowledges and accepts notarizations conducted by notaries from other states, provided they are appropriately executed.
How to Notarize
Step 1 – Find a Notary
Individuals seeking notarial services have various options available, including but not limited to banks or credit unions, with Wells Fargo having the most branch locations in the state.
Additionally, UPS Stores and private notary services are among the many alternatives where notaries can be found.
The fees for notaries are stipulated as follows: $2.00 for administering an oath in any case, for each attendance on any person to make proof, and for every other certificate.
Notaries are prohibited from charging more than $4.00 for each service, encompassing a $2.00 fee for the notarial act and an additional $2.00 for attendance to make proof if certification is required. They must disclose the fees to the individual requesting the notarial service before performing it (§ 45-17-11).
Step 2 – Bring the Paperwork
The original document must be submitted to the notary, and all signers must personally appear before them.
Unless the notary public can personally recognize the signers, everyone must present suitable identification during the notarization process.
Step 3 – Sign the Form
Following the completion of identity verification for all involved parties, each signing participant is required to affirm that they have willingly signed the document.
In instances where the document has not been signed beforehand, individuals can execute their signatures in the presence of the notary, applicable to jurats and various other notarial acts.
Step 4 – Administer an Oath
The notary is obliged to administer an oath or affirmation specifically addressing the validity of the document’s contents, should a notarial act require this.
Step 5 – Affix the Seal
Once the notary is satisfied with the provided identification, recorded signatures, and sworn declarations, they must complete the proper notarial certificate. To provide legal validity to the document, they are required to affix their official seal alongside their signature.
How to Verify a Notary
- Access the Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA) website.
- To verify a notary public, you need to input at least one of the following criteria into the search engine: Name, county, city, postal code, appointment date, expiration date, or email. Once entered, click the Search button to initiate the search process.
- You access a list of notaries that meet the specified search criteria.
How to Write (for Notary)
- Download the notary acknowledgment form in PDF or Word format.
- Fill in the initial five vacant fields with the following details: County, day, month, year, and name of signer.
- Mark either “Personally Known” (when the notary recognizes the signer personally) or “Produced Identification.” If the latter is chosen, input the type of ID and its number. Finally, the notary must affix their seal, provide their signature, and print their name.
