What Is a Georgia Notary Acknowledgment Form?
A Georgia notary acknowledgment form is used to confirm that a person signed a document on their own and that they are who they say they are. A notary public completes this form after checking and confirming the signer’s identity.
Georgia law outlines the rules for completing a notary acknowledgment under GA Code § 45-17-8. Using a notary acknowledgment helps:
- Confirm a document is properly signed
- Prevent fraud and avoid disputes
- Show that your document is valid and can be trusted
Documents That Typically Require Notarization in Georgia
In Georgia, many legal and financial documents require notarization to confirm their validity. Here is a list of documents that typically require notarization in Georgia:
Additional documents that may not legally require notarization but may still benefit from it:
Legal Requirements for Georgia Notary Acknowledgments
To ensure your Georgia notary acknowledgment is valid, here are a few basic rules it should follow:
- Form of acknowledgment: A valid notary acknowledgment in Georgia must include key details like the state and county, date, and the name of the signer (GA Code § 45-17-8). The form should also include the notary’s signature and seal.
- Physical appearance: The signer must appear before the notary at the time of notarization (GA Code § 45-17-8).
- Notary commission: The notary must be properly commissioned to perform notarial acts. Commissions usually last four years.
Is Online Notarization Legal in Georgia?
No, Georgia has not fully authorized remote online notarization for general use. Most documents must still be notarized in person, with the signer physically present before the notary. However, there are certain limited exceptions.
For example, the Georgia Department of Revenue allows remote notarization for certain tax-related documents under specific Georgia Rules and Regulations 560-1-1-.14 that require:
- The notary to be physically located in Georgia
- The signer to provide proof of identity using communication technology
- The signed document to be sent to the notary on the same day
It is also important to know that Georgia may accept notarization completed in other states, as long as they follow the state’s laws (GA Code § 44-2-21).
Sample Georgia Notary Acknowledgment
Use Legal Templates’s Georgia notary acknowledgment form below to complete notarization for your documents. Download a free template in PDF and Word format.
