How to Start a Notary Business in Georgia: Training Course, Mandatory Journal, Fees and Term

October 29, 2026

A Georgia notary is appointed by the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the applicant lives, not by the Secretary of State. The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA) runs the statewide notary database, issues apostilles, and publishes the approved training course. Notary law is in O.C.G.A. Title 45, Article 17. This guide covers who qualifies, the application steps in order, the journal you must keep, the fee limit, and the business setup that comes after you are commissioned. If you are looking for how to start a notary business in Georgia, these are the steps that matter.

What You Need Before You Apply

Gather these items before you start so the application does not stall:

• A government-issued photo ID.
• Documents showing you are a U.S. citizen or legal resident. Ask the clerk which documents it accepts.
• Proof of legal residence in the county where you apply. Ask the clerk which proof it accepts.
• A telephone number to list on the application.
• Your completed GSCCCA-approved training course record.
• The application fee. Each clerk sets this amount, so confirm it before you go.
• After you are commissioned: a notary seal and a journal. The seal must show your name, the words 'Notary Public', the county, and the state.

Step 1: Confirm You Qualify

Georgia notary requirements are straightforward, but you must meet all of them:

• Be 18 or older.
• Be a U.S. citizen or legal resident.
• Be a legal resident of the county where you apply. A resident of a bordering state who works in Georgia may also apply.
• Be able to read and write English.
• Have a telephone number to include on the application.

Treat the application as a public record. Anyone can request it, so enter contact details you are comfortable making public.

Step 2: Complete the GSCCCA-Approved Training Course

Since January 1, 2025, under HB 1292, both initial and renewal applicants must complete a GSCCCA-approved training course. Before you pay for any course, confirm that it appears on the GSCCCA's list of approved courses. Many people search for a Georgia notary training course and find providers that are not approved, so this check matters.

For a renewal, the course must be completed within the 30 days before your new appointment. Do not assume you can finish it at any point during your term.

Keep a copy of your course completion record with your application file. Ask the clerk what proof of completion it wants you to submit.

Step 3: File the Application With the County Clerk

Submit your application to the Clerk of Superior Court in your county. Notary application fees are set by each clerk, so there is no single statewide amount to budget for. Call or visit the clerk's office to confirm the current fee, the forms it requires, and the documents it wants attached.

Do not file with the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State's Corporations Division handles business entities such as LLCs and corporations, not notary commissions.

Step 4: Take the Oath and Receive Your Commission

Once your application is approved, you take the oath and receive your commission. The commission is your legal authority to act as a notary, and the term is 4 years. Record the commission start and expiration dates in your calendar on the day you receive them.

Step 5: Order Your Notary Seal

Order your seal after you have your commission details so the name on the seal matches your commission exactly. The seal must show your name, the words 'Notary Public', the county, and the state. A seal with a misspelled name or the wrong county can create problems with every document you notarize, so check the proof before you accept the order.

Step 6: Keep a Mandatory Journal

A journal is not optional in Georgia. Since January 1, 2025, a notary must keep a written or electronic journal with an entry for each notarial act. Each entry must include:

• The signer's name, address, and telephone number.
• The date, time, and place of the notarization.
• The type of identification shown and its identifying number, unless you know the signer personally.
• The signer's signature.
• The type of document notarized.

Make each entry at the time of the act, not from memory later. If you use an electronic journal, keep a backup copy so your records survive a lost device.

Term, Renewal, and Ongoing Duties

Your commission runs for 4 years. You can renew before it expires, and you should start the renewal early enough to complete the training course within the required 30-day window. Between renewals, you have two reporting duties:

• Report a lost or stolen seal within 10 days.
• Report a change of name, address, or telephone number within 30 days.

A Georgia notary may take acknowledgments, administer oaths, witness signatures, take verifications, and make certified copies of originals that are not public records. Your authority runs statewide. You may not claim powers the law does not give you, and you may not give legal advice to the people who sign in front of you.

Whether you must post a bond is not something to assume. Check with your Clerk of Superior Court before you accept bookings.

How Much Can a Notary Charge in Georgia?

Georgia caps the fee for a notarial act at $2 per act. That cap applies to the notarization itself. Mobile notaries and loan signing agents commonly add separate charges for travel and services. That is common practice, not a state fee schedule, so confirm with your Clerk how the cap applies to any extra charge you plan to bill.

Put your fee schedule in writing before the appointment. Clients should know the notarization fee, the travel charge, and any service charge before you arrive.

Setting Up the Business Side

Most notaries start as sole proprietors. You can also form an entity. Work through these steps in order:

1. Choose your structure. If you form an LLC, the Articles of Organization cost $110 total, which is the $100 fee plus a $10 service charge. You can file online or on paper with the Secretary of State. Annual registration is $60, which is $50 plus $10, and it is due between January 1 and April 1. Confirm the current window and late penalty with the Secretary of State. See how to start an LLC in Georgia for the full filing process.
2. Register a trade name if you use one. If you operate under a name other than your own or your entity's legal name, file a trade name (DBA) with the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the business is chiefly carried on. Trade names are not filed with the Secretary of State. The notice must run in the county legal organ once a week for two weeks. The clerk fee is about $165 plus the newspaper charge, so confirm both with your county clerk.
3. Get your local occupation tax certificate. Georgia issues no general statewide business license, and the Secretary of State issues none. The local license, often called a business license, is an occupation tax certificate issued by a city, or by the county for unincorporated areas, under O.C.G.A. Title 48, chapter 13. Georgia has 159 counties and about 537 cities, and each sets its own formula, deadlines, and prerequisites. A business inside a city pays the city, not the county. More than half of Georgians live outside any city, so for many notaries the county is the issuer. Private employers with more than 10 employees must file an E-Verify affidavit to get the certificate (O.C.G.A. 36-60-6). See Georgia business license requirements.
4. Register for taxes if needed. Register with the Department of Revenue through the Georgia Tax Center if you sell taxable goods or have employees. Sales tax registration is free, but it is a tax registration, not a business license. Georgia's state sales tax rate is 4%, and combined state and local rates run from 6% to 9% by county and city. Georgia's income tax is a flat rate: 5.19% for 2025 and 4.99% for 2026. For how these pieces fit together, see Georgia business taxes.
5. Plan for loan signing work. Loan signing agents typically carry a background check and errors and omissions (E&O) insurance. That is industry practice, not a Georgia rule, but lenders and title companies may ask for both before they send you work.
6. Know the employer threshold. If you hire, workers' compensation insurance is required at three or more workers, including part-time workers.

Cost Summary

Item	Amount	Where to confirm
Notary application fee	Set by the county clerk	County Clerk of Superior Court
Notarial act fee cap	$2 per act	O.C.G.A. Title 45, Article 17
LLC Articles of Organization	$110 total	Secretary of State
LLC annual registration	$60	Secretary of State
Trade name (DBA) filing	About $165 plus newspaper charge	County Clerk of Superior Court

Tips for a Smooth Start

• Build a journal template with every required field before your first appointment.
• Set calendar reminders for your renewal window, the 10-day lost seal deadline, and the 30-day change deadline.
• Keep business and personal money separate from the first day, even as a sole proprietor.
• Confirm every fee with the agency that collects it, since clerks and cities set their own amounts.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Filing the notary application with the Secretary of State. It goes to the county Clerk of Superior Court.
• Treating the journal as optional or recommended. It has been mandatory since January 1, 2025.
• Waiting until the last minute to renew the training course. It must be completed within the 30 days before your new appointment.
• Missing the 30-day deadline to report a name, address, or telephone change, or the 10-day deadline to report a lost seal.
• Filing a trade name with the Secretary of State. Trade names go to the county clerk.
• Assuming a county certificate covers a business located inside a city. The city issues that certificate.
• Charging more than $2 per notarial act for the notarization itself, or giving legal advice to signers.
• Assuming no bond is required. Check with your Clerk of Superior Court.

What Results to Expect

Results vary. A commission may help you offer notary services that people need regularly, including mobile and loan signing work. Georgia does not guarantee any volume of business or any income. Your local market, your marketing, your fee structure, and the quality of your records all affect how the business performs.

Official Resources

• Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division
• Georgia Secretary of State eCorp filing portal
• Georgia Department of Revenue
• Georgia Tax Center (sales tax registration)
• Georgia Small Business Development Center at the University of Georgia

This article is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Notary rules, fees, and deadlines can change, so confirm current requirements with your Clerk of Superior Court and the agencies listed above. For complex situations, including entity choice, tax treatment, and insurance, consult a qualified attorney or CPA.