Georgia Notary Requirements and E&O Insurance

Is a notary bond required in Georgia?

No. Georgia does not require notaries public to carry a surety bond. The Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA), which supports the county clerks who commission notaries, states directly that no bond is required of Georgia notaries. This distinguishes Georgia from many states where a bond is a precondition of commissioning.

Georgia notary law is found in Title 45, Chapter 17 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. Rather than a bond, the framework relies on eligibility screening by the Clerk of Superior Court, the notary’s oath and duties, and statutory penalties for misconduct — including a journal requirement for certain real estate acts. Notaries who want financial protection for their own mistakes can purchase optional errors and omissions insurance, but the state does not mandate it.

Because the county Clerk of Superior Court issues commissions, application details and fees are handled locally. Georgia notaries have statewide jurisdiction once commissioned.

How to become a notary in Georgia

1. Confirm eligibility and apply through the Clerk of Superior Court in your county of residence (Georgia residents apply in their home county).
2. Complete the Georgia Notary Public Application. By law (§ 45-17-2), the application information is open to public inspection.
3. Pay the county fee, generally in the range of $40–$55; the exact amount varies by county.
4. Receive your commission from the Clerk of Superior Court for a 4-year term.
5. Obtain a notary seal/stamp and begin performing notarial acts anywhere in Georgia.

Since January 1, 2025, Georgia notaries must maintain a written or electronic journal recording each notarial act performed for a “self-filer,” capturing the signer’s name, address, phone number, the date, time, and location, the type of government-issued photo ID presented (unless identity is based on personal knowledge), and the document type.

Bond vs. E&O insurance in Georgia

Because Georgia requires no surety bond, the only insurance a notary might carry is optional errors and omissions (E&O) coverage. E&O protects the notary personally by covering defense costs and liability for unintentional errors in a notarial act. Unlike a surety bond — which pays the public and can be recovered from the notary — E&O is purchased for the notary’s own benefit. Carrying it is entirely a personal business decision in Georgia.

Renewing your Georgia commission

Georgia commissions last four years and may be renewed before the term expires by submitting a reappointment application to the Clerk of Superior Court. Because no bond is required, renewal centers on the application and county fee rather than obtaining new bond coverage. Applying before expiration avoids a lapse in authority.

Remote online notarization in Georgia

Georgia’s standard notary program is administered at the county level, and the state’s online/electronic notarization landscape is governed by separate rules and authority rather than the county commissioning process described above. Because remote online notarization requirements are handled outside the ordinary commission described here, notaries interested in electronic or online acts should confirm current requirements directly with the GSCCCA and the applicable Georgia rules before performing them.

Non-resident notaries in Georgia

Georgia allows residents of a neighboring (bordering) state to become Georgia notaries under a limited exception. These out-of-state applicants must own a business in Georgia or be regularly employed in Georgia, and they apply through the Clerk of Superior Court in the Georgia county where that business or employment is located.