To complete a DeKalb County notary renewal, take a Georgia notary training course within 30 days of your appointment, file the state application through the GSCCCA online portal with two endorsements and proof of county residency, then appear before the DeKalb Clerk of Superior Court to take the oath. The fee is $54, and the new commission runs four years.1DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court. Notary Start early. Once your current commission expires, you cannot notarize anything until the new one is issued.
Confirm You Still Qualify
Georgia commissions notaries through the clerk’s office in their county of residence, so DeKalb renewal is only for people who still live in DeKalb County. If you’ve moved to another Georgia county since your last commission, apply through that county’s clerk instead. Applicants must be at least 18 and either a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.2Justia. Georgia Code 45-17-2 – Qualifications of Notaries
One exception matters for commuters. If you live in a state that borders Georgia but work or operate a business in DeKalb County, you can be commissioned through the DeKalb clerk based on your employment location, provided you meet every other qualification.2Justia. Georgia Code 45-17-2 – Qualifications of Notaries
Take the Training Course
This is the step renewing notaries most often miss. Georgia requires every applicant, including renewals, to complete a notary training course, and it has to be finished within 30 days before your appointment at the clerk’s office.3Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority. Notary Public Education Rules4Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority. Notary Public Application The course is offered through the GSCCCA. When you finish, print the Certificate of Completion; the clerk’s office will not process your renewal without it.
Fill Out the Application
The application runs through the GSCCCA’s online portal.4Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority. Notary Public Application Select DeKalb County as your commissioning county, then enter your full legal name, residential address, phone number, and email exactly as they appear on your government-issued ID. If you’re applying based on employment rather than residency, add your employer’s name and physical address in the county. Print the application when you’re done.
Two Endorsements
Georgia’s application requires signatures from two people who live in DeKalb County, are at least 18, are not related to you, and have known you for at least one month. Each endorser signs an affidavit stating they believe you are a person of integrity and good moral character capable of performing notarial acts.5Justia. Georgia Code 45-17-2.1 – Application to Be a Notary, Endorsements and Declarations The statute frames this for initial appointments, but the standard form includes the endorsement page either way, so line up your endorsers before you go.
Proof of Residency
DeKalb County accepts only three documents as proof that you live in the county:6DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court. Notary Application Checklist
- A second government-issued ID or driver’s license showing your current address
- A current voter identification card with your current address
- A valid DeKalb County gun permit with your current address
P.O. boxes don’t count. If your driver’s license still shows an old address, update it before you go or bring one of the alternatives.
File at the Clerk’s Office
Bring your printed application, training certificate, proof of residency, and endorsements to:1DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court. Notary
DeKalb County Courthouse
556 North McDonough Street
Ground Floor, G-50
Decatur, GA 30030
The fee is $54. Payment can be made with cash, a business check, a money order payable to “Clerk of Superior Court, DeKalb County,” or a credit or debit card. Card payments carry a 2% plus $1.00 surcharge. Personal checks are not accepted.1DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court. Notary
If you can’t get to the courthouse, DeKalb offers a mail-in option. Mail your completed packet and payment to the clerk’s office, and staff will schedule a swearing-in by Zoom.1DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court. Notary
Take the Oath and Get Your New Commission
In person or by Zoom, you’ll verbally affirm that you’ll faithfully perform your duties as a notary public under Georgia law. The clerk then issues your new certificate of appointment, good for four years.7Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority. General Notary Information
Renew before your current commission expires. Georgia allows renewal at any time prior to expiration.8Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority. Georgia Notary Law If yours lapses, any notarization you perform in the gap has no legal effect, which creates problems for you and every person whose documents you handled.
Do You Need a New Seal?
Your seal must show your name, “Notary Public,” your county of appointment, and “Georgia.” A metal embosser or rubber ink stamp both satisfy the requirement.8Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority. Georgia Notary Law The clerk’s office will give you a duplicate certificate of appointment to bring to a seal supplier if you need one.
You don’t automatically need a new seal at renewal. If the information on your existing seal matches your new commission exactly, keep using it.4Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority. Notary Public Application Check your name, county, and state designation. If any of those changed, you’ll need a replacement.
If you do replace the seal, destroy the old one. Peel the rubber from the stamp base and cut it into pieces, slicing through the text and commission details. A notary who lets a commission expire without renewing must also destroy the seal.8Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority. Georgia Notary Law
The Journal Rule That Took Effect in 2025
Starting January 1, 2025, Georgia notaries must keep a written or electronic journal whenever they notarize documents for a “self-filer.” A self-filer is a party to certain real-estate-related instruments (deeds, mortgages, liens, plats) who brings the documents directly to the notary rather than going through a professional intermediary. Licensed attorneys, real estate brokers, bank agents, mortgage lenders, and public officials acting in their official capacity are exempt from the self-filer classification.
For each qualifying notarization, record the date and time, the signer’s full name and address, the type of document, the type of identification presented, and whether you administered an oath. Use permanent ink, and cross out and initial any error rather than erasing it.
Bonds and Insurance
Georgia does not require notaries to carry a surety bond.7Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority. General Notary Information If a notarial error causes someone financial harm, liability falls directly on you. Errors and omissions insurance is optional and worth pricing out, particularly if you handle real estate transactions; basic policies for notaries often run under $100 a year.