Powers and Duties

Overview

A Notary Public has authority within any county in the State of Georgia to:
  • Witness or attest signature or execution of deeds and other written instrument
  • Take acknowledgments
  • Administer oaths and affirmations in all matters incidental to their duties as commercial officers and all other oaths and affirmations which are not by law required to be administered by a particular officer
  • Witness affidavits upon oath or affirmation
  • Take verifications upon oath or affirmation
  • Make certified copies, provided that the document presented for copying is an document and is neither a public record nor a publicly recorded document certified of which are available from an official source other than a notary and provided further that the document was photocopied under supervision of the notary
  • Such other acts as notaries are authorized to perform by the laws of the State of Georgia

Definitions

  • Notarial Act - any act that a notary is authorized to perform and included, attestations, the taking of an acknowledgment, the administration of an oath or affirmation, the taking of a verification upon oath or affirmation, and certification of a copy
  • Attesting and attestation -the notarial act of witnessing or attesting a signature or execution of a deed or other written instrument, where such notarial act does not involve the taking of an acknowledgment, the administering of an oath or affirmation, the taking of a verification, or the certification of a copy
  • Notarial certificate - the notary's documentation of a notarial act