Georgia House Bill 1292 requires a journal for notarizations performed for “self-filers” — parties to real estate instruments who aren’t attorneys, title companies, banks, or other exempt professionals. A new requirement since January 1, 2025. NotaryAct is state-configured for Georgia — the right fields are enabled and compliance is built in automatically.
📋 New law effective January 1, 2025: Georgia HB 1292 (signed May 2, 2024) created a mandatory journal requirement for notarizations involving “self-filers” — individuals personally presenting real estate documents who aren’t covered by professional exemptions. This is a significant change for Georgia notaries who work in real estate transactions. This page reflects all current requirements.
| ⚖️ Georgia Notary Journal Law — Quick Reference | |
|---|---|
| Governing Law | O.C.G.A. § 45-17-8 · HB 1292 (signed May 2, 2024 · eff. January 1, 2025) |
| Journal Required For | Notarizations for “self-filers” — real estate instrument parties ✓ |
| Journal Required For All Other Acts? | No — strongly recommended as best practice only |
| Permitted Formats | Written (paper) OR electronic |
| Self-Filer Definition | Party to a deed, mortgage, lien, map/plat, or state tax execution who is not exempt |
| Exempt From Journal Requirement | Attorneys · Title insurance agents · Banks / federal credit unions · Mortgage lenders/servicers · Public officials · Land surveyors · Licensed real estate brokers/agents |
| Required Entry Fields | 8 fields (name, address, phone, date/time/location, ID type, ID details, signature, document type) |
| Thumbprint / Fingerprint | Not required · Not prohibited · Optional in NotaryAct GA configuration |
| RON Status | Not yet available for GA-commissioned notaries · Legislation pending as of June 2026 |
| Training Requirement | Education course required before initial appointment and within 30 days before renewal (HB 1292) |
| Commission Term | 4 years |
| Max Notary Fee | $2.00 per notarial act (acknowledgments, oaths) |
Georgia took a different approach from most states when it enacted its journal requirement. Rather than requiring a journal for every notarial act, HB 1292 requires one only for a specific category of transactions — those involving “self-filers” presenting real estate instruments.
The logic is straightforward: deed fraud and fraudulent real property filings are the primary risk that prompted the requirement. When an attorney, title company, bank, or licensed professional oversees the transaction, professional regulation and recordkeeping obligations already provide accountability. When a private individual presents a deed or lien for recording without professional oversight, the notary’s journal becomes the only independent record of the transaction.
This means Georgia notaries must be vigilant about recognizing self-filer situations. The statute defines a self-filer as any person who is a party to the instrument being notarized and is not in one of the exempt categories. When a homeowner personally brings in a quitclaim deed, a lien, or a mortgage for notarization, they are almost certainly a self-filer and a journal entry is required.
| Person Presenting the Document | Self-Filer? | Journal Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Homeowner personally recording a quitclaim deed | Yes | Yes ✓ |
| Individual filing a lien against their own property | Yes | Yes ✓ |
| Private party to a real property mortgage | Yes | Yes ✓ |
| Attorney presenting a deed on behalf of a client | No (exempt) | Not required |
| Title company agent presenting closing documents | No (exempt) | Not required |
| Bank officer presenting mortgage documents | No (exempt) | Not required |
| Licensed real estate agent presenting deed | No (exempt) | Not required |
| Public official acting in official capacity | No (exempt) | Not required |
| Any notarization NOT involving real property instruments | N/A | Not required (best practice) |
Practical guidance: Because you won’t always know in advance whether someone is a self-filer, the most compliant approach is to keep a journal entry for every real estate notarization — and to use NotaryAct for all your notarizations as best practice. The self-filer determination can be made during or after the notarization, but the journal entry must be contemporaneous. When in doubt, record.
O.C.G.A. § 45-17-8(e)(3) specifies exactly what each self-filer journal entry must contain. NotaryAct’s Georgia configuration captures all eight fields.
| 1 | Self-Filer’s Full Name The complete name of the person for whom the notarization is performed. NotaryAct’s barcode scanner auto-fills from any Georgia driver’s license. |
| 2 | Self-Filer’s Address The current address of the self-filer. Auto-filled by NotaryAct’s barcode scanner. |
| 3 | Self-Filer’s Telephone Number The self-filer’s phone number. This field is unique to Georgia’s self-filer requirement — most other states do not require a phone number in the journal. NotaryAct includes a dedicated phone field in the Georgia configuration. |
| 4 | Date, Time, and Location of Notarization When and where the notarization occurred. NotaryAct auto-timestamps every entry at submission. Location is a distinct required field — unique among most state journal requirements. |
| 5 | Type of Government-Issued Photo ID Presented The type of credential used (e.g., Georgia driver’s license, passport). If identity was based on personal knowledge, note that instead. NotaryAct supports both options with dedicated fields. |
| 6 | Identifying Elements of the ID, Including Any Identifying Number Georgia statute specifically includes “any identifying number” among the required elements — unlike Illinois or Pennsylvania, which prohibit full ID numbers. NotaryAct’s Georgia configuration captures the ID number per state requirements. |
| 7 | Self-Filer’s Signature The self-filer must sign the journal entry. NotaryAct captures the signer’s electronic signature as part of every Georgia entry. |
| 8 | Type of Document Presented for Notarization The type of real property instrument — deed, quitclaim deed, mortgage, lien, map, plat, or state tax execution. NotaryAct includes a document type field in every entry. |
✔ NotaryAct is state-configured for Georgia: NotaryAct’s Georgia configuration enables all eight required fields for self-filer journal entries, including the phone number and location fields unique to Georgia’s law. The ID number field is included — correctly reflecting that Georgia permits (and requires) identifying numbers, unlike states where they’re prohibited. Fingerprint capture is available as an optional feature. For non-self-filer notarizations, NotaryAct provides best-practice journal support.
As of June 2026, Georgia-commissioned notaries cannot perform remote online notarizations. Georgia is one of the last remaining states without enacted RON legislation. Two bills advanced in the 2026 legislative session — Senate Bill 8 and House Bill 289 — both of which would permit RON with 10-year audiovisual archiving and electronic journal requirements, a maximum fee of $25 per remote notarization, and a $2,000 surety bond for RON notaries. Both bills passed committee but had not been signed into law as of June 27, 2026.
Georgia does recognize properly performed out-of-state RON notarizations. Signers in Georgia can access RON services through notaries commissioned in other states. When Georgia’s RON law is enacted, NotaryAct will be updated to reflect the new requirements.
| Georgia Requirement (HB 1292 / O.C.G.A. § 45-17-8) | How NotaryAct Covers It | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Journal for self-filer real estate notarizations | Self-filer journal mode with all 8 required fields enabled in GA configuration | ✔ |
| Name, address, and telephone number of self-filer | All three fields required; barcode scan auto-fills name and address; phone entered separately | ✔ |
| Date, time, and location of notarization | Auto-timestamped; location field included in GA configuration | ✔ |
| ID type and identifying elements including ID number | ID type, issuing info, and ID number fields included per GA statutory requirements | ✔ |
| Self-filer’s signature in journal | Electronic signature capture in every entry | ✔ |
| Type of document presented | Document type field in every entry with GA real property instrument options | ✔ |
| Best-practice journal for all other notarizations | Full best-practice journal available for non-self-filer acts | ✔ |
Other state guides: Florida · North Carolina · Virginia · Texas · All 50 States →
NotaryAct is state-configured for Georgia — all eight self-filer fields enabled, including phone number and location fields unique to Georgia law, plus best-practice journal support for all other notarizations. When Georgia’s RON law passes, NotaryAct will be ready.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Information reflects O.C.G.A. § 45-17-8 and § 44-2-2 as amended by HB 1292 (effective January 1, 2025) and the legislative status of SB 8/HB 289 as of June 27, 2026. Consult the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA) at gsccca.org or qualified legal counsel for guidance specific to your situation.
