GA Notary Qualifications and Commission 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What grounds can lead to revocation of a Georgia notary commission?
- Moving to a different county within Georgia
- Official misconduct, incapacity, or neglect of duty (Correct answer)
- Failure to maintain a physical notary stamp
- Charging fees higher than the state-suggested amount
Correct answer: Official misconduct, incapacity, or neglect of duty
A Georgia notary commission may be revoked for official misconduct, incapacity, or willful neglect of duty.
Question 2: If a Georgia notary moves from one county to another within the state, what must they do?
- Immediately surrender their commission
- File a notice of address change with the Superior Court clerk in their new county (Correct answer)
- Apply for an entirely new commission in the new county
- No action is needed since commissions are valid statewide
Correct answer: File a notice of address change with the Superior Court clerk in their new county
When a notary changes their county of residence, they must notify and update their records with the Superior Court clerk in the new county.
Question 3: What happens to official notarial acts performed by a notary whose commission later expires without renewal?
- All past acts become automatically void
- The acts performed while the commission was valid remain legally effective (Correct answer)
- The notary must re-certify each document they notarized
- Acts remain valid only for 90 days after expiration
Correct answer: The acts performed while the commission was valid remain legally effective
Notarial acts performed during a valid commission period remain legally effective even after the commission expires.
Question 4: Can a Georgia notary commission be suspended rather than fully revoked?
- No, Georgia law only allows for full revocation
- Yes, the Superior Court can suspend a commission pending investigation (Correct answer)
- Yes, but only the Governor can order a suspension
- No, only voluntary resignation is possible
Correct answer: Yes, the Superior Court can suspend a commission pending investigation
A Georgia notary commission can be suspended by the Superior Court while misconduct allegations are being investigated.
Question 5: Which authority has the power to revoke a Georgia notary public commission?
- The Georgia Secretary of State
- The Governor of Georgia
- The Superior Court of the notary's county (Correct answer)
- The Georgia Bar Association
Correct answer: The Superior Court of the notary's county
The Superior Court of the county where the notary is commissioned has the authority to revoke or suspend a Georgia notary commission.
Question 6: If a notary's Georgia commission is revoked, what must they do with their notary seal?
- Keep it as a personal record
- Destroy or surrender the seal and stop performing notarial acts (Correct answer)
- Transfer it to another notary in the county
- Submit it to the Georgia Secretary of State for archiving
Correct answer: Destroy or surrender the seal and stop performing notarial acts
Upon revocation, the notary must immediately cease performing notarial acts and destroy or surrender their official seal.
Question 7: A Georgia notary who changes their legal name must:
- Apply for a brand-new commission under the new name
- Update their commission records and obtain a new seal reflecting the new name (Correct answer)
- Continue using their old name on documents until the commission expires
- Notify the Governor's office within 30 days
Correct answer: Update their commission records and obtain a new seal reflecting the new name
A name change requires the notary to update their commission records with the Superior Court and obtain a new seal in the new name.
GA Notary Qualifications and Commission 3
What grounds can lead to revocation of a Georgia notary commission?