Georgia CommonsSB 299: Notaries Public; members of the armed forces on active duty to use online notaries public for certain matters; provide
Last action March 4, 2026 · Senate Read Second Time
A Georgia Senate bill would let active-duty military members use online notaries licensed in any state to handle motor vehicle tax, title, and licensing paperwork, without needing an in-person notary.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Introduced version, the latest LegiScan holds.
In plain language
Georgia law already lets service members overseas, merchant seamen abroad, and people sent abroad for wartime duty have documents notarized by a commissioned military officer instead of a regular notary. This bill adds a new option for active-duty service members: they could also use a remote, online notary public licensed in any state to notarize forms required by state or local government agencies for taxing, titling, or licensing a motor vehicle. The bill amends Georgia's notary law (O.C.G.A. § 45-17-31) by adding this new subsection while keeping the existing rules for military notarization intact. The new online notary option would not apply to documents involving real estate transfers, wills, or trusts, and would not apply to vehicles that are not for the personal use of the service member or their family. The bill repeals any conflicting laws.
What the bill does
- Adds a new option letting active-duty members of the U.S. armed forces use a remote, online notary public licensed in any state for certain paperwork.
- Limits the online notary option to forms or documents required by state or local agencies for motor vehicle taxation, titling, and licensing.
- Excludes documents involving real estate conveyances, wills, or trusts from the new online notary option.
- Excludes vehicles not intended for the personal use of the service member or their family from the new option.
- Keeps the existing law allowing commissioned military officers to perform notarial acts for service members, merchant seamen, and others serving abroad.
Who it affects
Active-duty members of the U.S. armed forces and their families who need to handle motor vehicle tax, title, or licensing paperwork while stationed away from home, as well as county tag offices and other Georgia agencies that process these documents.
Why it matters
Service members often move frequently or are stationed far from home, making it hard to find an in-person notary for routine vehicle paperwork. This bill would let them use an online notary from any state for that specific purpose, potentially saving time and travel.
Key provisions
- Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 45-17-31 by labeling the existing law as subsection (a) and keeping it unchanged.
- Section 1 adds new subsection (b), allowing active-duty service members to use a remote, online notary public licensed in any state for motor vehicle tax, title, and licensing forms.
- Subsection (b) excludes documents involving real estate conveyances, wills, or trusts from the new option.
- Subsection (b) excludes vehicles not intended for personal use by the service member or family from the new option.
- Section 2 repeals any laws that conflict with the bill.
From the bill
“Any person who is a member of the armed forces of the United States on active duty in any capacity may also utilize a remote, online notary public duly licensed in any state of this country to notarize any forms or documents required by state or local agencies for matters involving taxation, titling, and licensing of a motor vehicle.”
“This provision shall not apply to any documents involving the conveyance of real estate, wills, or trusts, or to motor vehicles not intended for personal use by the service member or his or her family.”
Status timeline
- Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Larry Walker (R, SD-020)
- Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)
- Randy Robertson (R, SD-029)
- Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)
- John Kennedy (R, SD-018)
- Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)
- Ed Harbison (D, SD-015)
Topics
- notaries public
- military families
- motor vehicle titling
- veterans and service members