---
title: SB 299. Notaries Public; members of the armed forces on active duty to use online notaries public for certain matters; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb299
cite_as: SB 299, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb299
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb299.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb299/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70944
date: 2026-03-04
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb298.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb300.md
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 199
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb299.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 299
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-02-27
last_action: Senate Read Second Time
sponsors:
  - Larry Walker
  - Jason Anavitarte
  - Randy Robertson
  - Chuck Payne
  - John Kennedy
  - Kay Kirkpatrick
  - Ed Harbison
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB299/2025
upstream_id: 1987885
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - notaries public
  - military families
  - motor vehicle titling
  - veterans and service members
---

# SB 299. Notaries Public; members of the armed forces on active duty to use online notaries public for certain matters; provide

## Text

Senate Bill 299
By: Senators Walker III of the 20th, Anavitarte of the 31st, Robertson of the 29th, Payne of
the 54th, Kennedy of the 18th and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 17 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
notaries public, so as to provide for members of the armed forces on active duty to use online
notaries public for certain matters; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws;
and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 17 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to notaries public,
is amended by revising Code Section 45-17-31, relating to persons authorized to have
notarial acts performed by commissioned officers, as follows:
"45-17-31.
<ins>(a)</ins> Any person who (1) is a member of the armed forces of the United States, (2) is serving
as a merchant seaman outside the limits of the United States, or (3) is outside the limits of
the United States by permission, assignment, or direction of any department or official of
the United States government in connection with any activity pertaining to the prosecution
of any war in which the United States is then engaged and the spouse, dependent child, or
other dependent of such person may have instruments acknowledged, documents attested,
oaths and affirmations administered, depositions and affidavits executed, and other notarial
acts performed by any commissioned officer in active service of the armed forces of the
United States.
<ins>(b) 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."
</ins> SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.

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.

### Plain-language summary

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 it 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.

## Status

- Status: Introduced (2025-02-27)
- Last action: Senate Read Second Time (2026-03-04)
- Sponsors: Larry Walker, Jason Anavitarte, Randy Robertson, Chuck Payne, John Kennedy, Kay Kirkpatrick, Ed Harbison
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70944

> The history, votes, and amendments (199 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb299.md?full=1