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Official Code of Georgia Annotated

Title 10. COMMERCE AND TRADE · Chapter 1. SELLING AND OTHER TRADE PRACTICES · Article 15. DECEPTIVE OR UNFAIR PRACTICES · Part 4. FALSE ADVERTISING

10-1-422. Designation required for use of term “Doctor” or “Dr.”; exceptions.

Active

Current through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly.

  1. (a)
    1. (1)

      Each individual who uses the term “Doctor” or “Dr.” in conjunction with his name in any letter, business card, advertisement, sign, public listing, display, or circular of any nature shall designate:#

      1. (A)

        The degree to which he is entitled by reason of his diploma of graduation from a school or other entity, professional or otherwise;#

      2. (B)

        The degree as honorary when an honorary acknowledgment has been made;#

      3. (C)

        “No degree” if he is not entitled to any such recognition.#

    2. (2)

      The designation required by this subsection shall not be necessary:#

      1. (A)

        If the term is a part of the person’s legal name;#

      2. (B)

        In the case of the use in a corporate charter of the name of a professional association or professional corporation organized in this state as provided by law.#

  2. (b)

    Any person willfully violating, with intent to defraud, subsection (a) of this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.#

The notes below are printed with the section but are not enacted law (O.C.G.A. § 1-1-1(c)). They are shown apart from the text.

History

Ga. L. 1978, p. 2046, § 1; Ga. L. 1979, p. 628, § 1.

Cross references

Unauthorized use of terms “M.D.,” “Doctor,” “Doctor of Osteopathy,” etc., §§ 43-34-22, 43-34-40.

Read the official page (the state's PDF, opened at the page this text was read from).

Current through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly.

Text read from t10-(v8)-2024-pdf.pdf, Volume V8, 2024 edition, pages 339 to 340; merge action: carried; file SHA-256 7afbade16da7.