---
title: O.C.G.A. § 31-12-4. Isolation and segregation of diseased persons; quarantine.
collection: code
id: 31-12-4
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 31-12-4 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-12-4
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-12-4.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-12-4/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t31-(v23)-2025-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=da7ded69_0#page=762
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-12.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-12-3.2.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-12-4.1.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Session of the General Assembly of Georgia
heading_path: HEALTH / CONTROL OF HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS, PREVENTABLE DISEASES, AND METABOLIC DISORDERS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 31-12-4. Isolation and segregation of diseased persons; quarantine.

The department and all county boards of health may, from time to time, require the isolation or segregation of persons with communicable diseases or conditions likely to endanger the health of others. The department may, in addition, require quarantine or surveillance of carriers of disease and persons exposed to, or suspected of being infected with, infectious disease until they are found to be free of the infectious agent or disease in question. The department shall promulgate appropriate rules and regulations for the implementation of the provisions of this Code section in the case of a declaration of a public health emergency. Such rules and regulations shall be adopted pursuant to Chapter 13 of Title 50, the “Georgia Administrative Procedure Act,” but shall be automatically referred by the Office of Legislative Counsel to the House of Representatives and Senate Committees on Judiciary.

## History

Code 1933, § 88-1204, enacted by Ga. L. 1964, p. 499, § 1; Ga. L. 2002, p. 1386, § 9.

## Law Reviews

For note on the 2002 amendment of this Code section, see 19 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 1 (2002).

For article, “Medical Decision-Making in Georgia,” see 10 Ga. St. B.J. 50 (2005).

For article, “Mandatory Quarantine: Administrative Order by the Georgia Department of Public Health for Public Health Control Measures: Isolation Protocol,” see 37 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 81 (2020).