---
title: O.C.G.A. § 36-31-5. Certificate of existence of minimum standards; manner of determination; disposition and evidentiary effect of certificate.
collection: code
id: 36-31-5
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 36-31-5 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/36-31-5
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/36-31-5.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/36-31-5/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t35-t36-ch1-59-(v27)-2025-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=66569db4_0#page=564
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/36-31.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/36-31-4.md
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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: LOCAL GOVERNMENT / Provisions Applicable to Municipal Corporations Only / INCORPORATION OF MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 36-31-5. Certificate of existence of minimum standards; manner of determination; disposition and evidentiary effect of certificate.

Every local law granting an original municipal charter shall have attached thereto a certificate by the author of the bill stating that the minimum standards required by this chapter exist as to the area embraced. Existence of the standards may be determined, as to population, by estimate based on the number of dwellings in the area multiplied by the average family size in the area, as determined by the last preceding federal census or by other reliable evidence acceptable to the author. As to development of the area, existence of the standards may be determined by estimate based on actual survey, county maps or records, aerial photographs, or some other reliable map acceptable to the author. The certificate shall be a permanent part of the charter and shall constitute conclusive evidence of the existence of the standards required by this chapter.

## History

Ga. L. 1963, p. 251, § 5.