---
title: O.C.G.A. § 44-5-100. Criteria for making valid gift causa mortis.
collection: code
id: 44-5-100
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 44-5-100 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/44-5-100
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/44-5-100.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/44-5-100/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t44-ch1-7-(v31)-2010-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=35dd922f_0#page=476
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/44-5.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/44-5-89.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 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: PROPERTY / ACQUISITION AND LOSS OF PROPERTY / GIFTS GENERALLY / Gifts Causa Mortis
---

# O.C.G.A. § 44-5-100. Criteria for making valid gift causa mortis.

(a) To constitute a valid gift in contemplation of death, the following criteria must be met:

(1) The object of the gift must be personal property;

(2) The donor must be in his last illness or in peril of death;

(3) The gift must be intended to be absolute only in the event of death;

(4) The gift must be perfected by either actual or symbolic delivery; and

(5) The gift must be proved by one or more witnesses.

(b) A gift in contemplation of death may be made by parol.

## History

Orig. Code 1863, § 2626; Code 1868, § 2626; Code 1873, § 2668; Code 1882, § 2668; Civil Code 1895, § 3574; Civil Code 1910, § 4154; Code 1933, § 48-201.