---
title: O.C.G.A. § 45-17-20. Penalty; prosecution of violations of article.
collection: code
id: 45-17-20
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 45-17-20 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/45-17-20
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/45-17-20.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/45-17-20/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t45-(v33)-2016-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=cde47f8a_0#page=494
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/45-17.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/45-17-19.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/45-17-30.md
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: PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES / NOTARIES PUBLIC / GENERAL PROVISIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 45-17-20. Penalty; prosecution of violations of article.

(a) Any person who violates subsection (d) of Code Section 45-17-8 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

(b) Any person who performs any notarial service without complying with the provisions of this article shall, upon the first or second conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon a third or subsequent conviction be guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment of not less than one year nor more than five years, a fine of up to $5,000.00, or both.

## History

Code 1981, § 45-17-20, enacted by Ga. L. 1984, p. 1105, § 1; Ga. L. 1985, p. 149, § 45; Ga. L. 2007, p. 221, § 4/HB 274.

## Code Commission Notes

Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 2007, ‘‘of’’ was substituted for ‘‘or’’ following ‘‘guilty’’ in subsection (b).