SB 299: Notaries Public; members of the armed forces on active duty to use online notaries public for certain matters; provide

Georgia law already lets service members overseas, merchant seamen abroad, and people sent abroad for wartime duty have documents notarized by a commissioned military officer instead of a regular notary. This bill adds a new option for active-duty service members: they could also use a remote, online notary public licensed in any state to notarize forms required by state or local government agencies for taxing, titling, or licensing a motor vehicle. The bill amends Georgia's notary law (O.C.G.A. § 45-17-31) by adding this new subsection while keeping the existing rules for military notarization intact. The new online notary option would not apply to documents involving real estate transfers, wills, or trusts, and would not apply to vehicles that are not for the personal use of the service member or their family. The bill repeals any conflicting laws.

• Adds a new option letting active-duty members of the U.S. armed forces use a remote, online notary public licensed in any state for certain paperwork.
• Limits the online notary option to forms or documents required by state or local agencies for motor vehicle taxation, titling, and licensing.
• Excludes documents involving real estate conveyances, wills, or trusts from the new online notary option.
• Excludes vehicles not intended for the personal use of the service member or their family from the new option.
• Keeps the existing law allowing commissioned military officers to perform notarial acts for service members, merchant seamen, and others serving abroad.

Active-duty members of the U.S. armed forces and their families who need to handle motor vehicle tax, title, or licensing paperwork while stationed away from home, as well as county tag offices and other Georgia agencies that process these documents.

Service members often move frequently or are stationed far from home, making it hard to find an in-person notary for routine vehicle paperwork. This bill would let them use an online notary from any state for that specific purpose, potentially saving time and travel.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 45-17-31 by labeling the existing law as subsection (a) and keeping it unchanged.
• Section 1 adds new subsection (b), allowing active-duty service members to use a remote, online notary public licensed in any state for motor vehicle tax, title, and licensing forms.
• Subsection (b) excludes documents involving real estate conveyances, wills, or trusts from the new option.
• Subsection (b) excludes vehicles not intended for personal use by the service member or family from the new option.
• Section 2 repeals any laws that conflict with the bill.

1. 2026-03-04Senate Read Second Time (Senado)
2. 2026-03-03Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senado)
3. 2025-02-28Senate Read and Referred (Senado)
4. 2025-02-27Senate Hopper (Senado)

• Larry Walker (R, SD-020)Patrocinador principal
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)
• Randy Robertson (R, SD-029)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)
• John Kennedy (R, SD-018)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)
• Ed Harbison (D, SD-015)

• notaries public
• military families
• motor vehicle titling
• veterans and service members