Chatham County Notary Application

Chatham County's Notary Process

Chatham County handles notary commissions through the Clerk of Superior Court in Savannah. As the county seat of Georgia's coastal hub — home to the Port of Savannah, a thriving tourism industry, and an active real estate market — Chatham processes a significant volume of notary applications. The clerk's office enforces county-level requirements that go beyond the state baseline, and applicants who arrive unprepared face rejection and wasted time.

Start With the Mandatory Training

Under HB 1292 (effective January 1, 2025), every non-exempt notary applicant in Georgia must complete the free GSCCCA training course at elearn.gsccca.org before applying. This applies to both first-time applicants and renewals. The course is self-paced, fully online, and covers Georgia notary law, identification standards, ethical requirements, and liability.

Print your certificate of completion — you'll need to present it at the clerk's office.

Check with the Chatham County Clerk's office about whether they require the concluding online exam and a minimum passing score. Metro counties like Fulton, Cobb, Clayton, and Cherokee all mandate a 90% pass score, and Chatham may have similar requirements. Call ahead rather than assuming — arriving with just the basic training certificate when the clerk expects an exam score means you'll be sent away.

Licensed Georgia Bar attorneys in good standing are exempt from the training and exam — they submit their active Bar card instead.

Applying Step by Step

1. Complete the GSCCCA training (and exam, if Chatham requires it)
2. Submit the online application at apps.gsccca.org
3. Print the generated PDF application
4. Get original signatures from two character endorsers
5. Obtain a local criminal background check
6. File in person at the Chatham County Clerk of Superior Court in Savannah

Your endorsers must be Chatham County residents, at least 18 years old, unrelated to you, and must have known you for at least 30 days. Physical residential addresses are required on the form — no P.O. boxes or business addresses. Their signatures must be original ink on the printed application.

After submitting your online application, you have a limited window to complete the in-person filing before the GSCCCA system purges your digital record. Confirm the exact timeframe with the Chatham County Clerk's office when you call about the exam requirement.

Background Check

Chatham County requires a certified local criminal background check. Obtain yours from the Chatham County Sheriff's Office, a local police department, or an approved GCIC terminal accepted by the clerk. The report typically costs $15 to $30 and must be dated within 30 days of your in-person filing.

Felony convictions or convictions involving moral turpitude, fraud, or dishonesty are grounds for the clerk to deny your application. The Clerk of Superior Court has discretion on this decision.

Schedule your background check early in the process. If you submit your online application and then discover that the police department has a multi-day processing backlog, you could lose precious time from your filing window.

Fees and Payment

Chatham County's application fee falls within the typical Georgia range of $40 to $55. Verify the exact amount and accepted payment methods by contacting the clerk's office before your visit. Bring a cashier's check, money order, or credit card — personal checks aren't accepted at every Georgia courthouse, and finding out the hard way at the payment window means another trip.

Your total commissioning cost for Chatham County will be roughly:

• GSCCCA training: Free
• Background check: $15–$30
• Application fee: $40–$55
• Seal (after commissioning): $15–$50

Total: approximately $70–$135 depending on your seal choice and background check cost.

The In-Person Oath

At the clerk's office, you'll present your complete application packet, pay the fee, and take the constitutional oath of office. The Clerk of Superior Court (or an authorized deputy) administers the oath, and your commission is effective from that moment. Your data gets transmitted to the GSCCCA for the statewide registry after the county processes your appointment.

Seal and Fee Requirements

After your commission is issued, purchase a compliant notary seal — either a rubber stamp or metal embosser. It must include your commissioned name exactly as it appears on your commission certificate, "Notary Public," Chatham County, and "Georgia" or "GA." While commission expiration dates aren't required on the seal by statute, including the date is recommended for documents that may be used out of state.

Georgia caps the notarization fee at $2 per notarial act under O.C.G.A. § 45-17-11. If you charge separately for travel or mobile convenience services, those additional fees must be disclosed to and agreed upon by the signer in advance. If you charge any fees, Georgia law requires you to display a written fee schedule in English at your primary place of business.

The Self-Filer Journal Mandate

Under HB 1292, if you notarize real estate documents for self-filers — individuals who are parties to instruments such as deeds, mortgages, or liens and are not represented by an attorney, title agent, bank, or another exempt professional — you must maintain a journal with eight mandatory data fields. This is particularly relevant in Chatham County given Savannah's active real estate market, where quitclaim deeds and property transfers between private parties are common.

The eight required fields are: the self-filer's full name, physical address, phone number, the date/time/location of the notarization, the type of government-issued ID presented, the ID's identifying details, whether identity was verified through personal knowledge, and the self-filer's signature captured in the journal.

The Georgia Notary Commission Guide covers the complete filing process with county-specific checklists, a deadline tracker for your 30-day renewal window, a cost budget worksheet, and a self-filer journal template designed for HB 1292 compliance.

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