2020 Georgia Code
Title 45 - Public Officers and Employees
Chapter 17 - Notaries Public
Article 1 - General Provisions
§ 45-17-20. Penalty; Prosecution of Violations of Article
- Any person who violates subsection (d) of Code Section 45-17-8 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
- 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.
(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).
OPINIONS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
Fingerprinting required for violators.
- Offenses arising under O.C.G.A. § 45-17-20 are designated as offenses for which those charged are to be fingerprinted. 2008 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 2008-1.
ARTICLE 2 OFFICERS OF ARMED FORCES AS EX OFFICIO NOTARIES
OPINIONS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
The purpose in enacting Ga. L. 1943, p. 421, § 1 (see now O.C.G.A. Art. 2, T. 45, C. 17) was to facilitate the presence of a notary for those military personnel on active duty during wartime; all others still had access to nonmilitary notaries. 1969 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 69-516.
