Georgia splits document authentication between two agencies, and the one most people expect is the wrong one. The GSCCCA, short for Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority, issues apostilles from Atlanta. The Secretary of State handles a separate certificate for countries outside the Hague Apostille Convention. The Georgia office guide covers the Secretary of State's own work.
The fee is $3.00 per document. Our general apostille guide explains the idea behind an apostille, and this page covers how Georgia runs it.
Which Georgia office handles your document?
Start with where the paper will be used. For a country that belongs to the Apostille Convention, the GSCCCA issues the apostille. For a country that does not belong, the Secretary of State issues a Great Seal Certification, and only that office can.
The GSCCCA tells you to check its country list. A country that is missing from the list is not a member.
| Who issues it | Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA), Notary Division (gsccca.org, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Fee per document | $3.00 per document (gsccca.org, checked ) |
| How to submit | Walk in 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday to Friday, no appointment, or send by mail (gsccca.org, checked ) |
| Turnaround | Mailed documents normally take one to two business days (gsccca.org, checked ) |
| Documents it covers | Georgia vital records, court documents, Secretary of State business copies and notarized documents (gsccca.org, checked ) |
| Hague and non-Hague countries | Hague countries only. For other countries the Secretary of State issues a Great Seal Certification. (gsccca.org, checked ) |
| Request page | gsccca.org/notary-and-apostilles/apostilles/general-apostille-information (gsccca.org, checked ) |
| Where to send it | 1875 Century Blvd., Ste. 100, Atlanta, GA 30345 (gsccca.org, checked ) |
| Worth knowing | Notarized documents need no county certification before the apostille. (gsccca.org, checked ) |
Which documents can the GSCCCA apostille?
Three groups qualify. Georgia vital records, court documents and Corporations Division papers must be official certified copies carrying the signature and seal of the issuing Georgia official. These are never notarized. Business papers must be certified copies issued by the current Secretary of State, either from the office or downloaded from its website.
Notarized documents are the second group. Examples are powers of attorney, affidavits, translations and diplomas. They must be properly notarized under Georgia law before they reach the GSCCCA.
Some things are refused: out-of-state documents, federal documents, photocopies without a Georgia notary's certification, papers issued abroad, and anything headed to a non-Hague country.
How do you submit a Georgia apostille request?
You can walk in or mail the originals. Walk-in service runs 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 1875 Century Blvd., Ste. 100 in Atlanta. No appointment is needed.
For mail, send the originals with a cover letter that names the destination country and gives your contact details. Add a prepaid, self-addressed return envelope or airbill. A FedEx or UPS return airbill must be computer generated, since the office will not take handwritten ones.
How do you pay?
Cash is accepted at the counter. Checks must carry a printed name and address and be payable to GSCCCA, and money orders work too. A credit card prepayment voucher system lets you pay online for walk-in and mail-in requests, which helps if a courier is delivering your papers.
How long does it take?
Mailed requests normally take one to two business days once the office has them. Add transit time on both legs. If you bring documents in, the visit usually takes under twenty minutes, depending on volume.
Get your certified copy or notarization right before you send anything, since a rejected paper costs you the mail time again. When you want help, you can ask our private filing service. State fees are separate, and you can submit the request to the GSCCCA yourself.
Sources
- georgia.gov/register-llc: office name, division, mailing address, street address, LLC filing fee, report due date, expedite fees, processing time, registered agent rule. Checked .
- sos.ga.gov/page/about-secretary-raffensperger: officeholder. Checked .
- ballotpedia.org/Georgia_Secretary_of_State: officeholder party. Checked .
- georgia.gov/contacts/secretary-state-georgia-corporations-division: phone. Checked .
- ecorp.sos.ga.gov/Home/ContactUs: contact page. Checked .
- georgia.gov/register-corporation: hours, corporation filing fee, nonprofit filing fee, report fee. Checked .
- ecorp.sos.ga.gov/Home/UseFulLinks: business search, online filing. Checked .
- ecorp.sos.ga.gov/BusinessSearch: search fields, search tips. Checked .
- georgia.gov/reserve-business-name-georgia-secretary-state: name check, name reservation fee, name reservation term, name reservation form. Checked .
- law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-14/chapter-11/article-2/section-14-11-207/: LLC name endings, name rule. Checked .
- rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/590-7-3: corporation name endings. Checked .
- sos.ga.gov/sites/default/files/forms/Reference%20-%20Filing%20Fees_0.pdf: foreign LLC fee, good standing certificate, certificate fee. Checked .
- georgia.gov/renew-llc: late penalty. Checked .
- sos.ga.gov/page/business-division-faq: status terms. Checked .
- georgia.gov/file-dba-doing-business: assumed names (DBA). Checked .
- www.gsccca.org/notary-and-apostilles/apostilles/general-apostille-information: who issues it, fee per document, how to submit, turnaround, documents it covers, hague and non-hague countries, request page, where to send it, worth knowing. Checked .