Georgia Quitclaim Deed Witness Requirements | Quitclaim Deed Instructions

This page explains Georgia quitclaim deed witness requirements in plain English.

Georgia is different from many states because notarization alone is usually not enough for a deed. A Georgia deed generally needs two witnesses, with one of those witnesses often being the notary public or other official witness.

Important Georgia Signing Note:

A Georgia quitclaim deed generally should be signed by the grantor in front of:

a notary public or other official witness
and one additional unofficial witness

What Does Georgia Require?

Georgia law provides that a deed to realty must be attested by two witnesses, and one of those witnesses may be an official witness such as a notary public.

In practical recording terms, this usually means the deed should have:

the grantor's signature
a proper notary acknowledgment or official witness attestation
one additional unofficial witness signature

This additional witness requirement is one of the most common Georgia deed signing issues.

Can the Notary Serve as One Witness?

Yes. The notary public can usually serve as the official witness.

However, the notary is not a replacement for the additional unofficial witness. Georgia deed recording practice commonly expects both the notary/official witness and one additional witness.

Important:

Do not assume that notarization alone is enough. A Georgia deed may still need one additional witness signature in addition to the notary acknowledgment.

Who Can Be the Additional Witness?

The additional witness is commonly an adult who is present when the grantor signs the deed.

The witness should be able to observe the signing and later confirm that the grantor signed the deed.

For practical recording purposes, choose a witness who is not a party to the deed and who can clearly sign the witness line.

How the Georgia Signing Process Usually Works

The grantor signs the quitclaim deed while both the notary public and the additional witness are present.

The notary public completes the acknowledgment section of the deed.

A second person signs the deed as the additional unofficial witness.

All signatures are usually completed during the same signing session before the deed is submitted for recording.

Why the Additional Witness Matters

Many states only require notarization for deed recording.

Georgia recording practice commonly includes both notarization and an additional witness signature.

Because many people use online deed templates or assume another state's signing rules apply, missing the additional witness is a common Georgia deed signing mistake.

What Can Cause Recording Problems?

The county recording office may reject or delay recording if:

the additional witness signature is missing
the notary acknowledgment is incomplete
names are inconsistent between the deed, signature, and acknowledgment
required parts of the deed were left blank
the deed is signed before the notary and witness are present

Georgia Recording Requirements Often Involve More Than Witnesses

Georgia quitclaim deed recording may also involve a PT-61 Real Estate Transfer Tax filing.

The PT-61 is Georgia's electronic real estate transfer tax filing process. It is commonly completed before submitting the deed package to the Clerk of Superior Court.

Learn more about the Georgia PT-61 form.

Common Georgia Signing Mistakes

Having the deed notarized but forgetting the additional witness
Signing the deed before meeting with the notary and witness
Using inconsistent names on the deed
Leaving witness or acknowledgment sections incomplete
Assuming another state's signing rules apply in Georgia
Forgetting that PT-61 filing requirements may also apply to the deed package

How This Fits Into the Georgia Quitclaim Deed Process

When preparing a Georgia quitclaim deed, confirm the signing arrangement before the grantor signs.

The safest practical approach is to have the grantor, notary public, and additional unofficial witness present at the same signing session.

After signing, the deed package is commonly submitted to the Clerk of Superior Court in the Georgia county where the property is located.

See the main Georgia Quitclaim Deed Instructions page for the complete step-by-step deed preparation process.

Need Help Preparing a Georgia Quitclaim Deed?

Many property owners begin researching Georgia deed requirements themselves and later discover additional steps such as witness signatures, notarization, PT-61 eFiling, transfer tax exemptions, and county recording procedures.

If the process is starting to feel more complicated than expected, you're not alone. Many people begin with a do-it-yourself approach and later decide they would rather use deed preparation software or a document preparation service.

Learn more about available options on our Quitclaim Deed Help page.

Georgia Witness Requirements FAQ

How many witnesses does a Georgia quitclaim deed need?

Georgia deeds generally require two witnesses. In practice, one witness is usually the notary public or other official witness, and the second is an unofficial additional witness.

Can the Georgia notary also be one of the witnesses?

Yes. Georgia law allows one of the two witnesses to be an official witness, such as a notary public. A separate unofficial witness is still commonly needed.

Does Georgia require an additional witness besides the notary?

Yes. Georgia recording practice generally requires the grantor's signature to be notarized and also witnessed by one additional unofficial witness.

Can a Georgia deed be rejected if the witness section is incomplete?

Yes. Missing witness signatures or incomplete notary acknowledgments may delay or prevent recording of a Georgia deed.

Is this legal advice?

No. This page provides general educational information and is not legal advice.