Section 45-17-5. Term of office; revocation; renewal of commission; issuance of certificates of appointment; record of appointments; duplicate original of certificate as prerequisite to obtaining seal; holding self out as or exercising powers of notary without commission

   (a) Each notary public shall hold office for four years, subject to revocation at any time by the clerk of the superior court, at the end of which time, on petition, his commission may be renewed by order of the clerk for a like term. Renewal of a notary public commission may be done in person or by mail at the discretion of the clerk of superior court. The clerk of the superior court shall issue to each notary public a certificate of his appointment and qualifications, which certificate shall contain the name, address, age, and sex of the appointee, the date the certificate was issued, and the term for which the appointment runs. The clerk shall also keep a record of the names, addresses, signatures, ages, sex, and the terms of all notaries public whom he appoints.

(b) At the time the clerk of the superior court issues a certificate of appointment as provided in subsection (a) of this Code section, said officer shall also issue to the appointee a duplicate original of such certificate. The presentation of such duplicate original, either by mail or in person, to the supplier of a notary public seal shall be necessary to authorize such supplier to make up a notary public seal and deliver it to the appointee.

(c) It shall be unlawful for any person to hold himself or herself out as a notary public or to exercise the powers of a notary public unless such person has an unexpired commission as a notary public.

Laws 1824, Cobb's 1851 Digest, p. 210; Code 1863, § 1448; Ga. L. 1868, p. 130, § 2; Code 1868, § 1505; Code 1873, § 1499; Code 1882, § 1499; Civil Code 1895, § 500; Civil Code 1910, § 618; Code 1933, § 71-104; Ga. L. 1947, p. 1108, § 1; Ga. L. 1949, p. 1940, § 1; Ga. L. 1982, p. 1106, § 1; Ga. L. 1983, p. 3, § 34; Ga. L. 1984, p. 1105, § 1.