Section 53-4-24. Self-proved will or codicil

   (a) At the time of its execution or at any subsequent date during the lifetime of the testator and the witnesses, a will or codicil may be made self-proved and the testimony of the witnesses in the probate regarding such will may be made unnecessary by the affidavits of the testator and the attesting witnesses made before a notary public. The affidavit and certificate provided in subsection (b) of this Code section shall be the only prerequisites of a self-proved will or codicil.

(b) The affidavit shall be evidenced by a certificate, affixed with the official seal of the notary public, that is attached or annexed to the will or codicil, in form and content substantially as follows:
 
   STATE OF GEORGIA
 
   COUNTY of       
   Before me, the undersigned authority, on this day personally appeared 
               ,       , and       , known to me to be the testator and the 
   witnesses, respectively, whose names are subscribed to the annexed or 
   foregoing instrument in their respective capacities, and all of said 
   individuals being by me duly sworn,       , testator, declared to me and to 
   the witnesses in my presence that said instrument is the last will and 
   testament or a codicil to the last will and testament of the testator and 
   that the testator had willingly made and executed it as a free act and deed 
   for the purposes expressed therein. The witnesses, each on oath, stated to 
   me in the presence and hearing of the testator that the testator had 
   declared to them that the instrument is the testator's last will and 
   testament or a codicil to the testator's last will and testament and that 
   the testator executed the instrument as such and wished each of them to 
   sign it as a witness; and under oath each witness stated further that the 
   witness had signed the same as witness in the presence of the testator and 
   at the testator's request; that the testator was 14 years of age or over 
   and of sound mind; and that each of the witnesses was then at least 14 
   years of age.
 
                                                                              
 
                                   Testator
 
                                                                              
 
                                   Witness
 
                                                                              
 
                                   Witness
   Sworn to and subscribed before me by       , testator, and sworn to and 
   subscribed before me by        and       , witnesses, this      day of 
          ,    .
 
   (SEAL)
 
   (Signed)               
 
         (Official Capacity of Officer)

(c) A self-proved will or codicil may be admitted to probate without the testimony of any subscribing witness, but otherwise it shall be treated no differently from a will or codicil that is not self-proved. In particular, without limiting the generality of the foregoing sentence, a self-proved will or codicil may be contested, revoked, or amended in exactly the same fashion as a will or codicil that is not self-proved.

Code 1981, § 53-4-24, enacted by Ga. L. 1996, p. 504, § 10; Ga. L. 1999, p. 81, § 53.