Information on Renewing Your Registration

Registration expires after February 28/29 of every year. You are responsible for renewing your registration annually during the renewal period, which is open from October 1 through December 31. Click here for a copy of the fee schedule. All fees, along with your 3 hours of continuing education must be submitted with your renewal application (CE can also be submitted anytime throughout the year, prior to renewal). While your current registration is good through February 28, the renewal must be completed during the annual open renewal registration period. Late renewal begins January 1 and ends February 28/29; renewing during this period means being in Lapsed Status and subject to the late fee.

Please note that failure to renew by the February 28/29 deadline means your registration will be in Inactive Status, preventing you from taking advantage of registration benefits… including acting as a neutral in court-connected cases. After five years from the date registration was first due, each inactive neutral will become Deregistered; this is the end of the calendar year for those in Inactive V status. A deregistered neutral who wants to register again must meet the initial requirements for registration, including completion of a GODR-approved training course in each category for which the desire to register.

Registration should be completed registration on-time, through your account in the Georgia Courts Registrar (GCR). You are required to keep contact and personal information up-to-date throughout the year, and confirm it is correct during renewal. Applicants are also required to answer additional questions and submit documents regarding: criminal background, lawful presence (if applicable), and secure & verifiable documentation (if applicable).

Ethics Check

At initial registration, all neutrals submit a Consent for Release of Information form. Please note that your form is held on file (you only need to submit one time), and consent is implied for periodic background checks throughout the term of registration. All questions regarding criminal history on the registration renewal application must be updated annually.

The GODR expects full disclosure regarding any criminal transgressions incurred since your last registration renewal. Failure to disclose may prevent you from being registered in Georgia.

Lawful Presence

This only applies to non-U.S. Citizens. Non-citizens must attest to lawful presence annually, including answering an application question and uploading a new affidavit in the GCR during registration renewal.

Please Note: that you may only check one of the three available options.

Click Here to download a copy of the required Affidavit of Lawful Presence

Note:

The secure and verifiable document presented to the notary public and listed on your affidavit must be from the approved list.

Click Here for the list

Secure & Verifiable Documentation

This only applies to non-U.S. Citizens. Non-citizens must submit a secure and verifiable document (specific form of identification accepted by the U.S. Department of State) and answer a related application question in the GCR annually, during the renewal registration period.

Ideally, this form of identification should match what is presented to the notary public while completing your affidavit of lawful presence.

The secure and verifiable document submitted must be from the approved list found here.

VERY IMPORTANT: The form of identification provided cannot expire prior to the initial registration period you are applying for. Registration expires February 28/29 annually. For example, if you first apply for registration on May 3, 2021, your identification cannot expire prior to March 1, 2022. This rule does not apply to birth certificates.

For assistance in renewing your registration in the Georgia Courts Registrar, please review the manual.

You may also reach the Georgia Courts Registrar team at gcr@georgiacourts.gov or 404-463-3808.

Review Manual Here