GA HB530

All Georgia probate courts must implement electronic filing for civil matters and accept electronic payments by January 1, 2028, following standards set by the Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia.

Electronic filing fees are capped at $30.00 one-time per filer per case, plus a convenience fee of up to 3.5% plus 30¢ for credit card/bank draft payments; $2.00 of each transaction fee goes to the county.

Government entities, municipal/county governments, court-appointed attorneys, and guardians ad litem are exempt from electronic filing fees.

Attorneys and self-represented litigants receive unlimited free access to view and download documents filed in their cases.

Documents are considered filed upon receipt by the electronic filing provider but are not publicly disclosed until accepted by the court; accepted filings must be viewable at no cost on courthouse public access terminals.