Skip to content
All state guides Georgia dealer license

How to get a used car dealer license in Georgia

You apply online through the GOALS portal to Georgia's Used Motor Vehicle Dealers Board, part of the Secretary of State's office. You need a pre-licensing seminar, a $35,000 bond, garage liability insurance and a location that passes a preliminary inspection before the license is issued.

  • Sourced to Used Motor Vehicle Dealers Board
  • Checked October 2026
  • Free
License
Used Motor Vehicle Dealer license
Surety bond
$35,000
State fee
$180 ($170 + $10 processing)
Pre-license course
4 to 6 hour seminar
Background check
Fingerprints, designee
License term
2 years, ends Sept. 30 of even years
What the state asks for

Georgia dealer license requirements

The figures a first-time used car dealer needs before applying to Used Motor Vehicle Dealers Board. Each row shows how well it is supported.

Surety bond
$35,000Official source

A surety bond in the exact business name with the power of attorney attached. It must end on September 30 of an even-numbered year to match the license period. Each licensed location needs its own bond.

State license fee
$180 ($170 + $10 processing)Official source

A $170 application fee plus a $10 application processing fee. Fees are not refundable. A supplemental license for an additional lot is also $170.

Pre-license education
4 to 6 hour seminarOfficial source

The designee attends a Board-approved pre-licensing seminar before applying. Board rules set the seminar at 4 to 6 hours. You have one year from finishing it to file a complete application.

Background check
Fingerprints, designeeOfficial source

The designee has a fingerprint-based background check at a GAPS site. File the application first, pre-register, then wait for the GBI/GAPS email before you go. Disclose arrests and convictions with court records.

Insurance
Garage liability 50/100/25Official source

Garage liability coverage of at least $50,000/$100,000/$25,000, or a $125,000 single limit, on a certificate that names the Board as certificate holder. Auto liability alone and binders are not accepted.

Business location
Office, landline, permanent signOfficial source

A permanent building or office where records are kept and sales are negotiated, a working landline listed in the trade name, and a permanent sign with 6-inch letters visible from the street. An inspector checks it first.

License term and renewal
2 years, ends Sept. 30 of even yearsOfficial source

Licenses expire September 30 of even-numbered years, so a first license can run less than 2 years. Renewal is $150, or $250 in the late period, and needs 6 hours of continuing education.

Sales allowed without a license
None if you sell for profitOfficial source

The Board says the idea that you can sell five cars a year without a license is not true. Selling vehicles for profit needs a license. Selling a personal car titled in your name does not.

Processing time
About 30 daysOfficial source

The Board says to allow 30 days from a complete submission. Anything that needs Board review waits for the next meeting, and the file must be complete 15 days before that meeting.

“Official source” means the state agency’s own page, form or law. Where the state’s sources did not settle a point, the row says so instead of showing a guess.

Who issues the license

Georgia State Board of Registration of Used Motor Vehicle Dealers and Used Motor Vehicle Parts Dealers (Georgia Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards Division)

License you apply for

Used Motor Vehicle Dealer license

Official licensing page

March 31 dates on Board pages are outdated

Licenses now expire September 30 of even-numbered years. The Board home page, fee schedule and application all say so. Rule 681-8-.01, the FAQ and the renewal section of the how-to guide still say March 31. The posted application also names an older fingerprint vendor and office address, and the home page lists a 2026 late renewal period ending November 15 instead of October 31. Follow GOALS and Board emails.
Step by step

How to get a Georgia dealer license

The order that works for a first application. Tick each step off as you finish it.

Your progress0 of 8 steps
Saved on this device

  1. Attend a Board-approved pre-licensing seminar

    The person who will hold the license (the designee, or the owner of a sole proprietorship) completes a Board-approved pre-licensing seminar. Board rules set it at 4 to 6 hours. Approved providers are listed on the Board's website. You have one year from the seminar date to file a complete application.

    4 to 6 hours · Rule 681-11-.02

  2. Set up the business and sales tax number

    Choose the legal name and trade name you will use everywhere, and name a designee if the applicant is a corporation, LLC or partnership. Apply to the Georgia Department of Revenue for a sales tax number in exactly the same name. The Board wants the number or a copy of your sales tax application.

    Sales tax number

  3. Get zoning signed and equip the location

    Have your city or county sign the notarized zoning certification before you commit to a site. Set up the office, install a landline in the trade name and put up a permanent sign with 6-inch letters visible from the street. Do not file until the site is ready for inspection. Photograph the inside, the outside and the sign.

    Rule 681-6-.01

  4. Buy the $35,000 bond and garage liability policy

    Get a $35,000 surety bond in the exact business name, ending September 30 of an even-numbered year, with the power of attorney attached. Get a certificate of garage liability insurance for at least 50/100/25 or a $125,000 single limit. The name and address must match the application and the Board must be the certificate holder.

    $35,000 bond · 50/100/25

  5. Apply in GOALS and pay $180

    The Board no longer accepts paper applications. File through the GOALS portal with the notarized application and affidavits, zoning certification, bond, insurance certificate, photos, seminar certificate and a secure and verifiable ID. The application fee is $170 plus a $10 processing fee, and it is not refundable.

    GOALS · $170 + $10

  6. Pre-register for fingerprints after you file

    You cannot be fingerprinted until your application is on file. Pre-register at the IdentoGO link in the Board's guide, then wait for the GBI/GAPS email that tells you to schedule the appointment. If the designee or an owner has an arrest or conviction, attach certified court dispositions.

    ga.state.identogo.com/ata

  7. Pass the preliminary inspection

    Once the application is complete, an inspector schedules a preliminary inspection of the established place of business. Answer any deficiency letter in one batch. An application still incomplete 60 days after the notice may be withdrawn, and then you start over with new documents and fees.

    60 days to cure deficiencies

  8. Wait for the license, then get dealer plates

    You may not sell until the license is active. Check GOALS and your email for status. After the license is issued, contact the Department of Revenue's dealer tag office about dealer plates and ask about its electronic title registration program.

    Department of Revenue

Practical advice

Work in the Board's order. Take the seminar, get zoning signed, finish the office, sign and landline, and only then file, because the inspector comes once the application is complete and a failed inspection stalls the file. Apply before you try to book fingerprints. Ask the surety to end the bond on September 30 of the next even year, and check that every document shows the same business name.

Before you apply

Seven things to settle before any state application: the business, the owners, the money and the property.

Read the startup playbook
The lot and the office

Georgia dealer location requirements

What the state checks at the business address.

  • A permanent building or office where the required records are kept and sales are negotiated. Storage sheds and similar movable structures are not accepted.
  • An open lot dealer works from a building on the same property as the display lot, and only one dealer is licensed per plat of property.
  • A working landline telephone listed in the trade name used on the application and in advertising. Cell and VoIP lines do not count.
  • A permanent, professionally made sign showing the trade name, with letters at least 6 inches high and visible from the street.
  • A notarized zoning certification from the city or county confirming dealer use and that a permanent sign is allowed.
  • If other businesses share the address: a separate office with its own outside entrance, suite number, phone, records and inventory.
  • An office suite, or a detached building at a residence, can qualify if local zoning allows it and the sign rules are met.

Zoning comes first

A site that meets the state’s rules can still fail local zoning. Get written approval for vehicle sales from the city or county, and ask the landlord for a lease that depends on the license being issued, before you sign.
Once you are licensed

Keeping a Georgia dealer license

Renewal and ongoing duties

Renew online by September 30 of every even-numbered year. Renewal is $150 and needs 6 hours of Board-approved continuing education taken in the 9 months before renewal, including at least 1 hour on tags and titles. Keep the bond and garage liability policy in force the whole time. Inspections are unannounced. File a GOALS request if the name, location or designee changes.

Federal rules that apply here too

  • The FTC Buyers Guide, posted on every used vehicle you offer for sale.
  • The FTC Safeguards Rule: a written plan for protecting customer financial information.
  • IRS Form 8300 when a customer pays more than $10,000 in cash.
  • A federal odometer disclosure on each transfer.
How each federal rule works
FAQ

Georgia dealer license FAQ

The questions first-time dealers ask most.

How do I get a used car dealer license in Georgia?

Take a Board-approved pre-licensing seminar, set up an established place of business with a landline and a permanent sign, and get the zoning certification signed. Buy a $35,000 surety bond and garage liability insurance. Apply online through the GOALS portal with the $170 fee plus $10 processing, then pre-register for fingerprints. The Board issues the license after a preliminary inspection.

How much is the dealer bond in Georgia?

$35,000. It is a surety bond in the exact name of the business, filed with the power of attorney attached, and it must run to September 30 of an even-numbered year to match the license period. Each licensed location needs its own bond.

How much does a Georgia dealer license cost?

The application fee is $170 plus a $10 processing fee, and neither is refundable. Renewal every two years is $150, or $250 in the late renewal period, and reinstating a lapsed license is $420. The seminar, bond premium, insurance and fingerprinting are paid separately to those providers.

Do I need a pre-licensing course in Georgia?

Yes. The designee must attend a Board-approved pre-licensing seminar before applying, and Board rules set the seminar at 4 to 6 hours. You have one year from completing it to file the application. After you are licensed, you need 6 hours of continuing education before each renewal.

Can I get a Georgia dealer license without a car lot?

Yes, in a limited way. The Board allows a dealer with no inventory on display to work from an office suite. You still need an established place of business with a landline, a permanent sign, zoning certification, the bond and insurance. A home-based dealer needs a detached office building, not a room in the house, and local zoning must allow it.

How many cars can I sell in Georgia without a dealer license?

None, if you are selling for profit. The Board says the idea that you can sell five cars a year without a license is not true: if you sell vehicles with the intent to make a profit, you need a dealer license. You can sell a personal vehicle that is titled in your name and that you drove yourself.

Sources

Checked October 2026. This is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice. Fees, bond amounts and forms change, and local zoning rules vary. Confirm current requirements with Used Motor Vehicle Dealers Board or your attorney before you sign a lease or pay a fee.

Spotted something out of date? Tell us

Plan the rest of the launch

Get started

Open your Georgia dealership on one platform

AutoDealer.io runs inventory, deals, F&I, title paperwork and your dealer website, built for independent dealers. Start your free trial.

Start your free trial Talk to us