CLAY COUNTY BOARD
OF
COMMISSIONERS
147 Wilson Street, Suite 1, Fort Gaines, GA, 39851
tel: (229) 768 3238 fax: (229) 768 3672
PROBATE JUDGES' ROLE:
The office of the Probate Court performs many functions including, but not limited to, issuing marriage licenses, firearms licenses and fireworks display permits, maintaining vital records for Clay County, administering traffic citations and probate procedures such as probate of wills, administrations and guardianships of minors and adults.
MARRIAGE LICENSES
The cost for a marriage license is $76.00 payable by cash, money order, credit/debit card or certified check payable to the Probate Court. There is a service charge to pay with a credit/debit card. If you have had at least 6 hours of marriage counseling, you may receive a license at the reduced fee of $36.00. In order to receive the reduced fee, you must provide a certificate provided by the Probate Court and completed by the
counselor. Marriage License Applications will be accepted on normal business days between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:00 pm. Each applicant must provide a valid photo ID and a copy of your divorce decree if you have ever been divorced. If you do not have a photo ID, then you must provide at least two (2) of the following forms of identification that contain your full name and date of birth: certified birth certificate, foreign birth certificate with a certified English translation, court record, hospital admission card, selective service card, armed forces discharge papers, INS issued immigration, citizenship or alien papers, baptismal certificate or sworn affidavit by applicant attested to by two (2) people with valid photo identification.
All applicants 16 or 17 years of age must have both parents present to consent to the marriage license.
NO EXCEPTIONS. No person under the age of 16 years may obtain a marriage license in the state of Georgia. NO EXCEPTIONS.
TRAFFIC CITATIONS
Traffic Citations may be paid online with a debit or credit card at: www.ezcourtpay.com in the office with cash, money order or a cashier's check, or you may mail a money order or cashier's check to the office address. NO PERSONAL CHECKS WILL BE ACCEPTED. Payment of trafficfines must be received in the office prior to the day of your arraignment in order to avoid a court appearance. If you wait until the day of your scheduled arraignment, then you must appear in the court to pay your citation. Should you desire to contest your citation and have your case heard before a judge or jury, you must appear at your arraignment and enter a plea of not guilty. Your hearing will be scheduled for a later date where the officer and witnesses, if any, will be subpoenaed to testify.
PROBATEProbate Court has exclusive jurisdiction over the probate of wills, administration of estates, temporary guardianships of minors, permanent guardianship and conservatorship over minor and adult wards, and applications for year's support awards. There are filing fees associated with all petitions and these fees are due upon filing the petition. Once the proper paperwork is filed and the fees are paid, you will be scheduled a time to appear before the Judge. Forms for these procedures and additional information are available in the office or online at www.gaprobate.org. If you reside in Clay County and would like to file your Last Will and Testament for safe-keeping, the Clay County Probate Court can provide this service for a one time fee of $15.00. Upon filing your will for safe-keeping, you will be required to seal it in an envelope and sign and date its entry into the court's record book. Once it has been filed, it will be kept in the court vault for safe-keeping, and no one but you or your personal representative will be allowed to withdraw it.(WILLS FILED FOR SAFE-KEEPING ARE NOT PUBLIC RECORD)VITAL RECORDSClay County Probate Court is the custodian of vital records for Clay County. You may obtain certified copies of birth and death certificates for a fee of $25.00 for the first copy, and $5.00 for each additional copy obtained at the same time for the same person. Georgia law dictates what relations may obtain a birth certificate for another person. Those relations are parent, child, spouse, grandparent and sibling. As of November 2007, local custodians for vital records now have access to birth and death certificates for the entire state of Georgia and may issue certified copies for other counties.
GEORGIA FIREARMS LICENSESThe Probate Court issues firearms licenses, also known as "Georgia Weapons Carry License" as governed by O.C.G.A.§§ 16-11-126 thru 134. Applicants are encouraged to read the applicable law prior to making application to ensure a better understanding of your rights and responsibilities. Applications will be accepted on normal business days between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:00 pm. You must be a Clay County resident and provide a valid photo ID. The fee for application and fingerprint processing is $78.25 and you may pay by cash, money order, credit/debit card or certified check payable to the Probate Court. The fee for a weapons carry license renewal is $30.00 if the application is made less than 90 days before expiration of the license or within 30 days after the expiration of the previous license. There is a service charge to pay with a credit/debit card. It takes approximately two (2) weeks to process the application and receive a response from the GBI. The license is valid for five (5) years, at which time you must reapply for a new license. New licenses will be mailed to you. Be aware that prior convictions for certain offenses will disqualify you from obtaining a firearms license. Some of those offenses include, but are not limited to, convictions arising out of domestic violence, weapons violations and drug related offenses, if you've not been free from supervision for at least five (5) years.
GEORGIA FIREARMS LICENSE RENEWAL
You may renew your license (30) days after it expires or any time prior to the expiration date. The cost of a renewal license is $30.00.
FIREARM LICENSE RECIPROCITY STATES ENTITLED TO GEORGIA FIREARM LICENSE RECIPROCITY:
Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.