How to Get a Dealer License in Georgia: Cost & Requirements

Last updated: August 11, 2026

Georgia’s used motor vehicle dealer license comes from the Secretary of State’s licensing board, not the DMV — and the surety bond is now $50,000. The Board’s current bond form, revised May 2026, is written for “the just sum of FIFTY THOUSAND AND NO/100 ($50,000) DOLLARS,” up from the $35,000 that older guides still quote. Before you can even apply you need a pre-licensing seminar, an established place of business with a landline and a permanent sign, and a location that passes a preliminary inspection.

The “Five Cars a Year” Rule Is a Myth — and Georgia Says So Itself

Nearly every forum post repeats that you can sell five vehicles a year in Georgia before you need a license. The Board addresses that claim head-on in its own FAQ, and the answer is blunt: “NO – that is not a true statement. If you sell vehicles with the intent to make a profit, you need to be a licensed dealer.”

The five-vehicle number is real, but it is not permission — it is the threshold the Department of Revenue uses to flag someone as a possible unlicensed dealer. What you may do without a license is sell your own car: one titled in your name that you actually drove as a personal vehicle. Buy something to flip it, and you are dealing on the first car, not the sixth.

What Georgia Actually Requires

• Pre-licensing seminar, before you apply — from a Board-approved provider, and your application must be submitted within one year of finishing it.
• $50,000 surety bond on the Board’s form, signed with the power of attorney attached. The bond period ends September 30, and it cannot be cancelled unless the Board gets certified written notice at least 30 days ahead (O.C.G.A. 43-47-8(i)).
• Certificate of liability insurance in the licensed business name.
• Established place of business (Board Rule 681-6-.01) — a permanent sign that is not a banner, a working landline listed in the business name, and zoning certification. An office suite with no lot is allowed; the display rules simply don’t apply to you.
• Fingerprints and background check — your application must be on file with the Board before you can be fingerprinted; you pre-register, then GBI notifies you to report.
• Preliminary inspection before the license issues, then unannounced periodic inspections. Three documented failed inspection attempts puts your license at risk of revocation.
• A designee — if an LLC, corporation, or partnership holds the license, one named person carries full responsibility for the dealership. Sole proprietors are their own designee.

What It Costs

Item	Cost	Notes
Surety bond (penal sum $50,000)	Premium varies by credit	Board form rev. 5-2026; period ends Sept 30
License and renewal fees	Set by the Board	See the SOS fee schedule; filed through the GOALS portal
Pre-licensing seminar	Provider-set	Required before applying; valid one year
Liability insurance + fingerprinting	Quoted to you	Both required at application
Georgia LLC (Articles of Organization)	$100 online / $110 by mail	$60 annual registration, Jan 1–Apr 1

How to Get Licensed, In Order

1. Form the entity at eCorp ($100) and decide who the designee will be. Changing structure later means starting the license over.
2. Take the pre-licensing seminar from a Board-approved provider — the one-year clock starts here.
3. Set up the place of business: zoning certification, permanent sign, landline in the business name, and photographs showing the inside, outside, and signage.
4. Bind the $50,000 bond and the liability insurance in the exact licensed name, with the power of attorney attached to the bond.
5. File through GOALS, then pre-register for fingerprinting once the Board confirms your application is on file.
6. Pass the preliminary inspection. Allow about 30 days overall — and do not sell anything until the license is issued (O.C.G.A. 43-47-7).

Renewals, Second Locations, and What the Board Does Not Cover

Licenses run two years and renew online through GOALS, and you need 6 hours of continuing education to be eligible. Check your renewal date in GOALS rather than trusting a blog: the Secretary of State’s How-to Guide currently instructs dealers to renew by September 30 of even-numbered years with a late window of October 1–31, which lines up with the September 30 bond period, while an older FAQ page still says licenses expire March 31.

Opening a second location means a supplemental license with the same designee — and each location needs its own surety bond and power of attorney, with the insurance certificate amended to list the new address. Wholesale dealers license exactly the same way retail dealers do. Two things this Board does not license: motorcycles and pull-behind trailers, which fall outside the statutory definition of “motor vehicle,” and repossession work — though the moment you start buying and selling the repossessed vehicles, you need the license.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

There is no five-car allowance — the Board says so directly. Asked whether you may sell up to five vehicles a year first, the Georgia Secretary of State answers: “NO – that is not a true statement. If you sell vehicles with the intent to make a profit, you need to be a licensed dealer.” The five-vehicle figure is only a threshold the Department of Revenue uses to flag possible unlicensed dealers. Selling a car titled in your name that you drove personally does not require a license.

How much is a Georgia dealer license and bond?

The surety bond is $50,000 on the Board’s current form (revised May 2026), up from $35,000, and it must be signed with a power of attorney attached. Application and renewal fees are set by the Board on its published fee schedule, and you will also budget a pre-licensing seminar, liability insurance, fingerprinting, and a $100 Georgia LLC filing.

Can I run a Georgia used car dealership from my home?

Only if local zoning allows it and the dealership occupies a detached building on the property — Board Rule 681-6-.01 does not let you set the dealership up inside the residence. You also need a permanent sign (not a banner), a working landline listed in the business name, and zoning certification from your city or county Planning and Zoning office.

Do I need a Georgia dealer license to sell cars online?

Yes. Under O.C.G.A. 43-47-7 you need a used motor vehicle dealer license to sell a vehicle whether you do it on an open lot, from an office suite, or over the Internet — and you must still meet the established place of business requirements and carry the bond and insurance.

Taxes, the local Occupation Tax Certificate, E-Verify, workers’ comp, and hiring are covered in our full guide to starting a business in Georgia.

Sources

Source	What It Covers
Georgia SOS — Used Motor Vehicle Dealers FAQ	The five-car myth, home and office-suite rules, seminar timing, inspections, CE hours, second locations
Georgia SOS — How-to Guide & Fee Schedule	Application checklist, GOALS filing, fingerprinting order, renewal deadline
Georgia SOS — Used Motor Vehicle Dealer Bond form (rev. 5-2026)	The $50,000 penal sum, September 30 bond period, power of attorney and cancellation terms
Board Rules, Chapter 681	Established place of business (681-6-.01), joint operations, dealer responsibilities