Georgia Dealer License Training

7 Steps to a Georgia Dealers License

1. Attend Dealer License Course-Just Sit Through Entire 4-Hour Dealer Class, No Test Required

2. Business Location-Building or Office is Required, Brokers Don't Need Lot

3. Insurance and Dealer Bond-Get Insurance and Bond From Most Insurance Agents

4. Obtain Sales Tax and Employment ID Number-We Cover This Easy Step In Your Dealer Class

5. Register With Secretary of State-Can Be Done Online In A Few Moments, Covered In Class

6. Obtain Local Business License-Can Be Done Online In A Few Moments, Covered In Class

7. Get Fingerprints-We Show You How To Easily Register For Fingerprints In Class

1. Attend Dealer License Training Course

• The first step in obtaining a Georgia dealer license is to attend your State mandated 4-hour dealer pre license course. The State of Georgia requires any person obtaining a dealers license for the very first time to attend a mandated 4-hour dealer pre-license class. The State does not allow online pre-license training for dealers, you are required to set through a four hour class in person.

Your Georgia Dealer License Training Course Has No Test But You Must Sit Through The Entire 4-Hour Class

• At The End Of Your Dealer License Training You Receive Your Official Dealer Pre-License Certificate Of Completion

The Automobile Dealer Training Association is approved by the Georgia Board of Used Motor Vehicle Dealers to provide your dealer license training course and our dealer class locations are located throughout the State so you can find a training location near you.  You can view the Dealer Class Schedule here. A Georgia dealer’s license can be VERY profitable, so the state of Georgia requires you to sit though a 4-hour dealer pre license course in order to apply for a GA dealers license. You must submit the Certificate of Completion you receive at the end of your dealer training course with your dealer license application to the Georgia Board of Used Motor Vehicle Dealers. This will show the State of Georgia you have completed your mandated training and are qualified to apply for a Georgia dealer’s license.

Learn how to get into car auctions with a Georgia dealer license.

• In your dealer license training class we cover every dealer licensing startup step, we complete all the dealer license application paperwork that you must submit for your dealer license and show you all the paperwork that is required when you buy or sell a vehicle with your dealer license. In class we cover each step on how to apply for your Georgia Sales Tax Number, your Employer ID Number, and even cover the step by step instuctions on how to easily register your new business with the Georgia Secretary of State. You will also be provided a link to several hours of online training that you can view after your class to increase your profits when you are a licensed Georgia motor vehicle dealer. When you leave your dealer training class you will be confident and ready to meet all Georgia dealer license requirements.

The Certificate of Completion you receive at the end of the course is good for exactly one year, so you want to make sure you complete all the pre-licensing steps and submit your dealer license application to the Georgia Board of Used Motor Vehicle Dealers within one year of your dealer license training course otherwise state law will require you to take the dealer training course all over again.

We appreciate the opportunity to serve you as your Georgia dealer license training partner. You can enroll in your Dealer License Course here.

2. Business Building and Display Lot

• You must have a place of business to be used for the purpose of selling motor vehicles in order to obtain a Georgia used motor vehicle dealer license. The building must meet all local zoning requirements. You must have an office area in the building for the operation of your dealership.

• Most Dealers In Georgia Must Have A Lot Unless You Are A Motor Vehicle Broker, Then No Lot Is Required

• In your dealer training course, you will learn how to obtain a Georgia dealer license without a lot. Georgia used motor vehicle dealer broker may operate from an office suite in an office complex without a display lot, provided that the facility meets all rules and guidelines. At a minimum, the sign shall be at the entrance to the building, in a publicly displayed marquee in the lobby of the building that lists all businesses within the building, and directly outside the entrance to the office of the dealer.

Before you rent or purchase a building to operate your dealership you must contact your local planning and zoning office at your city hall or county courthouse to ensure you may operate a dealership at that location. When you submit your dealer license application in Georgia you must include a zoning verification signed by your local zoning authority.

If the business building is located at a private residence, it must be a completely separate structure from the actual residence and must meet the zoning requirements from that city or county in order to house your dealer license. Your office must include office furnishings and a file cabinet to store records. If a Georgia dealer shares their location with another business, the dealer must have their own office area.

The business building must also have installed and maintain a working land line telephone whose number shall be listed in the licensee's trade name, the same as that which is listed in the application and in any advertisement by the dealer made available to the consumer. The telephone of the dealer cannot be shared with another business. Cell phones and VOIP phones do not meet the dealer license phone requirements for the State of Georgia.

Retail dealers must have a display lot that has sufficient space to display the vehicle types you are selling. Those spaces must be reserved exclusively for the retail dealer's inventory and may not be shared or intermingled with another business or a public parking area, or another dealer's display area. A dealer with a broker endorsement is not required to have a display lot. We will cover how to become a broker in your dealer training course.

A retail dealer must conduct business in a building on the same property as the display lot. If the dealer is a used car broker and does not have a display lot, all the same rules apply with the exception of the display area for vehicles. Only one dealer may operate per lot. Multiple dealers may never share a lot in Georgia.

All retail sales activity by dealers must take place at the licensed location only. Motor vehicle brokers are exempt from the display lot requirement.

You will need a permanent business sign which is visible to consumers from the street in order to hold a dealer license in Georgia. The dealership name on the sign must be at least 6 inches or larger. At least one sign must be located and positioned to be clearly visible to consumers from the street. If the telephone number is listed on the sign, it must be the phone number listed on the application and in any advertisements by the dealer.

Georgia Retail License vs Broker vs Out of State Wholesale License

Most printing companies can produce a permanent business sign at minimal costs. Be sure the letters in the dealership name meet the minimum height requirements under Georgia law.

• Dealers In Georgia Must Have A Sign Displaying The Dealership Name

You must submit photographs of the dealership operations. Be sure to submit photographs of signs, sales rooms or offices, and the display lot to validate your established place of business. Do not forget to include photographs with your dealer license application as this will delay your dealer license approval by the Georgia Board of Used Motor Vehicle Dealers.

3. Insurance and Dealer Bond

• You must obtain insurance and a dealer bond before you apply for your dealer license. Georgia requires every motor vehicle driven on roadways to be insured. You must obtain insurance BEFORE applying for your dealer license.

• You Will Learn How To Get The Cheapest Dealer Bond And Insurance In Your Dealer License Training Class

You must have a garage liability coverage with the policy number. Automobile liability is not acceptable to have a dealers license, you must have garage liability so your dealership inventory will be covered when your customers are test driving your vehicles. The location must match address on application and certificate holder must be Georgia Board of Used Motor Vehicle Dealers. You will need to submit your original insurance ACCORD Form with your dealer license application packet to show the State of Georgia you are insured.
The following are the minimum insurance requirements:

• Liability Limits of Not Less Than $50,000 Per Person
• $100,000 Per Accident, Personal Insurance Liability Coverage
• $25,000 Property Damage Liability Coverage

You must also obtain a $35,000 dealer surety bond in order to obtain a Georgia used motor vehicle dealer's license. Used parts dealers that are not selling motor vehicles must obtain a $10,000 dealer surety bond. The name on the dealer surety bond must match exactly the name on the dealer license application and the name that is registered with the Secretary of State for business entities that file with the Secretary of State. Your Georgia dealer surety bond may never expire during your dealer licensure period. The bond must remain in effect the entire time of your licensure. Your dealer surety bond pricing is dependent on your credit score.

You can purchase a dealer bond from an insurance agent or a bonding company. You may even be able to easily find an insurance agent that can sell you your bond AND your insurance in one 5-minute phone call.
You must submit the original signed bond along with the bond power of attorney with your dealer license application.

In your dealer license training class we will show you how to find the cheapest insurance and dealer surety bonds.

4. Obtain Georgia Sales Tax and Employment Identification Number (EIN)

• Before submitting your dealer application, you must obtain an Employer Identification Number which is also known as a Federal Employment Identification Number, an EIN, or FEIN. This number is used to identify the new business you are starting and will be needed for tax purposes.

• We Will Cover Your Employment Number Application In Class, It Is Very Easy

Obtaining this number is a very quick and easy step which will only take a few minutes. You can easily apply at http://www.irs.gov  and have your new Employer Identification Number in a matter of moments. If you have any questions about your Employer Identification number you can call 800-829-4933 or visit www.irs.gov

Before you apply for a Georgia dealer license you are also required to obtain a Georgia Sales Tax Number. You must have this number in order to charge and collect sales tax on the motor vehicles you sell. You can easily obtain a Georgia Sales Tax Number online at the Georgia Tax Center at https://gtc.dor.ga.gov .  You will then receive a Form ST-2 Sales Tax Certificate and must include a copy of the Form ST-2 Sales Tax Certificate with your Georgia dealer license application.

If you have questions about how to obtain a Georgia Sales Tax Number you may call 1-877-423-6711.

How to Get a Dealer License for Car Auctions in Georgia

5. Register Business Name with Georgia Secretary of State

• Most dealers in Georgia must register the business name with the Georgia Secretary of State. The Georgia Secretary of State wants to have a record of every business which is operating the in the State of Georgia. Sole Proprietors & General Partnerships are excluded; however, Sole Proprietors and General Partnerships must file with Superior Clerk in any county they operate if they are using a name other than their proper name.

• We Show You How To Register Your Georgia Dealership With The Georgia Secretary of State In Your Dealer Class

It is easy do this on the Georgia Secretary of States Corporations Division website: at www.ecorp.sos.ga.gov  

For additional information on registering your business you may contact the Georgia Secretary of State Corporations division via email at corporationswebmail@sos.ga.gov  call them at 404-656-2817. Once again that website is www.ecorp.sos.ga.gov

You will learn how to research what dealership names can be used and register the name of your new business in your Official Dealer License Training Class.

6. Obtain Local Occupational or Business License

• Every dealer operating in the State of Georgia must have a local business license which may be referred to as a business license or occupational license. This is also a requirement when ordering GA dealer license plates. You may contact your city hall or if you are in a non-incorporated area, you may contact your county. Every city and county have different procedures for obtaining a local business license. This local license shows the State of Georgia that you are legally operating in your city or county.

• You Will Learn How To Obtain Your Local Business License In Your Official Dealer Class

7. Get Fingerprints

• You must complete a fingerprint based background check with the Georgia Bureau of Investigations or GBI. This is for GEORGIA residents only, if you live in another state and are opening a dealership in Georgia you will need to obtain a fingerprint card and have your fingerprints taken in your home state. You must pay for and register for your fingerprints then apply for your license. Once the Georgia Board of Used Motor Vehicle Dealers receives your dealer license application you will be notified to report to your fingerprint location to have you fingerprints taken. This Georgia dealer license application requirement must be completed correctly in order to obtain your dealer license from the State of Georgia in the quickest manner. We will show you how to easily complete this step in your dealer license training class.

• Georgia Dealers Register For Fingerprints, Apply For The Dealer License, Then Report To Fingerprint Location.

In order to obtain a Georgia dealer’s license, you must submit a dealer license application. The application is quite extensive and must be completed correctly and in its entirety. Mistakes on your dealer application can cause significant delays in your licensing process. If you need assistance during the application process you may call 844-753-7825 or email business.registration@dor.ga.gov . We will complete a dealer license application in your dealer training course to ensure it is completed correctly.

Chronological Georgia Dealer License Steps

1. Taking your Georgia Dealer Pre-License Training class is the first step in obtaining your Georgia Dealer License so you can open a small car dealership in Georgia. In your class we will complete all of the paperwork that is required to apply for your dealer license. We will spend some time on the dealer license paperwork to make sure you are completing it correctly. Correct dealer license applications will ensure that your license is approved
   

2. After you mail in your dealer license application packet to Macon, the Board will evaluate your dealer application packet to ensure it has all the required documentation. You will then be notified to report to your fingerprint location. In your dealer training class you will learn how to register for your fingerprints in advance. Once your dealer license is on file wiht the Board you will then report to your fingerprint location. After you have completed your fingerprints you will be called via phone to line up your lot inspection. When your lot is inspected the inspector is going to make sure you have your office with office equipment, your sign displayed. They may even take a look at your dealer surety bond and insurance policy. This is a great time to ask the inspector any questions you may have regarding compliance. Compliance is the magic word with any State employee regarding the operation of your dealership. Compliance is simply following every rule, law, and guideline. Dealers that take the steps to maintain compliance will keep their Georgia dealers license for many, many years. Dealers that do not maintain compliance will be out of business in just a few months. The Board nor the State of Georgia tolerates dealers that do not follow the rules. There is a wealth of opportunity for dealers that are willing to take the additional steps to maintain compliance.
   

3. After you complete the lot inspection, you will be notifiied by the Board of Used Motor Vehicle Dealers that you Georgia dealer license has been approved. You will be sent a link to download your Official Dealer License. When you download your dealer license you must print it and display it in your office. You are going to work hard to obtain your dealers license and you will be proud of your license once you have received it from the State of Georgia. Georgia law is very clear, Georgia Dealer Licenses must be displayed prominently. You must also display your Sales Tax Certficate, your local business license, and your dealer surety bond as well