Short answer: Georgia eviction record sealing has no dedicated statute, but a magistrate court can limit public access to a dispossessory file under Uniform Magistrate Court Rule 6(D). You must file a motion, attend a hearing and show that the harm to your privacy “clearly outweighs the public interest.” Most tenants do better by preventing a judgment in the first place.
Rule 6(D) is a general civil-records rule, not an eviction law, and the standard is demanding. That is why Georgia’s seven-day answer window and its once-a-year tender defense deserve as much attention here as the sealing motion itself.
Georgia Eviction Record Sealing: Quick Reference
| Rule | Georgia | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Eviction-specific sealing law | None; general magistrate rule only | Unif. Magis. Ct. R. 6(D) |
| Standard to limit access | Motion, hearing, good cause; privacy harm must clearly outweigh public interest | Rule 6(D) |
| Emergency temporary limit | Up to 30 days, ex parte, with a supporting affidavit | Rule 6(D) |
| Answer deadline after service | 7 days | DCA Landlord-Tenant Handbook |
| Federal reporting cap | 7 years from entry, or the limitations period if longer | 15 U.S.C. § 1681c(a)(2) |
How a Rule 6(D) Motion Works
The text of Rule 6(D) lets any party to a civil action ask the court, “after hearing, and for good cause shown,” to limit access to the court file. Dispossessory cases are civil actions, and most Georgia evictions are heard in magistrate court, so the rule reaches them. It is not automatic and there is no waiting period after which it kicks in.
If the judge grants the motion, the order must spell out three things: which part of the file is restricted, the nature and duration of the restriction, and the reason. An order cannot be granted unless the court finds that the harm to a person’s privacy clearly outweighs the public interest in open records.
What makes a strong motion
A judge weighing that standard will want specifics. Useful facts include a case the landlord voluntarily dismissed, a filing that named the wrong person, a judgment later vacated, or a file that exposes sensitive information such as a domestic violence survivor’s new address. A general wish to rent again is weaker, since that harm follows nearly every eviction filing.
The 30-day temporary order
Under “compelling circumstances,” Rule 6(D) allows a temporary limitation of access for no more than 30 days, granted ex parte (without the other side present) on a motion with a supporting affidavit. That can protect you while the full motion is scheduled. Any order can later be reviewed and amended after notice and a hearing, by the magistrate court or the superior court of the circuit.
Stopping a Judgment Before It Happens
Because sealing is discretionary and uncommon, the cleanest Georgia record is one without a judgment.
Answer within seven days
According to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs handbook, you have seven days after the dispossessory is served to respond. The same handbook warns that tenants cannot appeal a default judgment. A missed deadline therefore produces both a judgment and a record you have little power to undo.
The tender defense
In a nonpayment case, the DCA handbook explains that you can “tender,” or pay, the rent and fees owed plus court costs within seven days of service. It is a complete defense, but you may use it with the same landlord only once in a 12-month period. If the landlord accepts, you still file an answer within the seven days saying payment was accepted; if the landlord refuses, your answer should say tender was offered and refused.
Negotiate the paperwork
If you settle, ask for a dismissal rather than a consent judgment, and put a no-reporting promise in writing. A signed agreement also gives you ammunition later if you file a Rule 6(D) motion.
Screening Reports and Your Federal Rights
Georgia magistrate filings are public, and tenant screening companies collect them. The Fair Credit Reporting Act sets the outer limit. Section 1681c(a)(2) bars reporting civil suits and judgments that, from the date of entry, are more than seven years old or past the governing statute of limitations, whichever period is longer.
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Accuracy matters as much as age. The CFPB says a sealed or expunged eviction should not appear on a report at all, and that a dismissed case should be marked “dismissed.” If you win a Rule 6(D) order, send a copy to every screening company that reported the case.
To dispute an error, write to the screening company with documents attached. Under § 1681i(a), it has 30 days to reinvestigate, extendable by up to 15 days if you send more information during that period, and it must remove what it cannot verify. A landlord who rejects you based on a report must identify the company and explain your free-copy and dispute rights under § 1681m(a). Our explainer on the tenant screening report shows what each field means.
Worked Example: An Augusta Renter
DeShawn is served with a dispossessory affidavit in Richmond County on Tuesday, March 2, 2027, claiming $1,180 in rent and fees. He has seven days, so he tenders $1,180 plus court costs on Monday, March 8, and files an answer that the landlord accepted the payment. The case is dismissed.
A year later DeShawn is denied an apartment because a report shows the filing. He asks the screening company to show the dismissal, which it must correct within 30 days. Because the docket still names him, he also files a Rule 6(D) motion, attaching the dismissal and the landlord’s receipt. At the hearing he must persuade the judge that his privacy harm clearly outweighs the public interest. Note that he cannot use tender again with that landlord until March 2028.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Georgia automatically seal dismissed evictions?
No. No Georgia statute or rule seals a dismissed dispossessory case on its own. You must move under Rule 6(D) and win at a hearing.
Can I ask the court to restrict my file quickly?
Yes, in compelling circumstances. Rule 6(D) permits a temporary limitation of up to 30 days without a hearing if your motion includes a supporting affidavit.
If I pay after judgment, will the case go away?
No. The DCA handbook notes that once judgment is entered for the landlord, you can still be removed even if you pay. Tender works only within the seven-day window.
Can a default judgment be appealed in Georgia?
The DCA handbook says tenants cannot appeal a default judgment. That is the main reason to file an answer on time even if you plan to move.
Who can help me file a Rule 6(D) motion?
Georgia Legal Services Program serves counties outside metro Atlanta, and Atlanta Legal Aid serves the core metro counties. Both can review whether your facts meet the standard.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For a next step, contact Georgia Legal Services Program or Atlanta Legal Aid, or search LSC’s directory, and bring your dismissal order or receipts. See also eviction record sealing in every state, the eviction process by state, our sealing walkthrough and Georgia security deposit law.
Sources
- Uniform Magistrate Court Rules (eff. April 1, 2023), Supreme Court of Georgia
- Georgia Landlord-Tenant Handbook (rev. 8-29-24), Georgia DCA
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681c, Cornell LII
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681i, Cornell LII
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681m, Cornell LII
- CFPB, Review your rental background check
- Georgia Legal Services Program
- Atlanta Legal Aid Society
- Legal Services Corporation, Get Legal Help