Georgia Guardianship Forms: GPCSF 28, GPCSF 29, and Every Form You Need

Georgia probate courts require a specific set of standardized forms for guardianship of a minor child. File the wrong one — or miss a supporting document — and the clerk sends you home. Here is exactly what you need and where to get it.

The Core Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms

Every county in Georgia uses Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms (GPCSF). These are free to download from the Council of Probate Court Judges website at gaprobate.gov.

GPCSF 28 — Petition for Temporary Letters of Guardianship of Minor. This is the form most kinship caregivers need. It applies when at least one parent is alive and you are seeking guardianship under O.C.G.A. § 29-2-5. The form covers the child's details, your relationship and residency, parental consent sections, and your agreement to take on support obligations.

GPCSF 29 — Petition for Permanent Letters of Guardianship of Minor. Used under O.C.G.A. § 29-2-14 only when no living natural guardian exists — both parents have died, or parental rights were terminated or surrendered.

GPCSF 11 — Petition for the Appointment of an Emergency Guardian and/or Conservator for a Proposed Ward. This form is under Title 29, Chapter 4; it is not a minor guardianship form. GPCSF 28 is the standard temporary-guardianship petition for a minor.

GPCSF Supplement 4 — Guardian/Conservator Oath. After the judge grants your petition, you must take this oath before the probate judge or clerk. A notary cannot administer it — this catches many first-time filers off guard.

GPCSF 30 — Petition for Letters of Conservatorship of Minor. Only necessary if the child owns or is entitled to property or funds exceeding $25,000.

The Filing Packet: What Goes With the Petition

The petition form alone is not enough. A complete filing packet for GPCSF 28 or GPCSF 29 includes:

• The completed petition form
• A certified copy of the child's birth certificate
• Your valid government-issued photo ID and proof of county residency (utility bill, lease, or similar)
• Notarized parental consent forms, if a parent agrees to the guardianship
• A Minor's Selection Form, required if the child is 14 or older
• Signed criminal background check consent forms for every adult aged 18 or older in your household
• The filing fee or an approved Poverty Affidavit under O.C.G.A. § 9-15-2

Missing any single item can delay your case by weeks.

Where to Download the Forms

All GPCSF forms are available free from the Georgia Supreme Court's probate forms page. Your county probate court may also have them on its website or in the clerk's office. Some counties like Fulton and DeKalb accept electronic filing through eFileGA, though original notarized documents usually need to be physically submitted within 10 days of the electronic filing.

Do not use generic guardianship forms from template sites like Etsy or pdfFiller. Georgia probate courts will reject any form that is not a GPCSF standard form.

Matching Forms to Your Situation

If a parent consents and no prior custody order exists, GPCSF 28 is the correct form filed in probate court. If both parents are deceased or their rights have been terminated, file GPCSF 29 instead. If a prior Superior Court divorce or custody decree already covers the child, you cannot use probate forms at all — you need to file a modification in Superior Court.

If a parent actively objects to your guardianship petition, the probate court must dismiss it or transfer the case to juvenile court. That shift in jurisdiction changes everything about the process.

What Comes After Filing

Once the court grants your petition and you take the oath on GPCSF Supplement 4, the clerk issues certified Letters of Guardianship. Keep several certified copies — schools, doctors, benefits agencies, and the Social Security Administration will each want their own.

You then owe the court an initial Personal Status Report within 60 days, and another one every year after that. Missing a report can lead to a Rule Nisi hearing and potential removal as guardian.

Our Georgia Guardianship and Custody Court Process Guide walks through every form, every supporting document, and every deadline in a single printable reference — so nothing gets missed at the clerk's desk.

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