Why there is no number on this page
We looked. We found no court, state agency or bar publication that lists what Georgia closing attorneys charge, and no Lumpkin County firm publishes a fee sheet we could cite. The figures that turn up in searches come from firms in other cities, old fee sheets and estimate sites. A number like that can be off for your closing in either direction, so we leave it out. The only figure that counts is the written quote from the attorney who will close your deal.
What the closing attorney’s work covers
Why a Georgia attorney closes the deal
- Under Supreme Court of Georgia rulings, it is the unauthorized practice of law for anyone other than a licensed Georgia attorney to close a real estate transaction for a seller, borrower or lender. Supreme Court of Georgia, In re UPL Advisory Opinion 2003-2, 277 Ga. 472 (2003), opinion text (PDF) hosted by the State Bar of Georgia, checked 2026-10-19
- State Bar of Georgia guidance requires the lawyer in every real estate transaction to control the closing process from beginning to end, consistent with Formal Advisory Opinion 13-1. State Bar of Georgia, Formal Advisory Opinion No. 23-1 (issued Jan. 23, 2025; Supreme Court Docket No. S25U1154), PDF, checked 2026-10-19
In a Georgia sale the closing attorney’s office typically searches the title, prepares or reviews the closing documents, runs the signing, collects and pays out the money, and sends the deed and security deed to be recorded. The attorney also has to control the closing from start to finish and handle the funds.
Georgia's good-funds law defines the 'settlement agent' as the lender or an active member of the State Bar of Georgia responsible for conducting the settlement and paying out the proceeds. (O.C.G.A. 44-14-13 (2025 Georgia Code), via Justia, checked 2026-10-19)
Lines you may see on a quote
Firms name and bundle these differently. Use the list to ask what each line on your quote is for.
| Line | What it pays for | Who sets the price |
|---|---|---|
| Settlement or closing fee | Conducting the closing and paying out the money | The firm |
| Title search and exam | Checking the public records for owners, liens and other claims | The firm |
| Title commitment or binder | The title insurer’s statement of what it will insure and on what conditions | The firm or the insurer |
| Lender’s title policy | Insurance that protects the lender | The title insurer |
| Owner’s title policy | Optional insurance that protects the buyer | The title insurer |
| Closing protection letter | A letter from the title insurer about the closing agent’s handling of the closing; ask whom it covers | The title insurer |
| Courier, overnight and wire charges | Moving documents and money | The firm, often passed through |
| Deed preparation and payoff handling | Usually seller lines: drafting the deed and paying off existing loans | The firm |
| Transfer tax, intangible tax, recording | Government charges collected at closing | Georgia law |
The government lines
- Georgia's real estate transfer tax is $1.00 for the first $1,000 of value and 10 cents for each additional $100 or fraction of $100, on deeds transferring realty sold for more than $100. O.C.G.A. 48-6-1 (2025 Georgia Code), via Justia, checked 2026-10-19
- Georgia's intangible recording tax on a security deed is $1.50 for each $500 or fraction of $500 of the loan's face amount. Georgia Department of Revenue, Intangible Recording Tax page, checked 2026-10-19
- Georgia law sets the clerk's fee for filing each instrument pertaining to real estate, including each deed and assignment of a security deed, at $25.00. O.C.G.A. 15-6-77, via FindLaw Codes (marked 'Current as of March 28, 2024'), checked 2026-10-19
Those last lines are not the firm’s to set. The clerk’s filing fee is set by state law (currently $25 per instrument), and the two taxes come from the rates above. If a quote shows them, check them with our transfer tax and intangible tax calculators.
Who the attorney works for
One Georgia firm's description
- A Northeast Georgia law firm describes the closing attorney's primary function as representing the lender and overseeing the transaction. Stewart, Melvin & Frost (Gainesville, Ga. law firm), 'Real Estate – What is the role of a closing attorney' (page modified 2022-11-03), checked 2026-10-19
- The same firm says buyers are not required to have their own attorney, and that a buyer who wants personal representation will likely pay separately for it. Stewart, Melvin & Frost (Gainesville, Ga. law firm), 'Real Estate – What is the role of a closing attorney' (page modified 2022-11-03), checked 2026-10-19
In a typical financed purchase, the closing attorney is often engaged on the lender’s behalf. Ask the attorney at the start whom they represent. If you want your own lawyer, you can hire one; that is a separate engagement with its own fee.
How to get a written quote
Ask the closing attorney’s office for a written, itemized quote before closing, and ask these questions when you do:
- Which lines are your firm’s charges, and which are third-party or government charges you collect?
- Is each line quoted to the buyer, the seller, or split?
- Is the title search and exam included, or billed separately?
- If I buy an owner’s policy, is the price quoted together with the lender’s policy?
- Are courier and wire charges flat, or per item?
- What would change this quote: a second payoff, a power of attorney, a survey issue, a delay?
- Whom do you represent in this closing?
- Which forms of payment do you accept for my funds to close?
Keep the answers in writing. They are what you compare against the Closing Disclosure later.
Comparing quotes with your Loan Estimate
Shopping for these services
- The CFPB notes that closing practices vary by place and that some regions require a title agent, escrow agent or closing attorney at closing, and that buyers can shop for these providers. CFPB blog, 'The essential steps to close on your home with confidence' (page last modified Jun. 25, 2026), checked 2026-10-19
- You can usually shop for title insurance separately from your mortgage, and buying both policies from the same provider usually costs less overall. CFPB, Ask CFPB: What is owner's title insurance? (page last modified Aug. 5, 2024), checked 2026-10-19
- The lender must provide a Loan Estimate within three business days of receiving your mortgage application. CFPB, Ask CFPB: What is a Loan Estimate? (page last modified Aug. 14, 2024), checked 2026-10-19
Your Loan Estimate lists the settlement and title services, and your lender may hand you a list of providers. You can shop. Compare quotes line by line, not just the bottom line, since one firm may bundle what another lists separately. If you are picking an attorney, choosing a closing attorney covers the neutral steps.
Rules about referrals
Federal referral rules
- Federal RESPA rules prohibit giving or accepting any fee or thing of value for referring settlement service business on a federally related mortgage loan. CFPB eRegulations, 12 CFR 1024.14 (Regulation X, RESPA Section 8), checked 2026-10-19
- Federal law (RESPA Section 9) bars a seller from requiring, as a condition of sale, that the buyer purchase title insurance from a particular title company when the buyer uses a federally related mortgage loan. 12 U.S.C. 2608 (RESPA Section 9), via Cornell LII, checked 2026-10-19
Those rules are why this guide names no firm, ranks no one and takes nothing from any attorney or title company.
Are closing costs a rip-off?
Some lines are fixed by law and some are set by the firm. The fair test is whether every line on your quote has a plain answer to “what is this for?” If one does not, ask. The closing documents decoder explains where each line appears on the final paperwork, and the closing cost estimator has a line for every quote item.
Questions buyers ask
Why is there an attorney fee on a Georgia closing?
Because under Supreme Court of Georgia rulings it is the unauthorized practice of law for anyone other than a licensed Georgia attorney to close a real estate transaction for a seller, borrower or lender. The fee pays for that work.
Does the closing attorney represent me?
Ask at the start. One Georgia law firm describes the closing attorney's primary function as representing the lender and overseeing the transaction. If you want your own lawyer, you can hire one.
Can I shop for title insurance separately?
Usually, yes. You can usually shop for title insurance separately from your mortgage, and if you buy an owner's policy, buying it from the same provider as the lender's policy usually costs less overall.
Source: CFPB, Ask CFPB: What is owner's title insurance? (page last modified Aug. 5, 2024)
Can a closing attorney pay a real estate agent for a referral?
No. Federal RESPA rules prohibit giving or accepting any fee or thing of value for referring settlement service business on a federally related mortgage loan.
Source: CFPB eRegulations, 12 CFR 1024.14 (Regulation X, RESPA Section 8)
Before you rely on this
This page is education, not legal advice. Dahlonega Closing Guide is published by Gold Peach Realty, a real estate brokerage, not a law firm. For advice about your own contract, title or taxes, ask a Georgia attorney or a tax professional.
Education, not legal advice. Statutes, fees and forms change; every rule on this page links to the law or office that sets it. Your closing attorney and your contract decide what applies to your closing.
