Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr said the state has a responsibility to support servicemembers and their families by speeding up professional licensing to ease their transition and ensure they have opportunities to succeed.
The issue is significant for military families who often face delays in continuing their careers when relocating due to military orders. Recent changes at both the federal and state level aim to reduce these barriers.
“Our servicemembers put their lives on the line to defend our freedoms, and it’s incumbent upon the State to ensure they’re provided with the care and support they deserve… By expediting the licensure process for military members and their spouses, we’re helping to improve a transition process that’s often difficult for military families and made worse by bureaucratic red tape… This is simple – if you put on that uniform in service to this country, we will make sure you and your loved ones have every opportunity to succeed,” Carr said, according to a press release by Carr.
Carr has issued an official legal opinion directing Georgia’s state licensing boards to grant temporary professional licenses to servicemembers and their spouses who relocate under military orders. The action aligns Georgia with recent updates to the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and ensures military families are not delayed from working due to state-level licensing barriers. Licensing boards must follow updated federal requirements, according to a press release by Carr.
In 2024, Congress amended the SCRA so that Georgia’s executive-branch licensing boards are required to issue temporary licenses or allow practice once applicants provide a notarized affidavit, proof of military orders, and if applicable, a marriage license. The law prohibits boards from adding extra requirements beyond those listed, preventing unnecessary red tape that could slow a family’s transition, according to a press release by Carr.
Carr’s action is part of broader efforts supporting Georgia’s military community. Last year he introduced a Georgia Military Consumer Protection Guide designed for servicemembers and veterans. The guide is one of three produced by his Consumer Protection Division alongside resources for older adults as well as small businesses, nonprofits, and places of worship focused on cybersecurity awareness, according to a press release by Carr.
Chris Carr was appointed as Georgia’s attorney general in 2016 by then-Governor Nathan Deal and re-elected in November 2022. Since taking office he has focused on issues such as human trafficking, gang activity, opioid misuse—including establishing specialized prosecution units—and previously served as Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development under Governor Deal from November 2013 through November 2016, according to Georgia.gov.
