Notice in Georgia Real Estate Contracts: What Agents Need to Know About GAR Form F816
If you've worked with GAR contracts for any length of time, you've probably seen the word Notice throughout the forms.
The capital N matters.
In a GAR Purchase and Sale Agreement, Notice is more than simply letting someone know something happened. The contract contains specific requirements for what constitutes Notice, how it is delivered and who may receive it.
That distinction matters because Notice can be connected to important contractual rights and deadlines, including termination and earnest money.
What Counts as Notice in a GAR Contract?
The GAR Purchase and Sale Agreement includes a Notices section that addresses both the requirements for Notice and how it is delivered.
Under the contract, Notice must be in writing, legible, signed by the party giving the Notice and delivered according to the contract's Notice provisions.
That last part is easy to overlook.
Email is an electronic delivery method contemplated by the GAR contract, but simply sending an informal email does not necessarily make the message itself contractual Notice. The Notice still needs to satisfy the applicable requirements of the agreement.
That is why agents should pay attention when a GAR form uses Notice as a defined term rather than assuming ordinary transaction communication is interchangeable with contractual Notice.
GAR Has a Form Specifically for Notice
GAR Form F816, Notice, is a current GAR form designed for giving Notice.
The form gives the parties a structured way to identify the transaction, state the Notice being given and document the party giving it.
For agents, the important takeaway isn't that every email needs a Notice form. It is recognizing when you're dealing with a contractual Notice rather than routine transaction communication.
If a communication may affect contractual rights, deadlines, termination or earnest money, that is a good time to slow down, review the applicable contract language and talk with your broker or closing attorney about the appropriate way to give Notice.
Where Are You Sending the Notice?
The email address matters too.
The GAR Purchase and Sale Agreement contains specific contact information for the parties and their authorized agents. Its Notice provisions address where a written Notice must be sent in order to be effective.
That means the email address everyone has been casually using throughout the transaction isn't automatically the address that should be used for contractual Notice.
Before sending Notice, check the contract.
Can a Transaction Coordinator Receive Notice?
This is particularly important from RHRE's side of the transaction.
Transaction coordinators, assistants and administrative staff may be copied on emails and heavily involved in keeping a file moving. That does not automatically make them an authorized recipient of contractual Notice.
At RHRE, we may help make sure documents get where they need to go as part of our transaction coordination services, but agents should not assume that sending contractual Notice to the TC is the same as delivering it to the appropriate party or authorized agent identified under the contract.
When Notice matters, check the contract rather than relying on the normal email chain.
What Changed in June 2026?
GAR revised the F201 Purchase and Sale Agreement effective June 1, 2026. GAR's current forms library identifies F201 as having a 6/1/26 revision.
One of the changes RHRE highlighted in our June 2026 agent update involved the broker's authority to receive certain Notices after termination in connection with earnest money disbursement.
Why is that worth remembering?
Because termination doesn't necessarily mean Notice stops mattering.
Earnest money issues can continue after the underlying transaction has terminated. Agents still need to pay attention to the contract's Notice provisions and who is authorized to receive applicable Notices.
Notice Is Not the Same as an Amendment
This is another distinction worth keeping straight.
A Notice communicates something under the rights and procedures already provided by the agreement. An amendment changes the agreement and generally requires agreement by the parties.
Which document is appropriate depends on what the parties are actually trying to accomplish.
If you're unsure whether the situation calls for Notice, an amendment, a termination form or something else, that's a broker or attorney question. Don't try to solve that distinction by creating your own contract language.
A Practical Notice Check Before You Hit Send
When a transaction requires Notice, pause long enough to ask:
Is this actually contractual Notice?
Does the Notice itself meet the requirements of the agreement?
Am I using the appropriate GAR form for this situation?
Am I sending it to the correct person and the contact information identified under the contract?
Is there a deadline associated with this Notice?
Do I need guidance from my broker or a real estate attorney before sending it?
A lot of transaction coordination is making sure the small procedural details don't become big problems later. Notice is one of those details.
The goal isn't to make a simple communication complicated. It's to recognize when a communication has contractual significance and treat it accordingly.
Need Help Keeping the Transaction Details Moving?
RHRE works with productive Georgia real estate agents from contract to close, helping manage deadlines, documents, communication and the administrative details that come with an active file.
Schedule a call with RHRE to talk about transaction coordination support for your business.
This article is provided for educational and informational purposes only and is not legal advice. GAR forms and contract requirements can change. Agents should review the current forms and consult their managing broker and/or a Georgia real estate attorney regarding the appropriate form, Notice requirements and application to a specific transaction.
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