Georgia prejudgment interest rate
United States Georgia prejudgment interest — 7% for liquidated claims, 9.75% for the current tort benchmark.
→ All Georgia judgment & prejudgment interest rates
Published value Fixed by statute
2026 Georgia prejudgment interest at a glance
- Current rate
- 7% / 9.75% per year
- Effective date
- December 11, 2025
- Controlling authority
- O.C.G.A. §§7-4-2, 7-4-15, and 51-12-14
- Rate basis
- Published value
- Source checked
- August 25, 2026
- Recorded history
- 59 data points
Georgia has two different prejudgment paths. A qualifying liquidated demand uses the 7% legal rate under O.C.G.A. §§7-4-2 and 7-4-15. A qualifying unliquidated tort demand under §51-12-14 instead uses the Federal Reserve prime rate on the benchmark-selection day plus 3 points — currently 9.75%. The claim type and notice determine which path, if either, applies.
When Georgia prejudgment interest applies
For the liquidated-demand path, the amount must be fixed or certain by agreement or otherwise; a genuine factual dispute over the amount can prevent §7-4-15 interest. Section 51-12-14 creates a separate path for qualifying unliquidated tort damages after the required written notice. It does not turn every tort claim into an automatic award.
When it starts accruing
For a qualifying liquidated demand, interest runs from the legally relevant date the party became bound to pay, or from demand where the obligation is payable on demand. For the §51-12-14 tort path, interest begins on the 30th day after the last written notice, and the prime rate on that 30th day supplies the benchmark.
Simple or compound
Both recorded paths are treated as simple interest. The calculator remains withheld because eligibility, notice, the exact accrual date, offsets, and payment mechanics depend on the claim.
How the rate is set
The liquidated path remains 7%. The tort-demand path is Federal Reserve prime plus 3 percentage points; the history table records every benchmark change since the current scheme began and the weekly pipeline monitors FRED for the next change.
→ Compare with the Georgia post-judgment interest rate (interest after judgment)
Georgia has two prejudgment paths. A qualifying liquidated demand uses the 7% legal rate under O.C.G.A. §§7-4-2 and 7-4-15 from the legally relevant due or demand date. Qualifying unliquidated tort damages under §51-12-14 instead use the Federal Reserve prime rate on the 30th day after the last written notice plus three points; the current benchmark produces 9.75%. Both paths are treated as simple interest, but notice, entitlement, and the correct branch are case-specific. Not legal advice.
Effective-date history
| Effective date | Rate | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| December 11, 2025 | 7% / 9.75% | Published |
| October 30, 2025 | 7% / 10.00% | Published |
| September 17, 2025 | 7% / 10.25% | Published |
| December 20, 2024 | 7% / 10.50% | Published |
| November 8, 2024 | 7% / 10.75% | Published |
| September 19, 2024 | 7% / 11.00% | Published |
| July 27, 2023 | 7% / 11.50% | Published |
| May 4, 2023 | 7% / 11.25% | Published |
| March 23, 2023 | 7% / 11.00% | Published |
| February 2, 2023 | 7% / 10.75% | Published |
| December 15, 2022 | 7% / 10.50% | Published |
| November 3, 2022 | 7% / 10.00% | Published |
| September 22, 2022 | 7% / 9.25% | Published |
| July 28, 2022 | 7% / 8.50% | Published |
| June 16, 2022 | 7% / 7.75% | Published |
| May 5, 2022 | 7% / 7.00% | Published |
| March 17, 2022 | 7% / 6.50% | Published |
| March 16, 2020 | 7% / 6.25% | Published |
| March 4, 2020 | 7% / 7.25% | Published |
| October 31, 2019 | 7% / 7.75% | Published |
| September 19, 2019 | 7% / 8.00% | Published |
| August 1, 2019 | 7% / 8.25% | Published |
| December 20, 2018 | 7% / 8.50% | Published |
| September 27, 2018 | 7% / 8.25% | Published |
| June 14, 2018 | 7% / 8.00% | Published |
| March 22, 2018 | 7% / 7.75% | Published |
| December 14, 2017 | 7% / 7.50% | Published |
| June 15, 2017 | 7% / 7.25% | Published |
| March 16, 2017 | 7% / 7.00% | Published |
| December 15, 2016 | 7% / 6.75% | Published |
| December 17, 2015 | 7% / 6.50% | Published |
| December 16, 2008 | 7% / 6.25% | Published |
| October 29, 2008 | 7% / 7.00% | Published |
| October 8, 2008 | 7% / 7.50% | Published |
| April 30, 2008 | 7% / 8.00% | Published |
| March 18, 2008 | 7% / 8.25% | Published |
| January 30, 2008 | 7% / 9.00% | Published |
| January 22, 2008 | 7% / 9.50% | Published |
| December 11, 2007 | 7% / 10.25% | Published |
| October 31, 2007 | 7% / 10.50% | Published |
Source & provenance
Observation recorded August 25, 2026 (02:51 UTC) from the cited source (Georgia General Assembly-authorized Code portal (LexisNexis); Federal Reserve prime benchmark via FRED):
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PRIME
Cite this page
StatuteRates. “Georgia Prejudgment Interest Rate.” StatuteRates.com. Accessed today. https://statuterates.com/rates/georgia-prejudgment-rate/ Rate recorded under O.C.G.A. §§7-4-2, 7-4-15, and 51-12-14, effective December 11, 2025.