Early Termination of Probation

Georgia’s new probation law went into effect in 2021 and created a pathway for Georgians on felony probation to have their sentence terminated after three years if certain milestones are met. Learn more about how you can self-advocate for early termination below.

Are you on felony probation? Have you served at least 3 years of your probation sentence?

If so, you may be eligible for early termination of your probation!

Do you meet the following criteria?

No new arrests (besides non-serious traffic offenses)
No probation revocation in the past 24 months
Paid all restitution

You may be able to terminate your probation early even if you still owe fines and fees, but restitution must be paid.

And remember, if you terminate probation to complete your sentence, you can vote. You can also vote even if still serving a Felony Offender Act or Conditional Discharge sentence, as long as your status isn’t revoked. See GJP.org/voting for more information.

What should I do if I think I am eligible for early termination?

Contact your probation officer or the probation office in the county where you were sentenced, and request early termination if you meet the criteria above (see below for specific questions to ask). Find your office here.
If you are still experiencing issues requesting early termination, reach out to DCS directly at early.termination@dcs.ga.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I say when I am asking about early termination?

"I am reaching out because I believe I am eligible for early termination. I have served 3 years (or however long you have served on probation if longer than 3 years) of my probation sentence, I have not had any new arrests since this case, I have not had my probation revoked in the past 24 months, and I have paid all restitution (or I did not have to pay restitution for my case). I would like to know if probation has submitted a petition recommending me for early termination."

If probation has submitted a petition: "Could you please tell me when the petition was submitted?"

 If probation says you do not qualify: "Could you explain why I do not qualify for early termination?"

If probation says they chose not to submit a petition, even though you qualify: "Could you explain why you chose not to submit a petition? Also, are you submitting progress reports to the court?"

What resource can I look at to help me have this conversation?

The Department of Community Supervision (DCS) created a flyer to explain the early termination law. All probation officers in Georgia received this document, and you can use it as a reference when having this conversation with probation about your early termination status. Click here to download the flyer. 

DCS also created an email to respond to early termination of probation questions. Reach out to DCS directly at early.termination@dcs.ga.gov.

Where can I learn more information about this law?

If you meet the criteria above, here’s what to expect:

Your probation officer will be notified of your eligibility and, depending on your sentence, may submit an order to terminate your probation.
The Court must grant the order to terminate your probation unless the prosecutor or the Judge requests a hearing within 30 days.
If a hearing is requested, it will be scheduled within 90 days.
- At the hearing, you will be able to present to the Judge why you should no longer be on probation.
If a hearing is requested by the prosecutor or the Judge, it will still be the Judge’s decision whether to terminate your probation early.

Georgia Justice Project (GJP) may be able to help you.

GJP has provided holistic legal representation to individuals facing criminal charges in metro Atlanta for 35 years. We have recently added a program to assist with probation issues for people who cannot afford an attorney.

Reach out to GJP if:

Your order to terminate was submitted and you are now scheduled for a hearing.
You believe you are eligible for early termination and you contacted your probation officer, but your probation officer is not submitting an order to terminate on your behalf.
Your probation officer submitted an order to terminate but it has been 30 days, the Court has not granted your order to terminate, and you have not been scheduled for a hearing.

For more information: