ATLANTA — More than half a million professionals in Georgia could soon find it easier to obtain their professional licenses thanks to a new system implemented by the Secretary of State’s office.
Channel 2’s Richard Elliot has learned that the Georgia Online Application and Licensing System, known as GOALS, is a comprehensive overhaul of the state’s licensing process, replacing a 23-year-old paper-based system.
“Well, right now, we have over 550,000 people in Georgia that have a professional license,” said Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
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The GOALS system aims to significantly reduce the time it takes to process licenses, with some professions, like nursing, seeing potential processing times cut to as little as 18 days.
Deputy Secretary of State Matthew Tyser explained that the transition from a paper system to an online platform is designed to streamline the application process.
Despite initial rollout challenges, the system is now fully operational.
“Whatever you make, you’re just going to make that much sooner, so that’s another month of income that you have in the first year,” Raffensperger said.
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Cosmetologist Chelsea Buffalino told Elliot that she experienced delays during the initial rollout of the GOALS system.
“They tell you it takes a maximum of 15 business days from application to approval. It’s been six months,” she said.
Raffensperger assured that these issues have been resolved.
“Our job was to make sure we had a seamless operation so we could really enhance security and get people out there in the workforce faster,” Raffensperger said.
With the GOALS system now up and running, professionals across Georgia can expect a more efficient licensing process.
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