§ 9-9-11.When award changed; application for change; objection thereto; time for disposition of application
Chapter 9. Arbitration · Article 1. General Provisions · Last amended 1988 · Last verified July 17, 2026
In one sentenceThe arbitrators can correct their own award for a miscalculation, an award on an unsubmitted issue, or a defect in form, if a party applies within 20 days of delivery and objects within ten days after that; the arbitrators must rule within 30 days, and the changed award remains subject to court review like any other.
(a)Pursuant to the procedure described in subsection (b) of this Code section, the arbitrators may change the award upon the following grounds:
(1)There was a miscalculation of figures or a mistake in the description of any person, thing, or property referred to in the award;
(2)The arbitrators have awarded upon a matter not submitted to them and the award may be corrected without affecting the merits of the decision upon the issues submitted; or
(3)The award is imperfect in a matter of form, not affecting the merits of the controversy.
(1)An application to the arbitrators for a change in the award shall be made by a party within 20 days after delivery of the award to the applicant. Written notice of this application shall be served upon the other parties.
(2)Objection to a change in the award by the arbitrators must be made in writing to the arbitrators within ten days of service of the application to change. Written notice of this objection shall be served upon the other parties.
(3)The arbitrators shall dispose of any application made under this Code section in a written, signed order within 30 days after service upon them of objection to change or upon the expiration of the time for service of this objection. The parties may extend, in writing, the time for this disposition by the arbitrators either before or after its expiration.
(4)An award changed under this Code section shall be subject to the provisions of this part concerning the confirmation, vacation, and modification of awards by the court.
Plain-English Summary
Not every mistake in an arbitration award needs a lawsuit to fix. This section gives the arbitrators themselves a narrow path to correct their own work before anyone goes to court. Subsection (a) limits that power to three situations: a miscalculation of figures or a mistake describing a person, thing, or property named in the award; an award that ruled on something the parties never submitted for decision, fixable only if the correction leaves the merits of the submitted issues untouched; or an award that is imperfect in form without affecting the substance of the controversy.
Subsection (b) lays out the timeline. A party who wants a change must apply to the arbitrators within 20 days of the award being delivered, with written notice served on the other parties. Anyone who disagrees with that request has ten days after being served to object, again in writing and with notice to the other side. The arbitrators then have 30 days — measured from the objection or from when the window to object closes — to issue a written, signed order resolving the application, though the parties can extend that deadline in writing, before or after it runs out.
Once the arbitrators change an award under this section, the changed version is not the final word by itself. Paragraph (b)(4) makes clear it remains subject to the same confirmation, vacation, and modification process a court would apply to any award under this part.
Frequently Asked Questions
On what grounds can arbitrators change their own award?
A miscalculation of figures or a mistake describing a person, thing, or property; an award on a matter not submitted that can be corrected without affecting the merits of the submitted issues; or an award imperfect in form that does not affect the merits.
How long does a party have to ask the arbitrators to change the award?
20 days after delivery of the award to the applicant.
How long do other parties have to object to a proposed change?
Ten days after being served with the application to change.
How quickly must the arbitrators rule on an application to change the award?
Within 30 days after service of an objection, or after the time to object has expired, unless the parties extend that deadline in writing.
Once the arbitrators change the award, is it automatically final?
No. A changed award remains subject to the statute’s provisions on court confirmation, vacation, and modification, the same as any other award.
Amendment History
Code 1933, § 7-312, enacted by Ga. L. 1978, p. 2270, § 1; Code 1981, § 9-9-91; Code 1981, § 9-9-11, as redesignated by Ga. L. 1988, p. 903, § 1.
Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, published by the
Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Georgia Code Revision Commission / LexisNexis. Last verified July 17, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as:correct arbitration award Georgiaarbitrators change award deadlineobject to arbitration award changemodify arbitration award before arbitrators