State Route 56 (SR 56) is a state highway that runs south-to-north in a western loop around Vidalia through portions of Tattnall, Toombs, Montgomery, Treutlen, Emanuel, Burke, and Richmond counties in southeastern and eastern Georgia. The route runs from its southern terminus at US 280 and SR 30 in Reidsville to its northern terminus at US 25 and SR 121 in Augusta.

From its southern terminus at U.S. 280/State Route 30 in Reidsville, State Route 56 travels west, running parallel to the Altamaha River, to Uvalda. In Uvalda, State Route 56 becomes cosigned with U.S. Route 221, and the two routes travel north to Mount Vernon, where they intersect U.S. Route 280/State Route 30. After leaving Mount Vernon, U.S. Route 221 and State Route 56 travel north to Soperton, then turn to the northeast. Shortly after intersecting Interstate 16, State Route 56 departs U.S. Route 221 and travels northeast to Swainsboro. After brief cosignages with U.S. Route 1 and U.S. Route 80, State Route 56 continues north-northeast to Waynesboro. After short cosignages with State Route 24 and State Route 80, and an intersection with U.S. Route 25/State Route 121, State Route 56 travels north into Augusta. After intersecting Interstate 520, the route meets its northern terminus at U.S. Route 25/State Route 121.

State Route 56, being mostly in a rural area, sees an Average Annual Daily Traffic of 5,000 vehicles or less over much of the route. However, the route sees an AADT of 14,300 vehicles near its northern terminus in Augusta.

State Route 56 has two banner routes, both of which are signed Georgia State Route 56 Spur.

The southern instance is in Burke County, and runs east from the State Route 56 mainline near McBean to the eastern terminus of State Route 80.

The northern instance is in Richmond County, and runs north from the State Route 56 mainline, intersecting Interstate 520, to US 1/US 25/US 78/US 278/SR 10/SR 121 in Augusta.