Importing & Registering a Car in Georgia (2026)

This guide explains the process of importing a vehicle into Georgia—including customs clearance and registration—as well as buying a vehicle that is already registered in Georgia. For information about driving licences, foreign-registered vehicles and compulsory insurance, see our Driving in Georgia guide.

This guide provides general information only. Before importing a vehicle, always confirm the current legal requirements, taxes and administrative procedures with the competent authorities.

Two authorities are primarily involved:

• the Revenue Service of Georgia, which administers customs procedures and import taxes; and
• the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which is responsible for vehicle registration and licence plates.

Step 1 — Customs clearance and import taxes

If you bring a vehicle into Georgia for permanent use, it must first be cleared through customs with the Revenue Service.

Depending on the vehicle and the applicable customs rules, importation may be subject to one or more taxes, including:

• excise tax, which is generally determined by factors such as the vehicle’s engine capacity and age;
• VAT, where applicable under Georgian tax legislation; and
• any other customs charges applicable to the particular vehicle.

The taxes payable depend on the vehicle’s characteristics, customs value and the applicable legislation. Before importing a vehicle, always confirm the current taxes and customs procedures with the Revenue Service, and rely on the official customs assessment rather than unofficial online estimates.

How excise works

Excise on passenger cars is generally calculated per cubic centimetre (cm³) of engine displacement, with the applicable rate depending on the vehicle’s age.

Under the 2026 amendments to the Tax Code of Georgia:

Vehicle age	Basic excise rate
0 to 6 years (inclusive)	GEL 1.5 per cm³
More than 6 years	GEL 4.5 per cm³

Special rules apply to certain vehicles:

• Left-hand-drive hybrid vehicles benefit from a preferential excise rate reduced by 60% of the applicable basic rate.
• Right-hand-drive vehicles are generally subject to three times the applicable basic excise rate.

For customs purposes, a vehicle’s age is generally determined by comparing the year in which the customs declaration is registered with the vehicle’s year of manufacture.

Electric vehicles are subject to separate excise provisions under the Tax Code. Because their treatment differs from vehicles with an internal combustion engine, always confirm the current excise applicable to your vehicle with the Revenue Service.

The 2026 amendments also reduced the age threshold for classic vehicles from 40 years to more than 30 years and introduced transitional provisions for certain vehicles that had already been imported or were in transit when the amendments entered into force. As excise rules and transitional arrangements may change over time, always confirm the current rates and their application with the Revenue Service before importing a vehicle.

Step 2 — Register the vehicle and obtain Georgian licence plates

Once the vehicle has been cleared through customs, it must be registered with the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which is responsible for vehicle registration and the issue of Georgian licence plates.

Registration is carried out at any Service Agency registration office, regardless of your home or registered address in Georgia.

Registration deadlines

Different statutory deadlines apply depending on the circumstances:

• a vehicle imported for permanent registration in Georgia must generally be registered within 60 days; and

• where a foreign vehicle remains in Georgia for more than 90 days, temporary registration requirements may apply.

As the applicable deadline depends on the customs procedure and the vehicle’s status, always confirm the current requirements with the Service Agency and the Revenue Service.

Documents for first registration

You will generally need:

• a completed registration application;
• a valid identity document;
• a document proving ownership of the vehicle;
• a vehicle inspection report (დათვალიერების აქტი) issued as part of the registration process;
• proof of payment of the applicable state fees; and
• internal transit documents, where required.

Registration fees

Item	Fee
Vehicle inspection report (დათვალიერების აქტი)	GEL 20
Georgian licence plates	GEL 80
Vehicle registration certificate	GEL 100

Following registration, the Service Agency records the vehicle’s principal details in the state register, including its make, model, body type, vehicle identification number (VIN), year of manufacture, colour, engine number, engine displacement, fuel type, permitted and unladen weight, and any registered legal encumbrances.

The Agency then issues the Georgian licence plates and the vehicle registration certificate.

Buying a vehicle already registered in Georgia

If you buy a vehicle that is already registered in Georgia, no customs import procedure is required. Instead, ownership is transferred through a re-registration procedure at the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Re-registration is required whenever ownership changes through a sale, gift or exchange.

Documents for re-registration

You will generally need:

• a document proving ownership of the vehicle;
• valid identity document(s) of the parties;
• a vehicle inspection report (დათვალიერების აქტი);
• a completed joint application signed by the buyer and seller; and
• proof of payment of the applicable state fees.

Re-registration fees

Item	Fee
Vehicle inspection report (დათვალიერების აქტი)	GEL 20
Georgian licence plates (where issued)	GEL 80
Vehicle registration certificate	GEL 100

Once the re-registration is completed, the vehicle is recorded in the buyer’s name in the state register and a new vehicle registration certificate is issued.

Before you import or buy

Before importing or purchasing a vehicle in Georgia:

• obtain the customs valuation and estimated import taxes for your specific vehicle from the Revenue Servicebefore beginning the customs clearance procedure;
• remember that excise tax is generally calculated based on the vehicle’s engine displacement and age, with special rules applying to certain hybrid and right-hand-drive vehicles;
• budget for the applicable registration fees charged by the Service Agency, in addition to any customs duties or taxes that may apply; and
• if purchasing a vehicle already registered in Georgia, verify the vehicle’s registration details and check that there are no registered legal encumbrances before completing the transaction.

For information about driving licences, foreign-registered vehicles and compulsory motor insurance, see our Driving in Georgia guide.

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This guide provides general information only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Customs procedures, taxes, registration requirements and state fees may change over time. Before importing, purchasing or registering a vehicle, always confirm the current requirements with the Revenue Service of Georgia and the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Frequently asked questions

What taxes apply when I import a car into Georgia?

Three charges can apply on import: customs import duty, excise, and VAT. Excise is based on the car's engine capacity and age. The exact duty and VAT depend on the vehicle and its customs value, so confirm the current figures and how they combine with the Revenue Service before clearing the car.

How is car excise calculated?

Excise depends on engine capacity (per cm³) and the vehicle's age. Under the 2026 rules approved by Parliament, cars aged 0–6 years are charged GEL 1.5 per cm³ and cars older than 6 years GEL 4.5 per cm³. Left-hand-drive hybrids get a rate reduced by 60% of the basic rate, and right-hand-drive vehicles are charged three times the basic rate. Confirm the current rate and any transition rules with the Revenue Service.

How long can I keep a car on foreign plates before importing it?

A foreign-registered car can be used in Georgia for a limited period before it must be cleared through customs or taken out of the country. A vehicle brought into Georgia for the purpose of registration must be registered within 60 days, and a vehicle kept in the country for more than 90 days is subject to registration at the Service Agency. Confirm the current deadlines with the Revenue Service and the Service Agency.

How do I register an imported car and get Georgian plates?

After customs clearance, register the vehicle at the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. You submit an application, your ID, the ownership document, an inspection (dathvaliereba) act and the fee receipts. The standard fees are GEL 20 for inspection, GEL 80 for the state plate and GEL 100 for the registration certificate.

What if I buy a car that is already registered in Georgia?

You do not import it — you re-register it (transfer of ownership) at the Service Agency. The buyer and seller submit a joint application with the ownership document, IDs, an inspection act and the fee receipts (GEL 20 inspection, GEL 80 plate, GEL 100 registration certificate). New plates and a registration certificate are issued in the buyer's name.

Are electric cars taxed differently?

The engine-capacity excise is charged per cm³ of engine displacement, which an electric vehicle does not have, so the displacement-based excise does not apply in the same way. Import duty and VAT rules may still be relevant. Confirm the current treatment of electric vehicles with the Revenue Service.