How to Register an Individual Entrepreneur in Person in Georgia (2026)

Georgia allows a foreign national to register an Individual Entrepreneur (IE) in person through a fast procedure at the Public Service Hall. This means that, if you are already in the country, you can usually complete the whole registration in a single visit.

In-person registration is commonly used by freelancers, IT specialists, consultants, online entrepreneurs and other remote service providers. See also the guides on running a business in Georgia and business statuses in Georgia. If you cannot travel to Georgia, an IE can also be registered remotely through a Power of Attorney.

How in-person registration works

In-person registration is completed at the National Agency of Public Registry desk inside the Public Service Hall. You submit the application at the counter, and an operator completes the registration and issues the extract.

Step	Action	Where
1	Be physically present in Georgia	—
2	Secure the consent of the owner of the property you will use as a legal address	—
3	Obtain a Georgian phone number or eSIM for SMS verification	Mobile operator in Georgia
4	Submit the IE application with your passport, legal address and other required details	Public Service Hall / Public Registry
5	Pay the applicable state fee	Public Service Hall / Public Registry
6	Receive the Individual Entrepreneur registration extract (available in Georgian and in English)	Public Service Hall / Public Registry
7	Your registration details are automatically transmitted to the Revenue Service for tax registration	Revenue Service of Georgia

Under the standard procedure the registration is usually completed within one working day, or on the same day if the expedited service is selected.

Georgian number Georgian government and financial services authenticate you by an SMS one-time code sent to a Georgian number. In practice a local number is what stands between you and:

• the Revenue Service portal (rs.ge) — where you activate your taxpayer account, apply for Small Business Status, and file the monthly declaration that is due even in months with no income;
• Public Service Hall and government e-services, which use the same verification pattern;
• your business bank account — banks send transaction confirmations and login codes to a local number.

Get a local SIM or eSIM before your visit, as SMS verification is part of the registration itself. The options are in the Mobile & Internet guide.

Who can register in person

To register an Individual Entrepreneur in person you must be physically present in Georgia. Foreign nationals may apply regardless of the basis of their lawful stay, including as a:

• visa-free visitor;
• long-stay (D) visa holder;
• Georgian residence permit holder.

Required documents

You need only a minimal set of documents:

Item	Notes
Passport (original)	Presented at the counter
Georgian mobile number	Required to complete SMS verification during registration
Legal address in Georgia	A mandatory registration detail (see legal address for a business in Georgia)

Because a Georgian phone number is required for SMS verification, obtain a local SIM card or eSIM before visiting the Public Service Hall.

Registration and the registration extract

The application is submitted to the National Agency of Public Registry through the Public Service Hall, and the registration is completed within the selected standard or expedited processing period.

Once the registration is completed, the National Agency of Public Registry issues an Individual Entrepreneur registration extract, confirming the registration and the Individual Entrepreneur’s identification number. The extract is prepared in Georgian and, upon request, in English.

State fees and costs

Service	Fee
Registration of an Individual Entrepreneur (next working day)	GEL 26
Registration of an Individual Entrepreneur (same day)	GEL 75
Registration extract in English (optional)	GEL 26
Certification of signatures on a submitted document	GEL 7

State fees and timeframes are set by the National Agency of Public Registry and are periodically updated, so confirm the current figures with the Public Service Hall or the National Agency of Public Registry before applying.

Registration with the Revenue Service

Following registration, your Individual Entrepreneur details are automatically transmitted to the Revenue Service of Georgia, allowing you to fulfil your tax obligations. You can access your tax account through the Revenue Service’s online portal (rs.ge) to manage declarations, payments and other tax-related matters — access is authenticated through your Georgian number.

Small Business status

For many freelancers, consultants, IT specialists and other service providers, Small Business Status is the preferred tax regime because it applies a 1% tax rate on annual turnover of up to GEL 500,000, subject to the statutory conditions. See Small Business status in Georgia for the eligibility criteria and application process, and tax obligations of a small business for what you must file once you start trading.

The right to work for self-employed foreign nationals

Registering as an Individual Entrepreneur does not, by itself, authorise every foreign national to carry out entrepreneurial activity in Georgia.

In some cases, foreign nationals who intend to carry out entrepreneurial activity in Georgia must first obtain the right to work. The application is submitted in person to the State Employment Promotion Agency.

As part of the procedure, applicants must complete a mandatory video interview conducted in Georgian or English (an interpreter may participate). During the interview, the applicant must present the original passport used for the application. Failure to attend the interview, confirm the application or present the original passport may result in the application being refused.

Self-employed applicants must generally demonstrate:

• an annual turnover of at least GEL 50,000 per foreign national applying for the right to work — although a newly registered IE is excused from the turnover certificate for the first three months;
• documents confirming their field of entrepreneurial activity; and
• compliance with the other requirements established by Georgian labour migration legislation.

Whether an Individual Entrepreneur must obtain the right to work depends on the nature of the activity carried out and the applicant’s migration status. Although Georgian legislation provides exceptions for certain activities falling outside the scope of the Law on Labour Migration, these exceptions are limited and should be assessed on a case-by-case basis. See the right to work in Georgia guide for a detailed explanation.

Using your Individual Entrepreneur

Once your Individual Entrepreneur is registered and any required tax status has been activated, you receive an identification number and may open a business bank account, issue invoices, sign contracts, receive payments and carry out your entrepreneurial activity in Georgia, subject to any applicable immigration and labour migration requirements.

Frequently asked questions

Can I register an Individual Entrepreneur in person as a foreigner?

Yes. Any foreign national who is physically present in Georgia can register an IE at the Public Service Hall, regardless of whether they entered visa-free, on a long-stay (D) visa or hold a residence permit.

What documents do I need to register in person?

You need your original passport, a Georgian mobile phone number for SMS verification, and a legal address in Georgia. Registration is completed on-site by an operator at the counter.

How long does in-person registration take?

Registration is usually completed within one working day, or on the same day if you choose the expedited service. You receive an official extract issued in Georgian and, on request, English, confirming the IE registration.

How much does it cost?

The Public Registry's state fee is GEL 26 for registration by the next working day, or GEL 75 on the day of filing. An English-language extract — which banks and foreign counterparties usually ask for — adds GEL 26. With the extract and the usual counter charges, people commonly pay around GEL 60 for next-working-day registration and around GEL 110 for same-day. Confirm the current figures on the Public Registry fee schedule before applying.

Do I need a legal address to register?

Yes. A legal address in Georgia is a mandatory registration detail recorded in the Entrepreneurial Registry. It can be your own address or a third-party address used with the owner's consent. See the guide on legal address for a business in Georgia.

Do I need a Georgian phone number?

Yes. Government and financial services authenticate you with a one-time code sent by SMS to a Georgian number, so you should get a local SIM or eSIM before visiting the Public Service Hall. The same local number then gates the Revenue Service portal and your business bank account.

Do I need a work permit as a foreign entrepreneur?

Generally yes. Since 1 March 2026 carrying out entrepreneurial activity in Georgia requires the right to work unless an exemption applies. Ordinance No 321 of 9 July 2026 made the self-employed route stricter: you must apply in person rather than through a representative, pass a compulsory video interview with the Agency in Georgian or English holding your original passport, and evidence annual turnover of at least GEL 50,000 per applicant — although a newly registered IE is excused from the turnover certificate for the first three months. Note too that the exemption for serving foreign clients does not apply to an individual entrepreneur who needs a residence permit to stay lawfully. See the right to work in Georgia guide.