Cars and driving licencesFor people buying a car in Georgia: privately, at a market or importing it themselves

How to buy a car in Georgia: where to look, checks, customs, re-registration

Cars in Georgia are sold on myauto.ge and at the large car market on the outskirts of Rustavi, a town 20 km from Tbilisi. A foreigner living in Georgia can register a car in their own name: the transfer at the Service Agency costs 200 ₾ (20 + 80 + 100) and can be done online. Before buying, order a legal status certificate for the car, from 30 ₾.

Checked by the editors on 12 October 202615 sources8 minutes

In short

Where to look: myauto.ge is the main platform and also ranks first on Google for "купить машину в грузии". There is also the car market on the outskirts of Rustavi, a town 20 km from Tbilisi: many cars there come from the US, bought at auctions, often after accidents and written off by insurers
Who can buy: Foreigners who live in Georgia permanently or temporarily: cars are registered to them just as to citizens
Checks: Legal status certificate: arrest, pledge, tax lien, wanted status, temporary import. 30 ₾ for 5 working days, 110 ₾ for 3 hours
Transfer of ownership: 200 ₾: inspection 20 ₾, plates 80 ₾, registration certificate 100 ₾. At a Service Agency office or online since 24 July 2026
Customs: Excise since 2 April 2026: 1.5 ₾ per cm³ up to 6 years old, 4.5 ₾ for older cars, three times as much for right-hand drive. Plus import duty: 0.05 ₾ per cm³ and 5% of that amount for each year of the car's age. No VAT; clearance and registration fees are 480 ₾ per the Revenue Service calculator
Registering an import: Within 60 days. Since 1 January 2024, cars below Euro 5 are not registered, in practice those made before 2013
Insurance: Compulsory for foreign-registered cars for the whole stay in Georgia: from 30 ₾ for 15 days to 295 ₾ for a year. Not yet compulsory for Georgian plates

How to buy without surprises

Choose where to look
Private sellers and dealers list on myauto.ge; cars from the US are sold at the market near Rustavi. Compare prices of similar cars before you go to see one.
Check the legal status
Order a legal status certificate for the car: it shows arrest, pledge, tax lien, wanted status and temporary import. Anyone can order it on sa.gov.ge, in the SERVICE AGENCY app or at an office.
from 30 ₾
Inspect the car
Bring a mechanic or book a diagnostic check at a garage before the deal.
Transfer ownership together with the seller
A joint application, the ownership document and both parties' IDs; the car goes through an inspection. At any Service Agency office or online on sa.gov.ge and in the app. Documents in another language must be translated into Georgian and notarised.
200 ₾ (20 + 80 + 100)
Importing yourself: clear customs and register within 60 days
You can work out the excise, duty and fees in advance in the customs calculator. If the car leaves Georgia within 180 days, the excise and duty are refunded in full.
Customs calculator

Customs calculator Used and new cars for sale in Georgia Cars in Tbilisi Cars in Batumi Cars in Rustavi

Documents

0 of 4 ready ·

Passport or residence cardfor both buyer and seller
Car ownership documentfrom the seller
Joint applicationfilled in at the Service Agency
Notarised Georgian translationif documents are in another language

Check the exact list on the portal before applying: it changes.

Grey areas: lawyers disagree here

Seller's tax certificate

Under the Tax Code, a seller who has owned the car for more than 6 months pays no tax on the sale. But Order No. 150 of the Ministry of Internal Affairs still requires a tax certificate if the car has been owned for less than 2 years. If the seller has owned it for less than 2 years, ask the Service Agency whether a certificate is needed.

Compulsory insurance for everyone

The government has put compulsory motor liability insurance for Georgian-registered cars on the parliament's autumn 2026 agenda. No start date has been announced yet.

FAQ · 7

Can a foreigner buy a car in Georgia?

Yes. Foreigners who live in Georgia permanently or temporarily register cars in their own name, just like citizens.

Where should I look for a car?

The main platform is myauto.ge; there is also the large car market on the outskirts of Rustavi, a town 20 km from Tbilisi. On doberi, listings are published in three languages, and you can translate your chat with the seller.

How much does re-registration cost?

200 ₾: inspection 20 ₾, plates 80 ₾ and registration certificate 100 ₾. Since 24 July 2026, you can also transfer a car online on sa.gov.ge or in the SERVICE AGENCY app.

How do I check a car for arrests and pledges?

Order a legal status certificate from the Service Agency: 30 ₾ for 5 working days, 45 ₾ for 3 days, 70 ₾ for 1 day, 110 ₾ for 3 hours. It shows arrest, pledge, tax lien, wanted status and temporary import.

How much is customs clearance in 2026?

Excise is 1.5 ₾ per cm³ for a car up to 6 years old and 4.5 ₾ for older cars; three times as much for right-hand drive. Plus import duty: 0.05 ₾ per cm³ and 5% of that amount for each year of the car's age, and 480 ₾ of clearance and registration fees. There is no VAT on importing a passenger car. If the car leaves Georgia within 180 days, the excise and duty are refunded in full.

Is car insurance compulsory?

For foreign-registered cars, yes, for the whole stay: 30 ₾ for 15 days, 50 ₾ for 30 days, 90 ₾ for 90 days, 295 ₾ for a year. For Georgian-registered cars, not yet.

Can I register an old car?

Since 1 January 2024, imported cars below the Euro 5 emission standard are not registered, in practice those made before 2013. Cars already registered are not affected.

What changed · 3

1 January 2024Cars below Euro 5 are no longer registered, in practice those made before 2013; cars already registered are not affected
2 April 2026Excise on imported passenger cars went up: 1.5 ₾ per cm³ up to 6 years old, 4.5 ₾ for older cars
24 July 2026Car ownership can be transferred online on sa.gov.ge and in the SERVICE AGENCY app

Sources · 15

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