Cars & customs · Checked 17 July 2026
Bringing your own car to Georgia
Driving a foreign-plated vehicle into Georgia can be straightforward, but keeping it here requires a plan for customs status, declaration deadlines, taxes, technical compliance, insurance and registration.
Before departure
Check ownership, export permission, insurance, passport and whether a lender or lessor permits the vehicle to leave its country.
Customs clock
The Revenue Service calculator refers to a 60-day declaration period and a possible additional 30-day extension; confirm the deadline recorded for your vehicle.
Tax is vehicle-specific
Excise and other clearance amounts depend on vehicle type, age, engine and customs treatment. Calculate before shipping.
Registration comes later
Customs release does not itself issue Georgian registration, a registration certificate or plates.
First decide: temporary use or permanent import?
A visitor using foreign plates and an owner placing the car into free circulation are not doing the same thing. Your nationality is less important than the vehicle’s customs status, ownership, entry record and intended stay. Before arrival, ask Revenue Service what deadline and procedure will apply to the exact VIN and entry route.
Documents to carry
Bring the original foreign registration certificate, ownership document or purchase invoice, passport, authority from the registered owner if different, shipping or border documents and valid motor insurance. If financed, leased or company-owned, obtain explicit cross-border authority. Georgian authorities may require translation or additional proof where names, VIN data or ownership history do not align.
Customs declaration and cost
Use the official RS.ge Auto/Moto Levy Calculator with manufacture year, engine and other requested details. The result separates excise, customs components and the clearance service amount. Electric, hybrid, classic, motorcycle and re-export cases can be treated differently. A calculator estimate is not a binding customs assessment—VIN, classification, origin and supporting evidence control.
From customs release to Georgian plates
After the correct customs procedure, complete the Service Agency registration process. Expect identity/representation documents, ownership and customs evidence, the vehicle and VIN inspection, applicable fees, a Georgian registration certificate and plates. Confirm whether technical inspection is immediately due for the vehicle category and age. Do not remove or surrender foreign registration prematurely without checking the export rules of the original country.
Insurance and annual compliance
Compulsory civil-liability cover applies to foreign-registered vehicles entering Georgia; obtain the correct policy for the whole lawful period. Georgian-registered vehicles should also be checked for periodic technical inspection deadlines, municipal parking registration and any unpaid camera or parking penalties. Comprehensive cover is separate and should be compared by exclusions, deductible, territory and driver eligibility.
A safer arrival checklist
Photograph the car and VIN before shipping; retain the border/customs record; save the declaration deadline; calculate tax before committing to permanent import; reconcile the owner’s name across every document; check connector and charging compatibility for an EV; and obtain written confirmation before relying on an exemption, extension or re-export plan.
Driving FAQ
Before you take the keys.
Can I keep foreign plates indefinitely?
Do not assume so. The vehicle has a customs deadline and status even if the driver can lawfully stay longer. Confirm the entry record with Revenue Service.
How much does importing my car cost?
There is no responsible flat answer. Age, engine, type and customs treatment matter; use the RS.ge vehicle calculator with the exact details.
Can somebody register it for me?
Representation may be possible with an appropriately drafted authority, but the original documents and vehicle/VIN procedures still have to satisfy the authorities.
Should I import an older diesel or large-engine car?
Calculate excise and compliance first. Shipping plus tax, registration, inspection and future resale can exceed the advantage of bringing a familiar vehicle.
Need local coordination?
Ask before the
customs clock runs.
We can review the situation, identify the competent authority and coordinate Georgian documents or professional assistance where available.
Published and reviewed 17 July 2026. General information only. Customs assessments, licence recognition, fines, parking zones, charger availability and tariffs can change; verify the exact vehicle and live source before acting.