Car customs clearance in Georgia and bringing in personal belongings

2026-10-12

Irakli

RegHub Georgia Specialist

Table of contents

Clearing a car through customs and importing personal belongings are often treated as one stage of relocation. In practice, things work differently. At the border, Georgian customs applies different rules to a car and to ordinary property, and a single minor detail in the paperwork can noticeably alter the total charges.

When a car is imported, the relevant factors are its age and engine capacity, and even which side the steering wheel is on. Owners can be unpleasantly surprised by how much the car's age adds to the bill, since a difference of a few years changes the amount payable substantially. Below we set out how a car and personal belongings enter Georgia, how much the duty-free allowance covers and what is payable under the newly introduced rates.

Excise tax on cars in Georgia: the new rates

The cost of clearing a car depends on its engine capacity and age. Registration is charged at GEL 200, with a customs service fee of GEL 150. Declaration and transit cost GEL 50 each, and expert assessment GEL 30.

Since April 2, 2026, the charges payable to import a car into Georgia and clear it have been calculated under new rules. Excise tax is three times as high once a vehicle passes six years of age, and cars with right-hand drive likewise attract a higher rate.

Even someone who is simply moving to Georgia in their own car should understand these multipliers. Otherwise the move may end up costing considerably more than planned.

Category	Aged six or under	Aged over six
Base rate per unit of engine capacity	GEL 1.50 per cm³	GEL 4.50 per cm³
Left-hand-drive hybrid	Base rate less 60%	No reduction
Right-hand drive, petrol or diesel engine	Base rate × 3	Base rate × 3
Right-hand-drive electric car	GEL 3,000 flat, whatever the engine capacity	GEL 3,000 flat, whatever the engine capacity

Waybills, a contract of carriage and a bill of lading accompany the vehicle on its way into Georgia, and these documents record the dispatch date. If the vehicle is to be used long-term or sold, it needs full customs clearance in Georgia. Counting on sorting everything out on arrival is unwise, because with customs paperwork it amounts to a gamble.

Once clearance is complete, the vehicle can be registered and Georgian licence plates obtained. Clearance through Georgian customs involves three payments:

excise tax;
VAT at 18%, calculated on the customs value established by customs plus the excise tax;
customs service fee.

Electric cars benefit from concessions, including exemption from excise tax where the law so provides.

Temporary admission of a car on foreign plates

A citizen of another country who drives in on foreign plates has up to 90 days either to clear the vehicle through customs in Georgia or to take it out again. The alternative is to place the vehicle under temporary admission, a special customs procedure. Temporary admission can run for up to three years. Three years sounds like plenty of time. Yet moving house and dealing with repairs and paperwork, on top of work and everyday life, somehow use it all up. Missing the deadline leads to complications and fines.

A vehicle on foreign plates must carry a valid insurance policy for driving in Georgia. Motorists entering the country on foreign plates often take out a local policy in advance, because queues at border crossings at peak hours cost a good deal of time. Those who buy cover online can show the electronic policy on a phone.

For a policy issued abroad, what needs checking is whether its territorial cover includes Georgia. A policy valid for transit only does not extend to ordinary use within the country.

How a car is cleared through customs in Georgia

Before setting off, the driver needs a passport, the vehicle registration certificate and proof of purchase. If the car was bought on credit or is held as collateral, this must be resolved before the journey. The bank may not allow such a car to leave the country. Insurance can be bought after arrival in Georgia. Policies are sold at the border and by insurance companies.

Clearance can take place in one of two places:

at the border;
at a customs terminal inside Georgia.

Georgian customs officers examine the vehicle identification number (VIN) and check that the data in the documents match. Where a car comes from the USA, officers also look into its accident record, any insurance claims and its history. Customs then sets the car's customs value. It would be a mistake to expect customs simply to adopt the figure stated in the contract. Where the declared price raises doubts, customs determines the value on the basis of other information.

The charges are paid in lari through a bank, a payment terminal or the Revenue Service's online services. Afterwards, the owner keeps the documents showing that customs clearance is complete.

The owner then meets the registration requirements for the car at the relevant public service centre. Any technical inspection the vehicle needs takes place at an accredited centre. Once the formalities are complete, the owner receives a Georgian registration certificate and licence plates.

Need help with car customs clearance in Georgia?

Get professional assistance with customs clearance for vehicles and personal belongings in Georgia. Our specialists can help you understand the applicable customs requirements, identify the necessary documents and navigate the clearance process.

Importing goods into Georgia free of duty

Anyone planning a move will naturally ask what to do with the vehicle and everything else they own. Not everything qualifies as personal belongings. For travellers, things are relatively simple. Moving to Georgia for the long term is a different matter. Someone relocating with their family, bringing furniture and appliances and planning to keep the car, will have to deal with customs in Georgia.

The following quantities may be brought in.

Item	Maximum permitted
Petrol in canisters	10 litres per car
Cigarettes	200
Wine	4 litres
Beer	16 litres
Other alcoholic drinks below 22% ABV	2 litres
Stronger alcohol	1 litre
Food	Value GEL 500, total weight 30 kg

Roughly the same limits as for food apply to non-food goods. Alcohol is subject to restrictions, with separate allowances for drinks other than wine and beer.

The cash limit for entering Georgia without a declaration is GEL 30,000 or its equivalent in another currency. On a road journey, however, complying with this rule alone is not enough, because you also have to observe the rules of the country you are leaving. In Turkey, Armenia or Azerbaijan, for example, travellers may take out up to USD 10,000 in cash undeclared.

Separate rules govern works of art and other cultural property, and likewise any article over 50 years old. Restrictions also extend to medicines and jewellery, to precious metals and stones, and to fur products.

Several kinds of personal electronics can be brought in without difficulty:

two laptops;
a games console;
a tablet;
a computer.

Items already in use are more readily accepted as personal property than several identical new goods in their original boxes. Certain goods require a declaration whatever their price. A person relocating may bring in household effects such as furniture and appliances, clothing and other items. Documents confirming the relocation accompany personal belongings brought into Georgia.

Note: the customs charge equals 18% of the consignment's value. That charge is due when personal belongings are imported, whether the person holds a residence permit or is a foreigner who is simply relocating.

After more than six months abroad, a Georgian citizen may bring in non-commercial goods worth up to GEL 15,000. However, a car is not covered by this exemption.

Disputes with Georgian customs: why they arise and how to appeal

In most cases, the problem is that customs has taken its own view of the goods, their value or the amount payable. The owner should obtain the customs authority's official decision in writing. It states how customs classified the goods, which rate it applied and how it arrived at the amount charged. In our view, few documents carry more weight. This document turns a general disagreement into a specific legal question that has to be answered.

Next comes the question of whether customs did in fact classify the goods correctly. For example, a dispute may concern the vehicle category or the engine capacity, the weight of the goods or other specifications on which the payment depends. Documents confirming different specifications may support an appeal to a higher body within the Revenue Service. It must be lodged within the time limit set by law. If the decision is upheld on appeal, the next step is to go to court.

Weight or engine capacity can be proved with documents, but valuing a used car or a consignment of goods is a matter of judgement. In such cases an independent valuation is carried out. If a valuation obtained in advance confirms what the goods are actually worth, the owner holds an additional document that can be submitted to Georgian customs and, if necessary, to a court.

Cases from practice

Complications are most common when the vehicle and the personal property arrive at different times, part of the belongings proves to be new and the owner has to prepare the paperwork after arrival. Such situations show how far a real relocation can differ from what people imagine. Here are some real cases from our practice.

Case 1

The car had to be cleared after the move

A client from Europe approached us after relocating to Georgia with their family in their own car. The car was registered in the client's previous country of residence. Initially, the client had planned to arrive, settle in first and only then deal with customs clearance of the car at leisure. They had a passport, the vehicle registration certificate and proof of ownership, but had not taken into account the deadlines for completing the procedures.

Before approaching Georgian customs, we checked the car's documents along with its year of manufacture, engine capacity and steering position. The car dated from 2016, had a 1.8-litre engine and was right-hand drive. We then calculated the likely payments and explained what sums had to be set aside before clearance began. For a car over six years old with that engine capacity, the base excise came to GEL 8,091. Applying the tripled right-hand-drive rate raised the excise tax to GEL 24,273. The client was able to clear the car without repeated visits to different authorities.

Case 2

Shipping personal belongings into Georgia

A client approached us before moving to Georgia with their family. The client planned to ship the bulk of the personal property in one consignment covering clothes and kitchenware, furniture, household appliances and electronics. On the list were a sofa, a bed, a table and wardrobes. It also included a refrigerator, a washing machine and a television. Two laptops, a monitor and other equipment were on it too. What complicated matters was that some of the appliances and furniture were relatively new, and some items travelled in their original boxes. The client feared that customs would treat the property as goods subject to declaration and taxation rather than as ordinary personal belongings.

Before the consignment was sent, we drew up an inventory of the property and checked the items that might raise questions. For the appliances and electronics we set out the quantity and condition of each item along with its intended use. We also checked the documents confirming where the property came from.

In the end, the client shipped the property with the inventory and the necessary documents already in hand. Customs did not need to establish the origin and purpose of each item. Part of the property was cleared as personal belongings. For the items that required separate clearance, the client already understood the procedure and the possible payments.

Case 3

Part of the belongings shipped separately

This client made the move in several trips. Arriving alone at first, the client intended to bring the car later and to send the personal belongings as a separate consignment. The main difficulty was that the vehicle and the belongings were due to arrive at different times, each by its own route. It was unclear to the client which documents each part of the move would require.

We checked the car documents and, separately, those for the belongings before drawing up an inventory of the property to be shipped later. The inventory included a refrigerator, a television, a washing machine and a computer. For each item we confirmed the quantity, the condition and the intended purpose. Some of the listed items could have raised questions on account of value, quantity or condition. We also checked the carrier's documents and the information that was to accompany the consignment.

Conclusion

Car customs clearance in Georgia, like bringing in personal belongings, follows special rules for calculating excise tax and import duty. Excise rates vary with a car's age and technical specifications. The law sets special conditions or exemptions on personal property for people who move to Georgia from another country to take up permanent residence and meet the prescribed requirements.

One mistake is remarkably common. People work out every detail of the move, from the carrier and housing to the route, yet leave customs formalities until the very end. Anyone needing help with car customs clearance in Georgia or with importing personal belongings can discuss these matters with a specialist in advance and prepare the documents before the move.

Experience and competencies

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does a car have to be cleared through customs when relocating to Georgia?

A car brought in for permanent use requires clearance. For a car used temporarily on foreign plates, other conditions and time limits apply.

What determines how much it costs to clear a car?

Charges payable on car customs clearance in Georgia depend on age, engine capacity and technical specifications. Right-hand-drive models and hybrids have special provisions, and so do electric cars.

Is it possible to bring furniture and household appliances when relocating?

Personal belongings, furniture, household appliances and other property may all be imported on relocation. However, an exemption from customs charges is not always available.

How many personal belongings may enter duty-free?

It depends on the type of goods and their condition, on quantity and value, and on how the import takes place.

Can cash be brought into Georgia?

Yes, although any amount above the established threshold requires a declaration. On a trip through a third country, that country's rules on taking cash out must also be observed.

What if customs disagrees with the declared value of a car?

Customs establishes the value on the basis of the information it has. If you disagree with the decision, you may appeal against it. You can support your position by referring to the sale contract, payment documents and other receipts confirming the actual value.