Ban on importing cars older than 6 years into Georgia from April 1, 2026: what will change?

From April 1, 2026, new rules for importing passenger cars will come into force in Georgia. The country’s Ministry of Environment and Agriculture has officially clarified that initial and temporary registration of M1 category cars older than 6 years will be prohibited.

Let’s take a look at what this means in practice, especially for foreigners, expats, and business owners who are planning to import a car into the country.

Which cars are subject to the ban?

The restriction applies to M1 category vehicles, namely:

• passenger cars;
• weighing up to 5 tons;
• intended for passenger transport;
• with no more than 8 passenger seats (excluding the driver).

From April 1, 2026, such vehicles older than 6 years will not be able to be registered in Georgia on a permanent or temporary basis.

This means that even if all customs duties are paid and the vehicle passes a technical inspection, it will be impossible to register such a vehicle with Georgian license plates.

Exception: electric vehicles

Important: the ban does not apply to electric vehicles.

Electric cars can be:

• imported;
• registered;
• licensed

regardless of their year of manufacture.

Thus, for example, even a 2015 electric vehicle can be legally registered in Georgia and obtain Georgian license plates.

When does the ban not apply?

The restriction does not apply in the following cases:

1. The car is already registered in Georgia

The new rules do not apply to cars that are already registered in Georgia.

2. The car was imported before April 1, 2026

If the vehicle crossed the border before that date, it can be registered as usual.

3. Transportation began before April 1, 2026

This is especially important for sea delivery — the bill of lading must indicate that the vehicle:

• was accepted at the port of departure,
• loaded onto the ship, or
• placed in a container before April 1, 2026.

In this case, registration will be possible even after the ban comes into force.

4. Re‐export and transit

The ban only applies to vehicle registration in Georgia.

It does not apply to:

• transit through the country;
• temporary import without registration;
• export;
• re‐export.

This means that Georgia retains the ability to be used as a logistics hub for reselling vehicles abroad.

5. Tourists and cars with foreign license plates

For foreign citizens entering Georgia in their own cars, nothing changes.

If the car:

• is not registered in Georgia,
• is used for a temporary stay,

then the age of the vehicle does not matter.

The Euro‐5 standard remains mandatory

Please note: the requirement to comply with the Euro‐5 environmental standard remains in force.

No additional exemptions regarding environmental class are provided for.

Re‐registration of old cars will become impossible

If you have a car that is:

• more than 6 years old;
• previously registered with Georgian license plates;
• then deregistered —

it will not be possible to re‐register it in Georgia after April 1, 2026.

What should you do now?

If you:

• are planning to move to Georgia,
• want to obtain a residence permit,
• or register a business and use a car in your activities,

we recommend that you complete the process of importing and delivering your car before April 1, 2026, in order to retain the possibility of registration.

This is especially relevant for expats and entrepreneurs with whom we work as part of our comprehensive support services — from registering as a sole proprietor to applying for a residence permit (for example, for real estate, where, as you know, the threshold will also increase to $150,000 in 2026).