Notary in Georgia
NCG · Public Notary in Georgia · Georgian Notary · Notary Public Georgia
Definition
A public notary in Georgia is a state-commissioned legal official authorized to certify legal documents, authenticate signatures, draft notarized powers of attorney, and verify property transaction contracts. While property title transfers can be executed directly at the Public Service Hall, a notary is essential for remote purchases, foreign document legalization, and translation certification.
In detail
Role of a Notary in the Georgian Legal System
In Georgia, a public notary is a legal professional empowered by the Ministry of Justice to perform official state legal functions under the Law of Georgia on Notaries. Notaries verify the legal capacity and identities of contracting parties, ensure compliance with civil legislation, and maintain tamper-proof records within the electronic notary portal managed by the Notary Chamber of Georgia.
Functions in Real Estate Transactions
Unlike many civil law jurisdictions in Western Europe, Georgia does not require mandatory notarization for standard property title transfers. The National Agency of Public Registry (NAPR) allows parties to sign standard purchase agreements directly at the Public Service Hall. However, notaries remain critical in several key real estate scenarios:
- Power of Attorney (POA) Execution: Investors purchasing property remotely must issue a notarized POA. Foreign POAs must undergo translation and apostille or consular legalization before certification by a Georgian notary.
- Bilingual Contract Certification: When non-Georgian speakers enter real estate transactions, notaries or certified translators must authenticate the bilingual contract version to guarantee legal equivalency.
- Customized Preliminary Contracts: For complex off-plan purchases or transactions involving structured milestone payments, parties often utilize notarized purchase contracts to establish enforceable legal obligations prior to final registration.
- Spousal and Corporate Consents: Notaries certify spousal consent declarations for property sales or corporate resolution documents required for corporate property acquisitions.
Remote Digital Notarization
Georgia is one of the pioneer jurisdictions offering online notarization. Through video-teleconferencing integrated with state databases, a Georgian notary can perform specific notarially certified acts remotely, provided the applicant's identity can be verified through valid documentation and state digital authentication standards.
Fees and State Tariffs
Notary fees in Georgia are strictly regulated by government decree. Rates are categorized as either fixed administrative fees (for POAs, signature authentications, and translation attestations) or percentage-based scales relative to contract values for property transaction certifications.
Georgian context
Unlike jurisdictions such as France or Germany where notary involvement is mandatory to effectuate property title transfer, Georgia permits direct registration at the Public Service Hall (NAPR) without a notary. However, foreign buyers rely heavily on Georgian public notaries to validate translated foreign documents, execute powers of attorney (POA) for remote purchasing, and register acts in the centralized digital registry maintained by the Notary Chamber of Georgia.
Real example
An investor residing in London decides to purchase an apartment in Tbilisi valued at USD 180,000 without traveling to Georgia. The investor signs a Power of Attorney (POA) before a UK notary public, attaches an Apostille, and dispatches the original document to Tbilisi. A Georgian public notary certifies the official Georgian translation and uploads the legal authorization to the state database. The designated representative then uses this notarized POA to complete the purchase and register the title at the Public Service Hall on the buyer's behalf.
Common mistakes
- ×Assuming notary certification is legally required for all basic property title registrations at the Public Service Hall.
- ×Submitting a foreign Power of Attorney without the required Apostille or consular legalization for Georgian notary recognition.
- ×Failing to provide official Georgian translations certified by a recognized notary or sworn translator for registry submission.
- ×Assuming a notary performs a full property title search and technical due diligence on developer background.
Frequently asked questions
Is a notary mandatory to buy real estate in Georgia?
No. Real estate title registration can be executed directly at the Public Service Hall (NAPR) without a notary. However, a notary is necessary if you are buying remotely via Power of Attorney or require certified foreign document translations.
Can a foreign national use a remote online notary in Georgia?
Yes. Georgia allows remote online notarization for certain legal acts via video call through the Notary Chamber of Georgia portal, subject to identity verification and legal eligibility.
Are foreign language real estate contracts accepted for title registration in Georgia?
No. The National Agency of Public Registry (NAPR) requires all real estate contracts to be in Georgian or presented in a bilingual format certified by a recognized translator or notary.
How are notary fees calculated in Georgia?
Notary fees in Georgia are fixed by state regulation. Statutory tariffs apply based on the specific act, such as flat fees for powers of attorney or standardized scales based on transaction value for property contracts.
Also available in: AR · DE · ES · FR · HE · IT · KA · NL · RU · TR · UK