Property Registration in Georgia
NAPR · PSH · NAPR registration · Public Registry title transfer · Georgian property title entry
Definition
Property registration in Georgia is the official administrative process of recording real estate ownership and legal rights in the Public Registry, managed by the National Agency of Public Registry (NAPR) under the Ministry of Justice. Legal ownership transfers to the buyer exclusively upon formal entry into this centralized electronic database.
In detail
Overview of the Registration System
Property registration in Georgia is governed by the Law on Public Registry and managed by the National Agency of Public Registry (NAPR), an agency within the Ministry of Justice. Georgia operates a positive-rights registration system where legal title is guaranteed by the state upon entry into the register. Legal rights, encumbrances (such as mortgages, liens, or usufructs), and title transfers are not enforceable against third parties until formally inscribed in the NAPR database.
Key Administrative Steps
1. Title Due Diligence: Prior to transaction execution, the buyer extracts an updated ownership statement (amonsaweri) from the NAPR portal using the unique cadastral code to verify title holder, boundaries, and legal burdens.
2. Execution of the Sale Agreement: A Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) is drafted in Georgian (or bilingual format for foreign nationals). The contract must be executed in front of an authorized NAPR registrar at the Public Service Hall or notarized by a licensed public notary.
3. Application Submission: The signed agreement, passport copies, and proof of state administrative fee payment are submitted for registration.
4. Processing and Timeline: NAPR offers tiered administrative processing speeds: same-day service, 1-business-day expedited service, or standard 4-business-day processing.
5. Extract Issuance: Upon approval, NAPR updates the public database and issues a new electronic extract containing a unique QR verification code. Physical paper deeds are obsolete; this digital extract serves as conclusive proof of ownership.
Fiscal and Regulatory Considerations
- VAT on New Builds: Purchases of newly constructed residential property directly from primary developers incur an 18% Value Added Tax (VAT). By Georgian law, this 18% VAT is required to be included in the developer's advertised sale price.
- Agricultural Land Restrictions: Non-Georgian citizens and foreign corporate entities are restricted from registering ownership of agricultural land under the Georgian Constitution, unless specific statutory exemptions apply or the land is re-designated as non-agricultural prior to transaction completion.
- Residency Eligibility: Registering ownership of non-agricultural property with an appraised market value of at least 150,000 USD (or equivalent in GEL) allows the owner to apply for a Georgian Short-Term Residence Permit.
Georgian context
Georgia's real estate registration process is internationally recognized for speed and low friction, primarily operating through the unified Public Service Hall (PSH) network. Unlike many European jurisdictions, hiring a notary or conveyancing lawyer is not strictly mandated by law, as registration officers at the Public Service Hall possess administrative authority to verify signatures and record transactions directly. Physical deeds do not exist; all title records are fully digitized and publicly searchable online via the official NAPR registry platform using a property's cadastral code. Foreign individuals enjoy identical property registration rights as citizens for non-agricultural property, requiring only a valid passport for transaction recording.
Real example
A buyer purchases a secondary-market apartment in Tbilisi. After confirming clear title via an online NAPR extract search, the buyer and seller present their passports at the Public Service Hall. They sign the bilingual purchase agreement before an administrative registrar and select an expedited same-day registration service, paying the required state fee of {{data:napr_same_day_fee}}. By the end of the business day, NAPR updates the register and generates an electronic extract listing the buyer as the legal owner.
Common mistakes
- ×Assuming that signing a notarized sales agreement alone transfers legal title without NAPR database registration.
- ×Attempting to register agricultural land under a foreign passport without prior land status re-designation.
- ×Believing developer advertising prices exclude VAT; in Georgia, the 18% VAT must be included in the quoted price.
- ×Relying on printed title extracts provided by sellers without obtaining a real-time digital extract directly from NAPR.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreign citizen register property in Georgia remotely?
Yes. Foreign citizens can complete property registration remotely by granting a Power of Attorney (PoA) to a local legal representative. The PoA must be notarized and legalised or apostilled in the owner's home country before being translated into Georgian and submitted to NAPR.
How long does property registration take in Georgia?
NAPR offers variable processing timelines depending on the fee paid at submission. Standard processing takes 4 business days, while expedited options allow completion in 1 business day or on the same calendar day.
What documents are required to register real estate in Georgia?
The primary documents required are a valid passport (with an official Georgian translation for foreign buyers), the executed Sale and Purchase Agreement, and proof of payment for the NAPR state administrative fee.
Does property registration automatically grant Georgian residency?
No. Property registration transfers ownership title only. However, registering a non-agricultural property with an accredited valuation of at least 150,000 USD qualifies the owner to submit a separate application for a Georgian Short-Term Residence Permit.
Also available in: AR · DE · ES · FR · HE · IT · KA · NL · RU · TR · UK