Georgia remains fast to register, but 2026 added important compliance points
NAPR continues to list one-working-day business registration for most legal entities at GEL 200 and same-day processing at GEL 400. Registration is only one part of launch: bank KYC, tax setup, accounting, customs, licences, employment and contracts still need their own preparation.
NAPR continues to list one-working-day business registration for most legal entities at GEL 200 and same-day processing at GEL 400. For older entities, the April 2026 registry-compliance deadline has already passed: NAPR states that entities suspended from 1 April 2026 may restore status by bringing their registration data into compliance by 1 April 2027. For a new foreign-owned company, incorporation remains only the first operating step; bank KYC, tax setup, accounting, customs, licences, employment and contracts still need their own preparation.
Design the entity around who sells, imports, employs and controls cash
An LLC is common for foreign-owned operating businesses, but a branch, JSC or another structure can be more appropriate depending on liability, financing and group policy. Founder documents, director powers, legal address, shareholder funding and beneficial ownership should be organised before filing.
Bank onboarding is independent from registration. Foreign-owned companies should expect to explain their owners, source of funds, counterparties, countries, expected transaction volumes and business purpose.
Map transactions before relying on Georgia’s headline tax rates
The general corporate framework includes a 15% profit-tax rate under the distributed-profit model and 18% VAT, but withholding, payroll, imports, reverse charge, exemptions, special regimes and treaty relief can change the result. Accounting and tax records should be designed together so invoices, bank movements, customs entries and returns reconcile.
Preferential statuses such as Free Industrial Zone, Virtual Zone or International Company are eligibility-based regimes with activity and compliance conditions—not automatic labels for any new company.
Customs, origin and public tenders should be planned before the commercial commitment
For goods, confirm HS classification, origin, customs value, import VAT, duty, permits and product requirements before setting the landed price. The EU–Georgia DCFTA can reduce tariff barriers for qualifying origin but does not remove compliance or border formalities.
For state and municipal sales, monitor the State Procurement Agency and donor-financed project pipelines, prepare qualification evidence early and separate lawful technical engagement from the formal tender process.