Import Export Regulations — the Exhaustive List Principle
Permits connected with import and export in Georgia are regulated by the Law of Georgia on Licenses and Permits, and the foundation of this field is the exhaustive list principle: the exhaustive list of types of licenses and permits for the spheres of licensable activities and permit actions is determined by precisely this law. This page explains which permits an importer and exporter need for different products and under what rules those permits are issued.
The exhaustiveness of the list is strictly protected: it is impermissible to introduce, by another legislative or sub legislative act, a license or permit for an activity or action not provided for by this law. It is likewise impermissible for an administrative body to introduce, by a sub legislative normative act, an obligation that implies the establishment of a substantively licensing or permit regime for any activity or action, or the necessity of the consent of an administrative body in any form. In other words, a hidden permit — without the name of a permit — is excluded by law, which creates significant predictability for business: if a permit is not on the list, no one can demand it.
Permit Types Connected with Import and Export
The law's list of permit types includes, in connection with import export operations: permits for the transit and import of products subject to veterinary control; a permit for the import of products of plant origin subject to phytosanitary control; a permit for the import, export and transit of waste; and a permit for the import, export, re export and transit of substances provided for by the 1987 Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer.
The list further includes: permits for the import, export and transit of radioactive material, its return to the producer, and the import and export of nuclear technologies or know how; a permit for the export of radioactive waste; and a permit for the export, import, re export and introduction from the sea of species included in the annexes of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, their parts and derivatives. The list also contains numerous firearms related permits, including permits for the import into and export from Georgia of weapons and ammunition by a citizen of a foreign country; and, in the future, from 1 September 2027, permits related to surface water objects will enter into force, as will, from 1 September 2026, the integrated environmental permit.
Veterinary, Phytosanitary and Environmental Control
The import and transit of products of animal origin are subject to veterinary control: for the import and transit of such products a respective permit is required, which ensures compliance with the requirements of the sphere of animal health. Products of plant origin are subject to phytosanitary control, and their import likewise proceeds by permit.
In the environmental direction three permits stand out: the waste import export transit permit, which regulates the cross border movement of waste; the ozone depleting substances permit, which implements the international obligations deriving from the Montreal Protocol; and the radioactive materials permits, connected with the nuclear and radiation safety regime. Each direction constitutes a separate permitting procedure, and the preparation of the application begins with the classification of the specific product.
The Permit for Trade in Wild Flora and Fauna Species
A special regime concerns the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora: the export, import, re export and introduction from the sea of species included in the annexes of the Convention, their parts and derivatives, is carried out by permit. This permit is the national implementation of the international system for the protection of nature, and without it trade in protected species is impermissible.
By way of exception, in cases carried out without a permit, its retroactive issuance is possible. The rules for issuing this permit, including retroactively, are determined by the respective chapter of the Law of Georgia on the Red List and Red Book. In other words, the detailed procedures in this direction have been transferred to a specialized law, and the applicant must be guided by both acts simultaneously.
Refusal, Appeal and Record Keeping
The permit issuer will not issue a permit if: the application and attached documents do not satisfy the requirements of the law and have not been corrected by the applicant within the established period; the applicant does not satisfy the permit conditions established by law or, on the basis of law, by a normative act of the Government of Georgia or a municipal representative body; or the applicant has been deprived, by a conviction of the court that has entered into legal force, of the right to carry out activity in the respective permit sphere. A decision to refuse a permit may be appealed to a superior administrative body or to a court — both routes are directly allowed by law.
The issuing body keeps a sectoral permit registry; within 10 days of taking a decision it publishes information on a permit issued through simple administrative proceedings, on its amendment or revocation; it keeps the documentation submitted by the applicant; and it controls compliance with the permit conditions. Where a permit certificate is lost or damaged, the holder applies in writing for a duplicate, which is issued within 2 days of receiving the application and has the same legal force as the original.
Practical Recommendations for Importers and Exporters
When planning an import export operation, three steps are decisive: first, specify the classification of the product, because precisely that determines whether a permit is needed — veterinary, phytosanitary, environmental or other; second, verify your activity history and conditions, since prior violations or non fulfilment of permit conditions are grounds for refusal; third, maintain the completeness of the documentation, because a defective application must be corrected within the established period and missing the period leads to refusal.
Bear in mind also that a refusal is not final: it can be appealed to a superior body or to a court, and a well constructed complaint often corrects procedural errors. And the exhaustive list principle works in your favour: if a permit is not on the list, no one can impose it on you.