The processing of a permit application is a full cycle of administrative proceeding: from the submission of a written application to the issuance of the permit certificate. On this page you will find which documents accompany the application, who participates in its examination, which timelines apply, in which cases a permit may be refused, and when the action covered by the permit may begin.
The Application and Required Documentation
A permit seeker submits a written application to the issuing authority; the submission, examination, and acceptance into proceeding follow the procedure established by the General Administrative Code — apart from the exceptional cases provided for by law. The application must satisfy the requirements provided for by the General Administrative Code and must indicate which type of permit the seeker requests, together with a list of the attached documents.
The application must be accompanied by extracts from the public registry for private-law legal entities and individual entrepreneurs, by copies of identification documents established by Georgian legislation for natural persons, and by certified copies of founding documents for public-law legal entities. The application must also be accompanied by proof of payment of the permit fee, except for the exceptional cases provided for by law and for the case where the seeker is a ministry or a state subordinated institution under its administration.
The amount of the permit fee, its payment into the budget, and the refund of any overpayment are determined by the law on license and permit fees. Additional attached documents may be prescribed only by law, while additional permit conditions arising from the specifics of the activity are determined by law or, on its basis, by a normative act of the Government or by a decision of a municipal representative body.
Participation of Another Administrative Body
If the seeker already holds a permit for an action of a similar type, the issuing authority does not re-examine the factual circumstances satisfying the permit conditions that were established when the previous permit was issued. The seeker is obliged to submit the factual circumstances satisfying additional permit conditions whose confirmation is not directly connected with the proceeding of issuance — that confirmation takes place in a separate administrative proceeding.
The seeker is entitled not to submit documents that are issued by another administrative body and serve as the basis for issuing the permit. As soon as it establishes that the application complies with the statutory requirements, the issuing authority transfers copies of the application and attached documents to the other administrative body under the procedure established by the General Administrative Code, no later than 3 days.
The other administrative body participates in the proceeding and is obliged to establish the factual circumstances whose confirmation is not the seeker's duty; it is entitled to lodge a substantiated refusal. It must adopt a decision no later than 15 days from the submission to the issuing authority; where the period is insufficient, it may, no later than 5 days from receiving the materials, request an extension by a substantiated motion, and submit its decision to the issuer no later than 17 days. If within the period neither confirmation nor a substantiated refusal occurs, the additional permit conditions are deemed satisfied. Where the issuing authority rejects the other body's substantiated motion, the issuer is answerable for the resulting damage.
General Rule of Issuance and Grounds for Refusal
The permit issuing authority adopts its decision under the simplified administrative proceeding determined by Georgian legislation — apart from the exceptional cases provided for by law. The simplified proceeding means that the examination requires comparatively little formal burden and is not extended by additional public stages on the part of the issuing authority.
A permit is not issued if: the application and attached documents do not meet the requirements of the law and have not been corrected by the seeker within the period set by the administrative authority; the seeker does not satisfy the permit conditions established by law or by a normative act issued on its basis; or the seeker has been deprived by a court judgment that has entered into legal force of the right to carry out activity in the relevant permit field. These three grounds exhaust the list of possible refusals — a refusal for any other reason is impermissible.
Entry into Force of the Permit and the Certificate
Where a decision on issuance is adopted, the seeker is entitled, even before receiving the permit certificate, to carry out the action covered by the permit on the basis of the relevant administrative act. Where, however, no decision is adopted within the period determined by law, the action may be carried out only after receiving the permit certificate.
In case of loss or damage of the certificate, the permit holder is entitled to continue the permitted action until its restoration on the basis of the relevant administrative act. The issuing authority is obliged to issue the permit certificate together with the decision satisfying the application — in the exceptional cases provided for by law, the permit issuance process is deemed complete from the moment of issuing the administrative act.
The Issuer's Duties and Notification of Changes
The permit issuing authority issues permits in the cases and by the procedure established by law, modifies them, or cancels them; maintains the departmental permit registry; keeps the documentation submitted by the seeker; and exercises control over compliance with the permit conditions. Information on a permit issued through the simplified proceeding is published within 10 days of the decision.
Where the data of the application change, the permit holder is obliged to notify the issuing authority in writing within 7 days of the change. Where the action covered by the permit is carried out by a legal entity, its branch is also entitled to it — demanding a separate permit for the branch is impermissible; however, if the legal entity or branch performs an action that is regulated by a permit and is not covered by the permit they hold, the relevant permit must be obtained.