What a Road Transport Permit Is and When It Is Needed
A road transport permit is an act of public law that gives a carrier the right to carry out a defined type of transport activity. The Law on Road Transport determines precisely which activities are subject to permitting, who issues the permit, within what period, and in which cases it may be cancelled. On this page we explain Articles 5-1, 5-2, 5-3, 5-6 and 5-8 of the Law and show where the practical risks of error lie — from applying to the wrong organ to missing a deadline. We also address the questions connected with quotas, since in international transportations the permit regime rests on international treaties and must be understood when working with foreign partners as well.
Which Activities Require a Permit
Under Article 5-1 of the Law, any natural or legal person has the right to carry on activity in the field of road transport, but permits are issued only for defined types: regular passenger transport within the administrative boundaries of a municipality; transport by taxi in the capital; international passenger transport and freight transportation established by international treaties of Georgia; and international freight transportation from the territory of Georgia above the established quota, carried out by a carrier of a foreign country. It is inadmissible to refuse a permit on the ground of limiting the number of permits, except for the exceptions established by the Law.
Who Issues the Permit and Within What Period
Article 5-2 of the Law distributes the permit issuing organs according to the type of activity. The permit for international freight transportation from the territory of Georgia above the quota is issued by the agency within up to two working days of the applicant's application, after which the respective data are entered into the departmental permit registry. Permits for other types of international transport are issued by the agency in accordance with the Law on Licences and Permits.
The permit for regular passenger transport within the administrative boundaries of a municipality is issued by the municipal executive organ or by a structural unit of the city hall authorised by it. In the case of the Tbilisi municipality this competence belongs to the city government, its authorised structural unit or a legal entity founded by the municipality, while on the Rustavi-Tbilisi route a special rule applies — the issuing organ is on the Rustavi side, taking into account the routes determined by a normative act of the representative organ of Tbilisi. Taxi permits in the capital and in other self governing cities are likewise the competence of municipal organs, and the rules of refusal, control and cancellation of permits are established by the Law on Licences and Permits.
Documents, Conditions and Validity
Under Article 5-3 of the Law, the documents and licensing conditions required for permits for international transportations are defined by a normative act of the Government of Georgia. Here too the Law requires that every demand for a document and every condition serve a legitimate aim — the protection of human life, health, the environment, property and other rights, the safeguarding of public order and public interests, or the due quality of the service — and be suitable and necessary for that aim.
As to validity, Article 5-6 of the Law provides that permits for regular transport, taxi transport and international transportations are issued for a period of at least one year; for municipal types the validity is determined by the representative organ of the municipality, and for international types by the Government of Georgia. A one time permit also exists. Article 5-8 states directly that a permit is cancelled in accordance with the Law on Licences and Permits — which is why knowing the grounds of cancellation matters as much as obtaining the permit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Within how many days does the agency issue a permit?
The permit for international freight transportation from Georgia above the quota is issued within up to two working days of the application, after which the data are entered into the departmental permit registry.
Where should I apply for a regular passenger transport permit?
To the municipal executive organ or the authorised structural unit of the city hall; for Tbilisi and the Rustavi-Tbilisi route a special rule established by the Law applies.
For what period are permits issued?
For at least one year, with the concrete validity determined by the municipal representative organ or the Government.
Can a permit be cancelled?
Yes, a permit is cancelled in accordance with the Law on Licences and Permits, so knowing the cancellation grounds in advance reduces the risks.
How We Help on Legal.ge
The Legal.ge team supports you through the entire permit cycle: we determine which organ is competent for your type of activity, check the list of required documents and their consistency, prepare the application and, where necessary, defend your interests in refusal or cancellation matters. Contact us — we will assess your situation and prepare a reliable submission.