Private Security as a Licensed Activity
Private security activity in Georgia belongs to the list of licensed activities: the law defines the types of activity licenses in a single list, and the license for private security activity appears in that list as a separate item under Article 6 of the law on licenses and permits. This means that for a natural or legal person, the protection of premises, the protection of property and other services in this field are legitimate only if the seeker holds a license granted upon satisfaction of the relevant licensing conditions. Carrying on this activity without a license is a violation of the law and entails liability. The licensing scheme runs from application through proceedings and decision to subsequent control.
The Application and Supporting Documents
A licence seeker submits a written application to the licence issuer, filed under the procedure established by the General Administrative Code and . The application must indicate which type of activity licence the seeker requests and must list the attached documents. A private-law legal entity and an individual entrepreneur attach extracts from the state registry, a natural person attaches a copy of an identification document, and the application is also accompanied by proof of payment of the licence fee, whose amount is determined by a separate law. Additional attachments and additional licensing conditions may be prescribed only by law. Where the data indicated in the application change, the licence holder must notify the body of the change within 7 days.
Issuance Procedure and Deadlines
An activity licence is issued through public administrative proceedings, and that route cannot be replaced: it is inadmissible to apply a type of proceedings not contemplated by the law. After the application enters the proceedings, the licence issuer publishes a notice for public familiarisation. The issuer checks, within 3 days, whether the application and attachments comply with the requirements of the law. During 20 days from submission for public familiarisation, any person may submit written opinions, and an oral hearing is held no later than 7 days after that period expires. Where establishing the circumstances material to the case requires more time, the period may be extended by up to 3 months, a decision on which must be taken within 15 days of the submission of the application; if the seeker is not notified of the extension within 20 days, the extension is inadmissible.
Grounds for Refusal and Appeal
The licence issuer will not grant a licence if the application and attachments do not satisfy the requirements of the law and have not been corrected by the seeker within the set period; if the seeker fails to satisfy the licensing conditions established by law; or if, by a court conviction that has entered into legal force, the seeker has been deprived of the right to carry on activity in the corresponding licensed field. A refusal must always be reasoned and issued in writing. The issuer's decision to refuse a licence may be appealed to a superior administrative body or to a court, and these two routes are the seeker's instruments of legal protection.
Control and Liability for Violations
Compliance with the licensing conditions is controlled by the licence issuer through selective inspection or regular reporting. The licence holder reports annually, between 1 April and 1 May, in writing, on observance of the conditions; an exception applies to a holder who received the licence within 6 months before the start of the reporting period. Unless a law provides otherwise, control may be exercised only once during a calendar year. Non-fulfilment of the conditions entails a fine whose amount is determined by law; where the conditions are not fulfilled within the set period, the imposed fine is tripled, and after a repeated period expires it is tripled again. If the conditions nevertheless remain unfulfilled, the issuing body decides to revoke the licence. The licence certificate must be returned to the issuer within 3 days of the revocation decision entering into force.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the private security licence provided for?
In the list of activity licences contained in Article 6 of the law, where this licence stands as a separate item.
How quickly is a decision issued?
The issuer checks the application within 3 days, public familiarisation lasts 20 days, and an oral hearing follows within 7 days; an extension is possible only in cases established by law, for up to 3 months.
What happens when licensing conditions are violated?
First a fine is imposed, non-fulfilment in time triples it, repeated non-fulfilment triples it again, and persistent failure to perform the conditions leads to revocation of the licence.
How We Help on Legal.ge
The licensing process is a multi-stage administrative proceeding in which every document and every deadline plays a decisive role. Our team will help you prepare the application, complete the list of attachments, appeal a refusal and defend your position at the control stage. Contact us for a recommendation tailored to your specific situation.