When a Suspension Counts as Executed
A decision on the suspension of the right to drive a vehicle is executed by officials of the internal affairs bodies. The decision counts as executed from the day it enters into legal force — which means that the first question in planning a restoration is when exactly the decision entered into force, and not only what term is written in it.
A person whose driving right is suspended has the driving licence taken away. The physical surrender of the licence and the moment of its return often do not coincide with the day on which the person himself considers the term to have run out — which is why a restoration case begins with the reconstruction of official dates rather than with memory. A distinction also exists between the restoration of the right and the return of the document: the former is a legal fact, the latter an administrative procedure that still has to be completed before the restored right can actually be used.
Confiscation of the Licence and the Rules of Its Return
The rules on the suspension of the driving right, on the reduction of the suspension term, on the restoration of a suspended right and on the return of a confiscated licence are defined by the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia. The same framework governs the return of documents confiscated upon the suspension of a special right.
It also matters in practice that the decision on suspension and other administrative documents are counted under different rules: that is why, before filing a restoration application, we establish which organ is competent, which document is the basis of the suspension, and where the licence is actually held.
Counting the Term — from the Day of Delivery
The special right of a driver is suspended from the delivery — that is, the notification — of the decision on its suspension. This rule is decisive: where delivery is disputed — the address was changed, the mailing was never received, or the decision was never notified to the person at all — the starting point of the term shifts, and with it the day on which restoration becomes possible.
That is why our first step in a restoration case is the documentary reconstruction of the delivery fact: who notified the person of the decision, when and how. A disputed delivery affects not only the restoration date — it also shifts the starting point of the deadline for appealing the decision itself.
Grounds for Reducing the Term
The law makes the reduction conditional: where a person committed for the first time an offence for which the driving right was suspended for a definite term, the sanctioning organ may reduce that term in view of the personality and the family situation of the person.
At the same time, the reduction is admissible only after at least half of the appointed term has elapsed. Preparing the application therefore requires proving both conditions — the first-time character of the offence and the factual lapse of half the term — and documenting the personal and family circumstances relied upon.
How We Run a Restoration Case
Our work covers three directions: the exact counting of the term and the verification of the lawfulness of the decision; the preparation of the reduction application grounded on the first-time character of the offence and on the family situation; and control over the return of the licence — identifying the competent organ that holds the document and returns it.
Where the suspension decision itself is disputed, its appeal runs in parallel with the restoration application, through the remedies established by the legislation. The two tracks do not obstruct each other: a reduction may be sought even on a decision whose appeal is still pending.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are the questions we most often receive about restoration and the return of the licence.
When does the suspension count as executed?
From the day the decision enters into legal force; it is executed by officials of the internal affairs bodies.
From when is the term counted?
The special right is suspended from the delivery — notification — of the decision to the person.
Can the term be reduced?
Yes — for a first offence, in view of the personality and family situation, and only after at least half of the appointed term has elapsed.
Who defines the rules for returning the licence?
The rules on suspension, reduction, restoration and return are defined by the Minister of Internal Affairs.
How We Help on Legal.ge
At Legal.ge we run a restoration case from the dates to the return of the licence: counting the term, establishing the fact of delivery, preparing the reduction application and controlling the hand-back of the document. Contact us — on the level of your decision we will determine what is possible in your situation and follow that plan through the whole process on Legal.ge.