Article 122 — the License-Plate Regime and Its Sanctions
State license plates are the backbone of vehicle identification: the plate is what links a vehicle to its registration, its holder and the data produced by video enforcement. Article 122 of the Code of Administrative Offences protects exactly this regime, and it attaches a separate sanction to each specific conduct — from driving with a plate fixed behind the windscreen to driving with another vehicle's plates or with plates that have been disguised or altered. If your case falls under this article, the decisive question is which part corresponds to which conduct, because that alone determines the amount of the fine.
Part 1 provides for a fine of 100 GEL where a vehicle is driven with a state plate fixed on the windscreen or with only one plate, front or rear. Part 2 sets a fine of 300 GEL for driving a vehicle that is not registered in the prescribed manner. Part 3 aggravates these two violations: any repeated commission of either is punished with 600 GEL. The next group is stricter: driving without a pair of plates, with the plates of another vehicle, or with disguised or otherwise altered plates carries a fine of 2 000 GEL, and so does driving a vehicle that has been removed from registration as a result of write-off under the legislation of Georgia. A repeated commission of either of these raises the sanction to 2 500 GEL.
Each of these amounts is a stand-alone sanction, and folding them into a single range is legally groundless: the qualification must always rest on a specific part. In practice this is precisely where errors creep in — for instance, driving with one lost plate gets reclassified as driving with an altered plate, which multiplies the amount imposed several times over. Correcting that requires a careful analysis of the case file, and it is the earliest point at which a lawyer can change the outcome.
Seizure, Transfer to Guarded Storage and the 10-Day Registration Window
The note to article 122 allows the vehicle to be temporarily seized before the case is heard and transferred to a special guarded storage facility — in any case under this article, except the part 1 scenario where there is no reasonable suspicion that the plate has been altered. The costs of transportation and storage at the guarded facility are borne by the offender. The vehicle is returned to its owner or holder after the presentation of the vehicle registration certificate or a notarized power of attorney: this is a documentary condition, and without it a demand for return of the car produces no result.
A separate mechanism applies to unregistered vehicles. Where such a violation is recorded — including its repeated commission — an administrative offence protocol is drawn up, and the offender is given a 10-day period to put the vehicle through registration in the manner established by the legislation of Georgia. Within this period, no administrative liability is imposed on the person. If the vehicle was seized and placed in storage, the 10-day period starts to run from the day it is returned to the owner or holder. If registration is not completed within the period, the person is prohibited from operating the vehicle — which means that paying the fine alone is not enough while the registration defect remains unresolved.
Article 118⁶ — Violations Revealed by Roadside Inspection
Article 118⁶ is a norm of a different nature: it covers violations of requirements identified through roadside inspection in the roadside zone provided for by the Law of Georgia on Road Traffic — apart from several cases singled out under another article of the Code. This is the provision under which non-conformities discovered during inspection are charged, and its sanction depends on the degree of the violation: a first-degree violation results in a warning, a second-degree violation in a fine of 1 000 GEL, and a third-degree violation in a fine of 5 000 GEL. Where a person who has already been held administratively liable under this article commits again a violation defined by the same sub-item as a result of roadside inspection, a fine of 500 GEL is established.
The note to this article adds a further measure: where an inspection reveals a violation indicating that the technical condition of the vehicle endangers road traffic, a representative of the competent authority is entitled to restrict the driver from moving with that vehicle until the violation is eliminated. It is therefore important not to conflate article 118⁶ with article 122: the former sets graded sanctions for inspection findings, while the latter governs the plate and registration regime. Building the defence starts precisely from this distinction.
What Happens to an Unpaid Fine — Surcharge and Six-Month Suspension
The note to article 122 sets the rule that applies after the period set by the Code for voluntary payment expires: a surcharge is imposed on the person at twice the amount of the fine imposed, but not more than 500 GEL. If the fine or the surcharge is not paid within the prescribed period, the fine is replaced by suspension of the right to drive the vehicle for 6 months. Importantly, forced execution of the fine, or its replacement by suspension of the right to drive, does not release the person from paying the surcharge — the swap does not extinguish the debt.
A separate rule addresses situations where an authorized officer of the Ministry of Internal Affairs does not issue a fine ticket at the scene and the fact of the violation is recorded on video or photo: in that event the fine is paid under the procedure established by other articles of the Code. This means that a video-recorded case moves into a different procedural track, and the strategy of the dispute must be built with that in mind from the outset.
Appeal — Who, Where and Within What Deadline
A decision adopted in an administrative offence case may be appealed by the person against whom it was issued, by the injured party, or by the official who drew up the protocol — this right is guaranteed by article 271. The procedure is governed by article 272: a decision of an authority or official imposing a fine as an administrative penalty is appealed to a superior authority or superior official, whose decision is in turn appealed to court; a decision imposing a warning issued on the spot without a protocol is appealed to the superior authority. The complaint is filed with the authority that issued the decision, and it is forwarded together with the case within 3 days to the authority competent to examine it. Where the appeal lies to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the complaint may be submitted directly or remotely, under the procedure established by the Law of Georgia on Electronic Document and Electronic Trusted Services.
No state duty is payable for lodging the appeal. Filing a complaint does not suspend the execution of the decision unless the Code or other legislation provides otherwise — so the timeline has to be planned in advance, not after the fact. The deadline is set by article 273: a decision may be appealed within 10 days from its delivery to the party. If the deadline was missed for a valid reason, it may be restored upon the application of the person against whom the decision was issued. A district (city) court decision is subsequently examined under appellate procedure, and in the appeal the burden of proving the unlawfulness rests on the appellant.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fine for driving an unregistered vehicle?
300 GEL under part 2 of article 122, and 600 GEL upon repeated commission. When a protocol is drawn up for an unregistered vehicle, a 10-day window is granted for registration, and within that window no administrative liability attaches.
Can the car be seized over a plate-related violation?
Yes — before the case is heard, the vehicle may be temporarily seized and moved to a guarded storage facility, except for the part 1 scenario where no reasonable suspicion of plate alteration exists. Return follows presentation of the registration certificate or a notarized power of attorney, and transportation and storage costs are charged to the offender.
What happens if the fine is not paid on time?
After the voluntary-payment period, a surcharge is imposed at double the fine but not more than 500 GEL, and if the amounts remain unpaid the fine is replaced by a 6-month suspension of the right to drive. The replacement does not release anyone from the surcharge.
Within what deadline can the decision be appealed?
Within 10 days from delivery. A fine decision is first appealed to the superior authority, whose decision is then appealed to court. No state duty is charged, but the appeal by itself does not suspend execution.
What is the difference between articles 118⁶ and 122?
Article 118⁶ deals with requirements violated as a result of roadside inspection and grades the sanction — warning, 1 000 GEL or 5 000 GEL, and 500 GEL for a repeated commission. Article 122 governs the plate and registration regime with sanctions from 100 to 2 500 GEL. This distinction directly affects the qualification of the case.
How We Help at Legal.ge
At Legal.ge, the lawyers in our network cover the full cycle for cases opened under articles 122 and 118⁶: we assess the qualification of the conduct and verify whether the correct part was applied; we assist with the documentary procedure for the return of a seized vehicle and with managing the 10-day registration window; and we represent you both before the administrative authority and in court, preparing the appeal well before the deadline. Contact us before the case is opened or after the fine has been imposed — at the first consultation you will receive a concrete action plan at Legal.ge.