Moving in Georgia in a vehicle registered in a foreign state stands at the intersection of two different legal regimes: customs legislation determines in which procedure and for what term the vehicle may stay in the country, while the Administrative Offences Code requires compulsory civil liability insurance for its operation. The fines discussed on this page concern exactly the insurance: driving uninsured is punished by a dedicated norm, and that norm has its own precisely measured sanction and its own cure period. Our role is to establish these boundaries together and to place both the fine and the regime into one correct frame.
What Is Punished: Driving Without Insurance
The law prohibits the owner or driver of a motor vehicle registered in a foreign state from moving on the territory of Georgia without compulsory civil liability insurance. The sanction depends on the type of vehicle:
- a motorcycle with an engine working volume over 50 cc; a passenger car whose permissible maximum mass does not exceed 3,500 kg and whose number of seats, besides the driver’s, does not exceed 8; an agricultural machine, a specialized self-propelled machine, or a trailer — a fine of GEL 100;
- a bus with more than 8 seats besides the driver’s, or a truck whose mass exceeds 3,500 kg — a fine of GEL 200.
The fine is imposed on the owner and on the driver alike — a detail that matters where the vehicle belongs to one person and is driven by another. When preparing a complaint we therefore always establish who stood before the insurance requirement and in what form it had to be satisfied.
The purpose of the requirement itself is also understandable: compulsory civil liability insurance exists precisely so that the source of compensation for damage caused by a foreign-registered vehicle remains accessible within the country. That is why the law subordinates this requirement to no other condition: it depends neither on the duration of the vehicle’s stay nor on its purpose — a simple rule operates: you move on the road, you must be insured.
The 2-Day Cure Period
The norm clearly regulates the cure mechanism: where this violation is committed, the owner/driver, together with the imposition of the fine, is given a 2-day period to eliminate the violation, and within that period repeated administrative liability is not imposed. In practice this means that arranging the insurance must begin on the very day the fine is received — and if it was arranged in time, that circumstance must be reflected in the facts of the case.
How Long the Vehicle May Stay — an Honest Answer
A frequent question is: for how long is driving on foreign plates allowed? That question belongs to customs legislation and is connected with the deadlines of the temporary admission procedure — the norm of this page does not regulate that term, so we do not name a number here: the correct answer in each concrete case depends on the details of the customs regime, and establishing it is exactly part of the consultation. What can be said firmly here: the insurance requirement operates independently, both before and after the expiry of the customs term.
The practical conclusion from separating the two regimes: managing the customs term — extension, clearance or export — is one plan, while having insurance is a continuous everyday duty. Monitoring both at once is exactly the work we do: a fine is often only a sign that one of the links was skipped.
Appealing the Fine
The right to appeal belongs to the person against whom the decision was issued, to the victim, and to the officer who drew up the protocol. A decision on a fine is appealed to a superior organ whose decision is appealable in court; an application directly to the district (city) court is also possible. The complaint is filed with the issuing organ and forwarded within 3 days; no state duty is payable; the deadline is 10 days from the handover of the decision, restorable where missed for a valid reason.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are the most frequently asked questions about the regime of foreign-registered vehicles.
What fine applies to driving uninsured?
For a passenger car, a motorcycle over 50 cc, agricultural or specialized machinery and a trailer — GEL 100; for a bus with more than 8 seats or a truck over 3,500 kg — GEL 200.
On whom is the fine imposed?
On both the owner and the driver — the law names both persons.
What is the 2-day period?
Together with the fine, the owner/driver is given 2 days to cure the violation; within that period no repeated liability is imposed.
For how long is staying in the country allowed?
That is a matter of customs legislation and depends on the deadlines of temporary admission; the norm of this page does not set that term — the answer follows from the concrete customs regime.
Where is the complaint filed?
With the superior organ or the court, within 10 days of receiving the decision, free of state duty.
How We Help on Legal.ge
On Legal.ge we establish the customs regime of your vehicle and the insurance requirement together, prepare the position for appealing the fine and make use of the 2-day period in time. We do not advise what the law does not support — Contact us on Legal.ge and receive a precise assessment.