The rules you follow every day in Georgia

Georgia has no agents’ law with a list of duties, so the rules you follow every day come from your contracts, the Public Registry, the currency rule for prices and plain good practice. With no licence to lose, the only thing protecting your career is your reputation. Most problems come from a fee nobody wrote down, a flat whose owner nobody checked, or an off-plan promise nobody could keep. This lesson turns the rules into habits.

1. Agree the commission, in writing

There is no legal rate, and TbilisiExperts (July 2026) notes that commission is not regulated. The usual norms (lesson 1) are about 3% on a resale, paid by the seller (ExpatHub), 2% to 3% according to GeorgiaExpats (2026), and nothing for the buyer on a new build, where the developer pays. Because nothing in the law fills the gap, your written agreement is your only protection. It should state:

• The property and the deal (sale or rental).
• The commission, as a percentage or a sum, the currency, and who pays.
• When it is due: at signing, or at registration with NAPR.
• Whether VAT is added, if your business charges it.
• Whether the mandate is exclusive, and for how long.
• How a deal shared with another agency is split.

2. Check the Public Registry first

Every property right in Georgia is recorded by the National Agency of Public Registry (NAPR). Before you advertise a flat or let a buyer pay a deposit, get the registry extract and check:

1. The owner. The seller must be the registered owner, or hold a valid power of attorney from them. Remote sellers and buyers often use a notarised, apostilled power of attorney (ExpatHub; GeorgiaExpats).
2. The property. Address, area and type must match what you are advertising.
3. Anything recorded against it. Read every entry and ask a lawyer about anything you do not understand.
4. For off plan, whether the developer owns the land and how buyers are recorded as future owners (rule 4 and lesson 6).

Land is a special case. Agricultural land is restricted to Georgian citizens and entities, with narrow exceptions (GRATA International, September 2025). Check the land category before you show a plot to a foreign buyer.

3. Advertise prices in lari

Since July 2017, businesses in Georgia must advertise prices in GEL. The penalties described by ISET Policy Institute (February 2017) start with a warning, then 1,000 GEL, then 5,000 GEL.

In practice, property is quoted and often settled in USD. GeorgiaExpats (2026) says most Tbilisi deals are priced and settled in dollars. ExpatHub says GEL is the only legal tender and contracts state a USD equivalent. The sources conflict on how foreign currency settlement works today, so:

• In adverts and on your website, show the price in GEL. You may add a USD equivalent.
• In contracts, follow the lawyer’s or the registry’s wording on currency.
• Never promise a client how the money must legally move. Ask the bank and a lawyer.

4. Sell off plan honestly

Off plan is the core of the Georgian market, and the safety net is thin. Legal.ge (October 2026) and SOVA (October 2026) found no law requiring escrow and no register of developers. An economist quoted by SOVA said of developer instalment plans: there is no regulation there. GeorgiaExpats (2026) adds that the usual 10% deposit is generally non-refundable, and that some developers hold deposits in escrow, but many do not.

So never say:

• “Your money is protected”, unless the contract shows exactly how, such as an escrow account named in the contract.
• “Guaranteed completion date”, when the contract gives the developer room.
• “Guaranteed rental yield”, unless it is a written obligation from the developer, and even then explain who stands behind it.
• “This gives you residence”, unless the value reaches 150,000 USD under a certified appraisal (Erickson Immigration Group, February 2026). And never suggest residence gives the right to work (lesson 2).

Building safety is part of honesty. After the 2021 Batumi building collapse on 26 May Street, which killed nine people and was linked to illegal alterations, OC Media noted that architects and construction companies are not licensed in Georgia. Ask about permits and the developer’s past projects before you sell any unit.

5. Know your client anyway

Agents are not obliged entities under the anti-money laundering law, but NAPR is (MONEYVAL, December 2024). The registry will ask questions at registration, and an agency that brings it suspicious buyers will not last. As daily practice:

1. Identify every buyer and seller, and the real owner behind any company.
2. Understand the money: where it comes from and how it will arrive.
3. Take your own fees by bank transfer, against an invoice, never in cash.
4. Keep a record of what you checked.

What gets people into trouble

Practice	Risk
A foreigner working without a work permit	A 2,000 GEL fine for the worker and the employer, doubled and tripled for repeats (lesson 2)
No written commission agreement	No legal default to fall back on, and a dispute over who pays
Advertising a flat without the registry extract	Selling something the seller does not own, or cannot sell
Prices only in USD in adverts	A warning, then fines of 1,000 and 5,000 GEL
Calling an off-plan deposit “safe”	A buyer who loses a non-refundable deposit and blames you
Showing agricultural land to a foreign buyer	A purchase the law restricts

Your daily habits

• No listing without a written commission agreement.
• No advert and no deposit without the registry extract.
• Every advert priced in GEL.
• No off-plan promise that is not written in the developer’s contract.
• No cash fees, and no client whose money you do not understand.

These rules change, so check the official source before you act. Practise them in client skills.

This lesson is general information, not legal advice. CloserPass is not affiliated with NAPR or any government body in Georgia.