“Citizens who have already purchased a vehicle and begin its transportation before April 1 will be able to register it without any difficulty,” said Nino Tandilashvili, First Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture.

She clarified that the regulation applies to citizens planning to import and register a vehicle for personal use.

“Citizens who have already purchased a vehicle and begin its transportation before April 1 will be able to register it without issue, including after April 1, provided they present the relevant supporting documentation. If documentation confirming the commencement of transportation cannot be produced, the vehicle may still be brought into the country, but it will not be eligible for registration,” Tandilashvili said.

Speaking about the reasons behind the regulation, she noted that the number of vehicles imported and registered in Georgia increases year on year, with a direct impact on air quality.

“In Tbilisi alone, approximately 62 per cent of air pollution is attributable to vehicle emissions. We monitor air quality at 13 different points across the city, including roadsides and public squares, and significant pollution levels are recorded, particularly during peak hours. The problem is felt most acutely in areas in proximity to major arterial roads,” Tandilashvili said.

She also revealed that 146,000 vehicles entered Georgia last year, a 25 per cent increase on the previous year. The vehicles are typically between seven and nine years old, with most concentrated in major cities.

Under a Government decree, the import, primary registration, and temporary registration of M1 category vehicles more than six years old will be prohibited in Georgia from April 1. Under the new rules, any passenger car to be registered in the country from April onwards must satisfy two principal requirements: it must be no more than six years old, and it must comply with the Euro 5 emissions standard. The Euro 5 standard, which sets the permissible limits for vehicle exhaust emissions, has been in force in Georgia for two years. The new restrictions do not apply to re-export; the removal of vehicles from the country and their sale abroad will remain entirely permissible. The regulation likewise does not affect those who already own older vehicles or vehicles that do not meet the new standard.