How to Register a Company in Georgia as a Foreigner (2026 Guide)
6 minute read | Last Updated October 2026
Written by: Lela Gochitashvili, Founder & Managing Partner
Summary
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Short answer
Yes. Foreigners can register a company in Georgia without residency, without a local partner and without minimum share capital. Most foreign founders choose a limited liability company (LLC) or register as an individual entrepreneur. Registration is handled by the National Agency of Public Registry through the Public Service Hall and normally takes one working day, provided the documents are properly prepared and there are no obstacles to registration. The state fee for an LLC is 200 GEL (400 GEL for same-day registration). You can register in person or remotely through a power of attorney.
Important: registering a company or an individual entrepreneur does not by itself give you the right to work or be self-employed in Georgia. Depending on the activity and your status, you may need a right to labour activity and a suitable immigration basis. The law contains exceptions and transitional rules, so check your own situation before you start working.
1. Choose the right structure
Limited liability company (LLC, „შპს“). The most common choice for foreign founders and investors. Shareholders are generally not personally liable for the company’s debts, although there are exceptions, for example where the limited liability form is abused. There is no minimum capital, and one person can be both the sole shareholder and the director. An LLC is the right vehicle if you plan to hire staff, sign larger contracts, bring in partners or investors, or hold assets in Georgia.
Individual entrepreneur (IE). A registered status for a natural person, not a separate company. It is simpler and cheaper to register (26 GEL for standard registration), but you are personally liable for business obligations. Individual entrepreneurs can apply for small business status (see section 5). It suits freelancers and solo service providers whose activity qualifies.
Branch of a foreign company. Used when an existing foreign company wants a presence in Georgia without creating a new legal entity. The parent company remains liable, and the documents of the parent company must be legalised or apostilled and translated.
2. What you need
- A valid passport for each founder and director.
- A legal address in Georgia, with the written consent of the property owner (or a lease agreement).
- The company name, the shareholders and their shares, and the director or directors.
- For an LLC, a founding agreement, which includes the charter. It is required even when there is only one founder. A standard charter can be used.
- The director’s consent to the appointment, unless it is already expressed in the founding agreement.
- If you register remotely: a power of attorney signed before a notary abroad, apostilled or legalised, and then translated into Georgian with a notarised translation in Georgia.
- If a shareholder is a company: its registration documents, apostilled and translated.
A separate partners’ (shareholders’) agreement is not a general requirement for registration, but it is strongly recommended when there are two or more founders, because it regulates how the partners work together, take decisions and exit.
3. Step by step
- Decide the structure and the shareholding. Agree who owns what, who manages the company and how decisions are taken.
- Secure a legal address and obtain the owner’s consent.
- Prepare and sign the documents. In person at the Public Service Hall, or through your representative under a power of attorney.
- Submit the application to the Public Registry and pay the state fee. With properly prepared documents, the company is registered within one working day (or the same day for the higher fee). The registration number also serves as the tax identification number.
- Activate the Revenue Service account (rs.ge), which you will use for tax returns and, if needed, VAT registration.
- Open a bank account. Georgian banks apply know-your-customer and anti-money-laundering checks. Expect to explain the business, the source of funds and the expected transactions, and to provide supporting documents. In our experience this is often the slowest step. The bank’s review can take longer than expected, and a bank may also refuse to open an account.
4. Costs and timing
| Item | State fee | Time |
|---|---|---|
| LLC registration (standard) | 200 GEL | 1 working day |
| LLC registration (same day) | 400 GEL | Same day as the application |
| Individual entrepreneur (standard) | 26 GEL | 1 working day |
| Individual entrepreneur (same day) | 75 GEL | Same day as the application |
State fees are set by the National Agency of Public Registry. The terms assume properly prepared documents and no obstacles to registration. Add notary, apostille and translation costs if you register remotely, and professional fees if you use a lawyer.
5. Taxes in brief
- Corporate income tax: Georgia uses a distributed-profits model. Retained and reinvested profit is not taxed. Tax at 15% applies when profit is distributed (and to certain deemed distributions and non-business expenses), and it is calculated on the grossed-up amount: distributed amount ÷ 0.85 × 15%. For example, on a 10,000 GEL dividend the company pays about 1,764.71 GEL of corporate income tax.
- Dividends: separately from corporate income tax, dividends paid to individuals and to non-residents are generally subject to 5% withholding tax, subject to double tax treaties.
- VAT: registration becomes mandatory once taxable turnover exceeds 100,000 GEL in any continuous 12-month period. As a general rule, you must apply no later than two working days after the threshold is exceeded. The standard rate is 18%.
- Small business status (individual entrepreneurs only): qualifying income is taxed at 1% while annual income stays within 500,000 GEL. If the threshold is exceeded, the income covered by the regime is taxed at 3% from the beginning of the month in which the threshold was exceeded until the end of the year. Exceeding the threshold in two calendar years can lead to loss of the status. A 700,000 GEL threshold applies to certain wine and agritourism businesses. Several activities are excluded, including consulting, legal, audit and tax advisory services, financial services and licensed activities. Small business status does not remove the obligation to register for VAT once the VAT threshold is reached.
Tax rules change regularly. Confirm your position before you rely on a particular regime.
6. Common mistakes
- Assuming that a registered company or individual entrepreneur status gives you the right to work in Georgia.
- Registering as an individual entrepreneur for an activity that is excluded from small business status, and then paying standard income tax.
- Using a legal address without the owner’s consent, which can block registration or later changes.
- Leaving relations between partners unregulated. Without a partners’ agreement, questions such as decision making, deadlock, new investment and exit are left open and often lead to disputes.
- Assuming the bank account will open quickly. Prepare a clear description of the business and the source of funds.
- Forgetting ongoing obligations: monthly and annual tax returns, VAT registration once the threshold is reached, and registering changes of director, address or shareholders.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner own 100% of a Georgian company?
Yes. There is no requirement for a Georgian shareholder or director.
Do I need to be in Georgia to register a company?
No. You can register through a representative with an apostilled power of attorney and a notarised Georgian translation. Opening a bank account may still require your presence, depending on the bank.
Is there a minimum share capital?
No minimum capital is required for an LLC.
Does registering a company give me the right to work in Georgia?
No, not by itself. Owning a company or registering as an individual entrepreneur is separate from the right to work or be self-employed in Georgia. Depending on the activity and your status, you may need a right to labour activity and a suitable immigration basis. There are exceptions and transitional rules, so not every foreign founder needs a permit. We recommend checking this before you start working.
Does registering a company give me a residence permit?
Not automatically. Company ownership can support certain residence permit applications, but each type has its own conditions, such as investment amounts or business turnover.
How long does the whole process take?
Registration itself takes one working day with properly prepared documents. Based on our experience, with document preparation, translations and the bank account, many foreign founders should plan for one to three weeks. This is a practical estimate, not a guaranteed term: the bank’s review in particular can take longer.
How Orson can help
Orson Law Firm advises foreign founders and investors on setting up and running companies in Georgia: choosing the structure, preparing the founding documents and partners’ agreements, registering the company remotely or in person, and supporting the bank account opening. We work in English, Georgian and Russian.
Book a consultation or write to info@orsonco.com.
This guide is general information about Georgian law as of October 2026 and is not legal advice for your specific situation.
Official sources: National Agency of Public Registry (fees and terms); Law of Georgia on Entrepreneurs; Tax Code of Georgia; Revenue Service of Georgia; Law of Georgia on Labour Migration.
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