Business, legal and financial matters
Opening a company in Georgia is fast and the tax system is simple, and that attracts many foreigners. But a quick registration does not yet mean a business in good order: the bank, accounting, taxes and documents have to be set up correctly from the start. On this page we go through the main questions and explain where we help.
- 8services
- often in daysregistration
- lawyer, accountantpartners
- yourslanguage
Business services
Choose what you need, or write to us with your plan - we will find the right form and order of steps together.
-
LLC registration
LLC registration: charter, director, address and the first steps.
-
1% tax status
Individual entrepreneur and small business status - who it suits and on what terms.
-
Accounting
Accounting and declarations - monthly order, in your language.
-
Notary
Notary: power of attorney, contracts, certification and translation.
-
Investment
Investing in Georgia: property, business and risk assessment.
-
HNWI
High-net-worth clients: family assets, confidentiality and one coordinator.
-
Crypto
Crypto assets: regulation, dealing with banks and careful steps.
-
Money transfers
Transferring money to and from Georgia: banks, timings, documents.
Why Georgia for business
Georgia is known for fast registration, little bureaucracy and a relatively simple tax system. Many procedures are completed online or in one office.
A foreigner can own a company outright, and a local partner is not required to do business in the country.
But a simple system still demands attention. The details are exactly what separate a business in good order from a problematic one.
Our role
We are not a law or audit firm. We work with licensed lawyers, accountants and notaries, and coordinate the whole process.
Legal and tax advice is given by a partner specialist. We interpret, arrange appointments and make sure nothing slips.
So you deal with one person, but each question is looked at by the right professional.
Where to start
The first question is always the goal: residence, trading in Georgia, international clients, investment or moving the family.
The same company suits one goal well and another badly. So we choose the form after the goal, not the other way round.
In the first conversation we draw up a short plan: which form, in what order and on what timeline.
The LLC in brief
A limited liability company is the most common form. As a rule, the owner is not liable for the company's debts with their personal assets.
An LLC needs a charter, a director and a legal address. Registration is often quick once the documents are ready.
We explain the details - documents, timings and first steps - on the LLC registration page.
The individual entrepreneur
An individual entrepreneur is a form of business for a natural person - simpler than an LLC, and often suited to freelancers.
An individual entrepreneur can be granted small business status, under which the tax is a small percentage of turnover, up to a certain threshold.
But not every activity qualifies for this status, and the conditions change from time to time. We explain this on a separate page.
Which form is better
For a freelancer working alone, an individual entrepreneur is often better. For a team, partners or investment - an LLC.
The choice of form affects tax, banking, reporting and the rules of your own country too.
So we confirm the choice with an accountant and, where needed, with a tax adviser in your country.
Tax residence
Tax residence is not the same as a residence permit. It depends on the number of days spent in the country and other criteria.
If you become resident in Georgia, your residence at home may not end automatically. Both countries' rules must be checked together.
This is one of the most important questions, and only a qualified adviser can answer it.
Double taxation
Georgia has agreements on avoiding double taxation with many countries. They determine in which country income is taxed.
To benefit from an agreement a residence certificate is often required. It is issued by the Revenue Service.
Each country's agreement is different. So general advice does not work here.
Taxing profits
In Georgia company profit tax is mainly paid when profit is distributed, not while it stays in the company.
This model encourages reinvesting profit in the business. But dividends have their own tax too.
An accountant explains the exact rates and details for your situation.
The bank account
Registering a company is fast, but opening a bank account often takes longer. Banks check clients thoroughly.
A bank asks for a description of the business, an explanation of the source of funds and sometimes a visit in person.
We prepare the documents and arrange the visit, but the bank makes the final decision. We say this honestly.
Legal address
A company needs a legal address. It can be an office, your flat or an address service.
Official letters arrive at this address, and receiving and translating them matters.
The address can be changed later, but it requires changes to the documents.
Registering remotely
A company can sometimes be registered without coming to Georgia - with a notarised power of attorney drawn up in your country and brought with an apostille.
But a bank account often needs a visit in person. So at least one short visit is often planned.
We prepare the power of attorney text in advance, so everything is done at your notary in one visit.
Accounting
Every company and individual entrepreneur has reporting obligations, even with no income. Missing a declaration leads to a fine.
Declarations are filed on the Revenue Service's online portal, in Georgian.
An accountant in your language who keeps to the deadlines is the best investment in your business's peace of mind.
The notary
A notary is needed for powers of attorney, property contracts, some corporate documents and certifying translations.
Notarial acts are conducted in Georgian. If you do not speak Georgian, an interpreter is needed.
We arrange the notary appointment and translate the text in advance.
Translation and documents
Foreign documents often need an apostille and a notarised translation to be accepted in Georgia.
Georgian documents - a registry extract, certificates - are often needed in another country with a translation.
We set the type and order of translation in advance, so no document is done twice.
The director
An LLC's director can be a foreigner and need not live in Georgia. But they are responsible for managing the company.
The director's signature is needed on contracts, at the bank and on some declarations. So their availability matters.
If the director is far away, some actions can be done under a power of attorney. We set its scope precisely.
Partners and shares
If a company has several owners, the shares are written into the charter. But the charter alone is often not enough.
A shareholders' agreement sets who decides what, how profit is distributed and what happens on exit.
This document should be prepared by a lawyer, before the company is opened or soon after.
Invoices and VAT
When working with foreign clients, the invoice, contract and payment documents must match each other.
VAT registration becomes mandatory above a certain turnover. The accountant keeps track of the threshold and the rules.
Special rules apply to some services sold abroad. We check this separately in each case.
Office and coworking
Tbilisi and Batumi have many coworking spaces and small offices, on flexible terms.
A coworking space often offers a legal address service too, which is convenient for a new business.
Renting and fitting out an office is covered in detail in the relocation section.
A trademark
If you are building a brand, a trademark is registered in Georgia at the National Intellectual Property Center.
Before registration we check whether a similar mark is already registered.
International protection involves other procedures, and a specialist explains them.
Licences
Most businesses in Georgia do not need a licence. But some fields - finance, medicine, transport - do.
Before you open a company we check whether your activity is licensed.
The licensing process often takes longer than registration, and we allow for this in the plan.
Employees
Hiring an employee brings an employment contract and pension contributions. The accountant handles this monthly.
For a foreign employee, residence and work questions must be checked separately.
Hiring freelancers differs from hiring employees, and the accountant explains the difference.
Investment
Investment in Georgia goes into property, an existing business or a new project.
Every investment needs a risk assessment: documents, ownership, debts, the market.
We connect lawyers and valuers and help make the decision an informed one. Details are on the investment page.
Property
As a rule, a foreigner can buy property in Georgia. Special restrictions apply to agricultural land.
Before buying, the public registry extract, debts and mortgages must be checked.
Buying and managing property is described in detail in the relocation section.
Residence and business
A business or investment can be a ground for a residence permit, under certain conditions.
The conditions - turnover, investment amount, documents - change from time to time. So we always check the current requirements.
The residence process is in the immigration section. Here we cover only the business side.
High-net-worth clients
For families with many assets and complex structures, one coordinator and a high level of confidentiality matter.
In such cases the lawyer, accountant, bank and relocation are all in one plan.
Details are on the HNWI page.
Crypto assets
In Georgia virtual asset services are regulated, and the regulation has developed in recent years.
Banks check crypto-related funds especially strictly. Documentation of the source of funds is essential.
Crypto taxation and regulation should be discussed with a specialist. Details are on the crypto page.
Transferring money
An international transfer is usually quick at Georgian banks, but the bank checks large sums.
The bank may ask for a contract, an invoice or an explanation of the source of funds. That is normal practice.
We prepare the documents in advance so the transfer is not held up. Details are on the transfers page.
Bank checks
Every bank carries out client identification and source-of-funds checks. It is an international standard.
The more completely the documents are prepared, the faster the process goes.
If a bank refuses, another bank or an extra document often helps. Nobody can give a guarantee.
Closing a company
Closing a company is a procedure too: settling accounts, declarations, removal from the registry.
A dormant company that was not closed still needs reporting. Forgetting leads to fines.
If the business has ended, we plan a proper closure with an accountant and a lawyer.
Beware of unrealistic offers
Online you can find offers of "a company and a bank account in one day, with no taxes". Such a promise is always suspect.
A nominee director or an unknown intermediary can be a serious risk to your business.
We work only through official channels, and every step is confirmed by a licensed specialist.
Language
The state system works in Georgian: the registry, the tax portal, the notary.
We translate or explain every official document in your language, so you know exactly what you are signing.
We choose an accountant and lawyer who speak your language, or we interpret.
Timing
Registering a company often takes days, a bank account days to weeks, a licence longer.
The apostille and translation of foreign documents are often the longest part.
We build the plan so that the longest steps start first.
A business visit
Many first come on a short visit: meetings at the bank, the notary and with potential partners.
We arrange such a visit in one or two days: a schedule, a driver, an interpreter and meetings confirmed in advance.
After the visit we send a short summary - what was done, what remains and the next steps.
The Georgian market
The Georgian market is small, but the country often plays the role of a regional hub - for the Caucasus and nearby countries.
If you plan to sell on the local market, a Georgian partner or distributor is often useful.
For a first look at the market we arrange meetings and help find contacts.
Common mistakes
Opening a company before the goal is clear. Ignoring tax residence in your home country.
Skipping a declaration because "there was no income". A bank account with no documents.
A first consultation prevents all of this.
What we need from you
Your goal and a description of the business: what you do, for whom and where your clients are.
Citizenship, current tax residence and your plan for time in Georgia.
Whether you already have a company or account elsewhere.
Price
State fees are official. Notary, translation and accountancy services are separate lines.
Our coordination is agreed in advance. We add nothing to our partners' prices.
Each step is listed separately in the proposal, so you know what you are paying for.
Frequently asked questions about doing business in Georgia
Not finding your answer? Message us on WhatsApp - we will reply personally.
Can a foreigner open a company?
Yes, and own it outright. A local partner is not required, and the director can be a foreigner too.
How long does registration take?
Often days, if the documents are ready. A bank account and a licence take longer, and the apostille on foreign documents is often the longest step.
Do I need to come to Georgia?
Registration is sometimes possible under a power of attorney, but a bank often asks for a visit in person. So we often plan one short visit that fits in both the bank and the notary.
Is small business status for everyone?
No. It is for an individual entrepreneur, up to a certain turnover, and some activities are excluded. We check the conditions with an accountant for your specific activity.
Will a bank open an account for me?
Often yes, but the bank makes the decision. We prepare the documents in advance to give you the best chance.
Is an accountant required?
Formally not always, but reporting is mandatory and in Georgian. An accountant prevents mistakes and fines.
Will a company give me residence?
It can, under certain conditions that change from time to time. We check the current requirements before you open a company for this purpose.
Will I become a Georgian tax resident?
That depends on days and other criteria. Your home country's rules must be checked too, because residence there may not end automatically.
Do I need a legal address?
Yes. It can be an office, a flat or an address service. What matters is that you receive official letters on time.
Are you a law firm?
No. We coordinate the process, while legal and tax advice is given by licensed partners, whom we always introduce to you in advance.
Can I work with crypto?
Virtual assets are regulated, and banks check strictly. Consulting a specialist is essential, and documents on the source of funds should be prepared from the start.
Is moving money to Georgia difficult?
Usually not, but the bank checks large sums. Prepare source-of-funds documents in advance - a contract, an invoice or a property sale document - and the transfer will not be held up.
How do we close a company?
Through the official procedure: settling accounts, declarations and removal from the registry. A dormant company still needs reporting until it is closed.
What does it cost?
State fees are official, partners' services are separate, and our coordination is agreed in advance. Each step is listed separately in the proposal, with no hidden costs.
Other categories
Tours are only the start - here is what else we can take off your hands.
Get in touch
Write to us in Georgian, English or Russian. One message is enough to get started.