Who needs a permit
Carrying passengers by taxi in Tbilisi needs a category A or B permit. The rule has applied since 1 October 2019.
People often call it a taxi licence. The official name is a permit; they are the same document.
The rules are set by Tbilisi City Council (Sakrebulo) Decree No. 24-80 of 27 July 2018. Permits are issued by the LEPL Tbilisi Transport and Urban Development Agency.
Categories A and B: the difference
A is a white taxi with a lit taxi sign. B is a car with no taxi markings that takes only the passenger who ordered it. No new A permits have been issued since 20 March 2023.
The main differences:
The category B conditions, a car with no taxi markings and only the passenger who ordered, match how you work through an app.
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
| Taxi sign | Yes | No |
| Ordered rides only | No | Yes |
| Valid for | No limit | 1 year |
| Cost | 0.27 ₾/day | 100 ₾ |
What a permit costs
Category B costs 100 GEL per car, or 50 GEL for a hybrid. For a fully electric car the permit is free until 31 December 2029.
Category A is paid by the day: 0.27 GEL a day per car, or 0.13 GEL for a hybrid, paid monthly by the 7th of the next month. The electric car exemption applies to motors over 4 kW.
How to get a category B permit
You apply only online, at taxi.tbilisi.gov.ge. After registration and payment, the permit is issued within 2 working days.
The steps:
- 1Open taxi.tbilisi.gov.ge and enter your personal number and surname.
- 2Confirm your phone number and email with a code.
- 3Sign in once with a Georgian electronic ID card and its PIN. A foreign resident can use an electronic residence card.
- 4If you do not own the car, the owner creates a unique code in their own account and gives it to you.
- 5Pay and wait for the permit.
For category B the car must be left-hand drive and, in the words of the rules, have "four wheels and 5 doors". If you are not sure your car qualifies, check before you apply.
Conditions while you work
Under category B, a lit taxi sign, any other taxi marking and advertising are not allowed. Take only the passenger you came to pick up.
Your driver card must be on display in the car. The driver needs a driving licence of the right category.
When a permit is cancelled
A category B permit is cancelled if the car has not passed its roadworthiness test at the interval set for taxis, or if the permit holder's right to drive is suspended or revoked. Under category A, the car or the driver is taken off the permit instead.
For category B permits, the test is checked electronically every day at midnight. A cancelled permit cannot be restored. Intervals and cost are in our car inspection article.
The fine for working without a permit
Carrying passengers by taxi in Tbilisi without the right permit is fined 200 GEL; breaking the permit conditions is fined 100 GEL.
The fines are set by Article 135⁴ of the Code of Administrative Offences. If a fine is not paid on time, a surcharge of twice the fine is added.
Other cities
Since 29 May 2026 the law also lets self-governing cities bring in a taxi permit. The self-governing cities are Tbilisi, Rustavi, Kutaisi, Poti and Batumi.
Each city council sets its own conditions, fee and procedure. Before you work in Batumi, Kutaisi, Rustavi or Poti, ask your city hall whether such a rule is in force there yet.
This article is a short summary of the rules as of 14 October 2026. The official texts are on matsne.gov.ge, and they are what applies.
