Updated:
- A foreign national acquires agricultural land (arable land, pasture, hayfield, homestead plot) only by inheritance. Apartments and non-agricultural plots are open on the same terms as for citizens.
- A Georgian company with foreign control can hold such land only under an investment plan and a Government decision; a company registered abroad cannot hold it at all.
- The NAPR registry shows a plot's category: the certificate costs 13 to 39 GEL. Order it before a deposit.
The rule: Constitution and Organic Law
Article 19(4) of the Constitution: agricultural land may be owned only by the state, a self-governing unit, a citizen of Georgia and associations of citizens; exceptions are set by an organic law (at least two thirds of votes). The current Constitution has applied since 16 December 2018.
The exceptions are in the Organic Law on Agricultural Land Ownership No. 4848-II of 25 June 2019 (matsne.gov.ge). For a foreign individual there is one: inheritance (Article 4(2)(a)). A Georgian citizen with dual citizenship counts as a Georgian citizen; marriage to a Georgian adds no rights for a foreigner (JAM News, 2018). Apartments and non-agricultural plots are not restricted by this law.
What counts as agricultural land and what does not
Law No. 4849-II (25 June 2019) counts as agricultural land pasture, hayfield, arable land (with perennial crops) and homestead land, with or without buildings (Article 3). A residential house on such land is allowed (Article 6), but a village plot with a house may be registered as homestead, that is, as agricultural.
| Property | Status | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Apartment | Allowed | The limit covers agricultural land only |
| Plot and house registered as non-agricultural | Allowed | The registry confirms the category |
| Arable land, pasture, hayfield, vineyard | Not allowed, except by inheritance | Constitution, Art. 19(4) |
| Homestead plot with a house | Not allowed if registered as agricultural | Organic Law, Art. 3(a) |
| Land by inheritance | Allowed | Organic Law, Art. 4(2)(a) |
Companies: a Georgian firm with a foreign owner
A company registered abroad cannot own agricultural land in Georgia (Article 4). A Georgian company can, if its dominant partner (over 50% of shares and/or the majority of partners, with practical ability to decisively influence land decisions, Article 3(d)) is a Georgian citizen or the state (Article 4(1)(d)).
If an alien or a foreign entity dominates, ownership is possible only under an investment plan and a Government decision (Article 4(2)(b)); the plan must have at least 4/5 Georgian-citizen employees (Law No. 4849, Article 11). According to a law firm summary (2021), Resolution No. 222 of 18 May 2021 requires a fee of 1% of the investment, a 2% guarantee and investment of four times the land value; we did not open the resolution. If the plan fails, the land must be sold within a year, otherwise the state takes it (Article 5).
The scheme of a Georgian company where a Georgian holds 51% relies on Article 4(1)(d), but the law looks at real influence (Articles 3(d), 7). Nominee owners risk losing the land (our reading; settle it with a lawyer).
- ✓ Allowed
- ! Conditions apply
- ✕ Not allowed
Constitution Art. 19(4); Organic Law No. 4848-II; Law No. 4849-II
13 Feb 2026: PM announced a ban on selling farmland to foreigners; text and adoption unconfirmed as of 15 Oct 2026.
Leasing land: what is open to a foreigner
The Organic Law regulates ownership, not leasing. We found no ban on a foreigner leasing agricultural land in the texts we reviewed, and lawyers call leasing the main route; we did not open a primary provision on leases by foreigners. Term: up to 49 years is quoted most often (Decree No. 446 of 1998 on state land, per FAOLEX), one guide says 99. There is no single confirmed rule for private leases: the contract sets the term.
- Leases of more than a year are, according to lawyers, registered in the registry (not checked against the statute). A foreign lessee appears not to receive the pre-emptive right under Article 10 of Law No. 4849 (check the current text).
How to check a plot's category before a deposit
The purpose can be changed: NAPR decides, the change is registered (150 to 350 GEL), and on conversion to non-agricultural the owner pays compensation to the budget (Law No. 4849, Articles 6 and 7). The seller must change it before the deal: a foreigner who buys hoping to convert later will not, on our reading of the law, register the title (we have not seen registrar practice).
- Get the plot's cadastral code from the seller.
- Order a NAPR extract: 13 GEL online in 1 working day, 20 GEL at a service centre, 52 or 75 GEL same day; English +26 GEL.
- Order the NAPR certificate on designated purpose and category: 13 GEL in 4 days, 26 GEL in 1 day, 39 GEL same day.
- If the purpose is agricultural (pasture, hayfield, arable, homestead), a foreigner cannot buy in his or her own name.
- In the extract look at owners, shares, encumbrances and leases; other checks are in the guide on verifying a property.
A house in a village: what to look at
Buying a village house depends on the registry entry, not on how the house looks. What to check:
- Land for housing in a listing is not a category; only what is recorded in NAPR counts.
- A house with a homestead plot registered as agricultural cannot be sold to a foreigner. Registering only the building while leasing the plot is not confirmed by a primary source: ask a lawyer.
- On a sale of agricultural land co-owners, a lessee and the state hold pre-emptive rights (Law No. 4849, Articles 9 and 10, from 1 July 2020), with a reply period of at least 15 days.
- If the seller holds the plot in fact without a registry record, the title must be registered first.
Inheritance, earlier deals and what has changed
A foreign heir may register the land; rights registered before the law are preserved (Article 10); banks may take agricultural land as collateral (Article 4(3)). Timeline: 2012 the court struck down earlier limits; 2013 moratorium; 16.12.2018 Constitution; 25.06.2019 the law. On 13 February 2026 the Prime Minister said an amendment banning the sale of agricultural land to foreigners was being prepared; its text and adoption are not confirmed as of 15 October 2026.
| Claim | The law |
|---|---|
| An heir must sell within 6 months | The 2019 text sets no such term for an individual |
| A Georgian must hold over 51% | Law: over 50% plus real influence; a foreign dominant partner needs an investment plan |
Checklist before a land deal
The order of steps for a foreign buyer before a land deal:
| Step | What to do | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Certificate on purpose and category | NAPR |
| Extract | Owners, shares, encumbrances | NAPR |
| Your status | Individual, Georgian company or lease | Lawyer |
| Deposit | Only after non-agricultural status is confirmed | Contract |
| Registration | 150 GEL (4 days), 270 GEL (1 day), 350 GEL (same day) | NAPR |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can foreigners buy land in Georgia?
Non-agricultural land yes, agricultural land no: an individual without Georgian citizenship receives it only by inheritance (Organic Law, Article 4).
Can a foreigner buy a house with a plot in a Georgian village?
Only if the plot is registered as non-agricultural. The law counts a homestead plot as agricultural land, even with a house.
Can a foreigner lease land in Georgia, and for how long?
We found no ban. Up to 49 years is quoted most often, but there is no single confirmed rule for private leases: the contract sets the term.
Can I buy land through a Georgian company?
If a foreigner dominates, you need an investment plan and a Government decision; if a Georgian citizen dominates, the law allows it but looks at real control.
How do I find out whether a plot is agricultural?
Use the cadastral code to order an extract and the NAPR certificate on designated purpose and category (13 to 39 GEL).
Sources: Constitution of Georgia (matsne.gov.ge), Article 19 · Organic Law on Agricultural Land Ownership No. 4848-II (matsne.gov.ge) · Law on Determination of the Designated Purpose of Land and Sustainable Management of Agricultural Land No. 4849-II (matsne.gov.ge) · NAPR: information service tariffs (extract, purpose and category certificate) · NAPR: immovable property registration fees (including change of designated purpose) · JAM News: foreigners and land after 16 December 2018 · Transparency International Georgia: analysis of the draft exemptions for foreigners · Civil.ge, 9 June 2017: plan for a constitutional ban on land sales to non-citizens · Georgia Today, 13 February 2026: Prime Minister on the amendment · DWV, 28 June 2021: investment plan procedure (secondary source) · Nexus, 2025: overview of the Organic Law (secondary source) · Just Advisors, 2024: land turnover in Georgia (secondary source) · Orson Co., 2025: rules for foreigners (secondary, differs from the statute) · FAOLEX: Decree No. 446 (1998) on leasing state land (summary)