Updated:
- Buying: no separate transfer tax, only a registration fee of GEL 150–350 (Chambers 2026; NAPR). Owning: since the law of 30 September 2026 a home is exempt from property tax if family income in the previous year was up to GEL 100,000; above it 0.8–1% of market value.
- Renting out a home: 5% of gross rent, no deductions (Tax Code, Art. 81(2)). Selling: 0% after more than two years, 5% of the gain within two years (Art. 82(1)(f.a), 81(3)), filed by the 15th of the next month.
- Not settled: how the threshold treats a foreign non-resident with no Georgian income, and which regime fits short stays. Ask a Georgian accountant.
Tax by stage: the whole picture in one table
Amounts are in lari (GEL); the National Bank rate on 20 October 2026 was 2.5979 per US dollar. Basis: Tax Code, text of 30 September 2026.
| Stage and tax | Rate or amount | When | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buying: transfer tax | none; registration ₾150 / 270 / 350 | at registration | Chambers; NAPR |
| Buying new: VAT | 18% if the seller is VAT-registered; some projects exempt | in the price | Chambers; Art. 309(79) |
| Property tax on a home | 0 if previous-year family income is up to ₾100,000; above it 0.8–1% of market value | return 2 Nov, payment 16 Nov 2026 | Art. 202, 205, 206 |
| Long-term rent | 5% of gross rent, no deductions | return by 1 April | Art. 81(2), 153(1) |
| Short-term letting | fixed ₾10 per m² per month; no VAT | quarterly | Art. 309; to 1 Jan 2028 |
| Selling a home | 0% after 2 years; 5% of the gain within 2 years | by the 15th of next month | Art. 82(1)(f.a), 81, 153(12) |
| Inheritance, gift | no separate tax; exempt for close relatives, to ₾150,000 for others | larger sums within 2 years | Art. 82(1)(g)–(i) |
Taxes when buying: what you pay and what you do not
Georgia has no separate transfer tax or stamp duty on a purchase (Chambers). The main cost is the NAPR registration fee: GEL 150 in four working days, 270 in one, 350 the same day. Under Civil Code Art. 479 the seller bears contract and registration costs unless agreed otherwise (Chambers): settle it in the contract.
On a new build ask about VAT. Chambers: 18% applies when a VAT-registered seller sells in business, borne by the buyer inside the price; a private seller is generally outside VAT. The Code exempts, with the right of deduction, supplies in buildings with a 2008 permit or design on a municipal list until 1 January 2033 (Art. 309(79); Law No. 1888 of 15.10.2026, in force from 16.10.2026; the earlier date was 1 January 2029); from outside you cannot tell which regime applies.
Owning: property tax in Georgia after the 30 September 2026 amendment
The Code taxes an individual owner (Art. 201) but exempts a home, meaning non-land property, if the family’s income in the previous year did not exceed GEL 100,000 (Art. 206(1)(a), Law No 1874 of 30 September 2026). Above it the rate is 0.8–1% of market value at the end of the previous year (Art. 202(5)), prorated for months owned. We found no rate decision for Tbilisi or Batumi.
Family income means all income, tax-exempt income included (Art. 202(6)). Not counted: property inherited, gifted or received in a divorce from family, and proceeds of selling a home owned over two years (Art. 202(7)(a)). Our reading: the exemption is a cliff, so one lari over GEL 100,000 puts the 0.8–1% on the whole value.
Return by 1 November (Art. 205(12)); 1 November 2026 is a Sunday and the Revenue Service named 2 November. Payment by 15 November (Art. 205(14)), also a Sunday, so Monday 16 November under Art. 3(6): our reading, matching our digest of 19 October 2026 (citing 1TV; original not opened). Per the digest, households up to the threshold need no return for non-land property. Last year’s filers must notify the office by 1 November if they will not file (Art. 205(13)): ask if that still applies.
Land is taxed separately: GEL 0.24 per m² times a municipal coefficient up to 1.5, payable by 15 November (Art. 204, 205(14)).
| Item | Before 30 Sep 2026 | After |
|---|---|---|
| Exempt up to | ₾40,000 (PwC still shows it) | ₾100,000 |
| Band ₾40,000–100,000 | 0.05–0.2% | removed from the Code |
| Taxpayers affected | – | about 81,000 freed (ruling party, SOVA) |
Rental income tax in Georgia: 5% of gross rent
An individual who lets a home for residential purposes without deductions pays 5% of rent received (Art. 81(2); PwC). Repairs and utilities do not reduce it. To deduct costs you leave the 5% route (Chambers); the general rate is then 20% (Art. 81(1)), though our sources name no rate for that route.
Where rent is not taxed at source, residents and non-residents file a return by 1 April of the next year (Art. 153(1)), so 2026 rent is reported by 1 April 2027. The Code articles we read give no separate payment date; bookkeeping.ge puts it on the same day.
Company tenants. Art. 81(5) provides a register of landlords. Chambers: a corporate tenant, as tax agent, applies 5% only to a registered landlord (register by 1 April of the next year), otherwise withholds 20%. PB Services says rent from a business is taxed at 20%: sources disagree.
Chambers: rent from a VAT-registered landlord bears 18% VAT; registration is compulsory above GEL 100,000 of taxable turnover in 12 months (Art. 165). A flat let at GEL 2,000 a month turns over 24,000 a year.
Short-term letting: fixed tax, VAT, small business
For letting owned living space short term (code 55.2) the Code allows a fixed tax of GEL 10 per m² per month, on application, until 1 January 2028 (Art. 309(24)–(28)); PwC still shows 1 January 2026, and we rely on the Code. The Code joins “not voluntarily VAT-registered” and “turnover up to GEL 100,000 in 12 months” with “or”; PwC reads both as required: treat both so.
Payment is quarterly: 15 April, 15 July, 5 October, 15 January, without recalculation (Art. 309(27)). Under the regime short letting is not VAT-taxable (Art. 309(32)). Outside it, consultants apply 5%, but Art. 81(2) does not name short stays. Small-business 1% (3% above GEL 500,000; Art. 90) is for entrepreneurs and, per Andersen, excludes rent.
Tax on selling a home: the two-year rule and filing by the 15th
The gain from selling a residential apartment (house) with its land owned over two years is exempt (Art. 82(1)(f.a)). Within two years: 5% of the gain, not of the price (Art. 81(3)); other assets or trading as a business: 20% (Art. 81(1)). Gain is the sale price minus the asset’s value: purchase and value-adding costs (Art. 82(4)(b), 148).
Since 2024 the tax period for such a sale outside business is the calendar month (Art. 135(5)): return and payment by the 15th of the next month (Art. 153(12); PwC), non-residents included (Revera). By the Code’s wording the two years run from the date of the document certifying your title, drawn up for registration, to the date of the document on which the sale is registered, and that document’s month is the month of the sale (Art. 82(4)(a), (a2)).
Late return: 5% of the tax per overdue month while the delay is up to two months, 10% beyond (Art. 274), plus 0.05% a day on unpaid tax (Art. 272(4)); no filing fine if the tax is zero (Art. 274(3)). This reading was checked against the English and Georgian text of the Code on matsne.gov.ge (23.10.2026); for a new build before completion and unusual cases, check with an accountant.
Inheriting or receiving a gift
Georgia has no separate wealth, inheritance or gift tax on real estate, but the Code treats some free receipts as income. Exempt: gifts or inheritance to first and second line heirs (Art. 82(1)(g)); a gift up to GEL 1,000 from an individual per year (h); up to GEL 150,000 per year to third and fourth line heirs (i).
First line: spouse, child, grandchild, great-grandchild, parent. Second: sister, brother, niece, nephew. Third: grandparents and their parents. Fourth: uncle, aunt (Art. 82(4)(c)). Third and fourth line heirs receiving GEL 150,000 or more in a year pay income tax within two calendar years (Art. 153(7)); the rate and the taxed base are not in the text we read.
While property stays in a deceased person’s name, whoever owns or uses it pays property tax (Art. 201(2)). On a later sale the gain is the price minus market price at free receipt (Art. 82(4)(b.b)); if you are a first line heir, the holding period of the person you inherit from or receive from is added to yours (Art. 82(4)(a1)).
Foreign owners: residency and open questions
You are a tax resident with 183 days or more in Georgia in any continuous 12-month period ending in the tax year (Art. 34(2); PwC). Any partial day counts as a day (Art. 34(5)), but time in Georgia “for treatment or leisure” does not count towards the 183 days (Art. 34(4)(d)); ask a tax adviser how this applies to your case. Most foreign owners are not; a non-resident is taxed on Georgian-source income, which includes Georgian rent and property sales.
| Topic | Stated | Open |
|---|---|---|
| Sale | gross Georgian income less related deductions (Art. 80(4)); return by the 15th | separate rate or loss of exemption: none found |
| Rent | no tax agent: income less deductions (Art. 80(6)), return by 1 April; tax agent: withheld at the Art. 81 rate (Art. 134(1)(d1)) | how 5% fits; Chambers puts net-basis filers outside it |
| Property tax | any individual owner (Art. 201); exempt up to ₾100,000 family income | whether income abroad counts |
Lari, penalties and record-keeping
Tax is in lari. A foreign-currency transaction is translated at the National Bank’s official rate on the transaction day (Art. 73(10)). Our reading: dollar purchase and sale prices are converted at their own days’ rates, so a lari gain can appear through the exchange rate alone. The office can assess tax for three years from the end of the year of liability (Art. 4): keep contracts and invoices.
| Violation | Consequence | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Return up to 2 months late | 5% of the tax per overdue month | Art. 274(1) |
| Return over 2 months late | 10% of the tax | Art. 274(2) |
| Tax paid late | 0.05% of unpaid tax per day | Art. 272(4) |
What changed in 2026, and what older pages still say
Sources differ on when the 30 September change started: SOVA says on publication, the Code lists Law No 1874 as published 30 September, our digest (citing 1TV) says in force from 1 October. We found no transitional rule.
| Date | Change | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2 September | PwC reviewed: ₾40,000, short-stay regime to 2026 | outdated |
| 30 September | threshold ₾100,000; 0.05–0.2% band removed | Code, confirmed |
| October | Revenue Service: 2026 return due 2 November | primary, confirmed |
Tax calendar, 2026–2027
Weekend deadlines move to the next business day (Art. 3(6)); electronic and bank payments count until 24:00. Check each date on rs.ge.
| Date | What | Who |
|---|---|---|
| 15th after a sale | return and payment on the gain | seller, held 2 years or less |
| 2 Nov 2026 (Mon) | property tax return | owners above threshold; land owners |
| 16 Nov 2026 (Mon) | property tax payment | same |
| 15 Jan 2027 (Fri) | fixed tax, Oct–Dec 2026 | short-term regime |
| 1 Apr 2027 (Thu) | return on 2026 rent; landlord register | landlords not taxed at source |
| 15 Apr, 15 Jul, 5 Oct 2027 | fixed tax, previous quarter | short-term regime |
| 1 and 15 Nov 2027 (Mon) | property tax return and payment | as above |
- 1
Sale: the 15th
Return and payment on the gain by the 15th of the month after the sale
every sale - 2
2 Nov 2026
Property tax return for 2026 (Code says 1 November, a Sunday)
return - 3
16 Nov 2026
Property tax payment (Code says 15 November, a Sunday)
payment - 4
15 Jan 2027
Fixed tax for October to December 2026, short-term regime only
₾10 per m² - 5
1 Apr 2027
Return on 2026 rent where not taxed at source; landlord register
5% of rent - 6
15 Apr, 15 Jul, 5 Oct
Fixed tax for the previous quarter, short-term regime only
2027 - 7
1 and 15 Nov 2027
Property tax return and payment per Art. 205
2027
Tax Code (Art. 3, 153, 205, 309); Revenue Service notice, October 2026; PwC, 2 September 2026
The 16 November payment date is our reading of the Code; the no-return rule for small households comes from a digest citing 1TV.
Three worked examples (illustrative)
Invented numbers, not market data; exchange rates are assumptions. Case 1: an owner who rents; case 2: a seller; case 3: the property tax cliff. GEL unless marked.
| Case | Assumptions | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Rents out; family income 2025 ₾112,000 | Flat ₾250,000 at end-2025; 11 months at ₾2,000 = ₾22,000 | property 2,000–2,500 + rent 1,100 = 3,100–3,600 (14.1–16.4% of rent) |
| 1. Same, income ₾92,000 | same | 0 + 1,100 = 1,100 (5.0%) |
| 2. Sells after 3 years | Bought $100,000 at 2.70, renovation ₾20,000, sold $125,000 at 2.60: gain 325,000 − 290,000 = ₾35,000 | 0% |
| 2. Same, after 20 months | same | 5% = 1,750, by the 15th of next month |
| 2. Dollar price flat, lari weaker | $100,000 both times, rate 2.70 then 3.00, no renovation: gain ₾30,000 | within 2 years 1,500; after, 0 |
| 3. Cliff, family income ₾100,000 / ₾100,001 or ₾130,000 | Flat ₾300,000 at end-2025, not let | 0 / 2,400–3,000 (about $924–1,155), on the whole value |
Your home country: only a pointer
This guide covers Georgian tax only; we make no claims about any other country. Whether you report a Georgian purchase, rent or sale at home, and whether Georgian tax is credited or the income exempt there, depends on your country’s rules and any double-tax treaty. Two countries may each claim the same rent or gain, hence the check.
The Code provides for passing information to other states’ tax authorities under international agreements (Art. 70) and for automatic-exchange reporting by banks (Art. 279²): keep reports consistent. Bring rs.ge returns and receipts to an adviser at home.
Decision checklist and questions for an accountant
- Does the GEL 100,000 test count my income abroad as a foreign non-resident?
- Must I file or notify when no property tax is due?
- Does 5% apply to my short stays?
- Is the date of my title document the start of my two years (Art. 82(4)(a))?
- Can we request an advance tax ruling (Art. 47, within 90 days)?
- Before buying: ask in writing about VAT and who pays registration.
- Each year compare family income with GEL 100,000; watch 1–2 and 15–16 November.
- If you rent: register as landlord by 1 April; ask if a company tenant withholds.
- If you let short term: apply for the fixed regime; track GEL 100,000.
- Before selling: check the date of your title document, keep renovation invoices, plan the 15th.
Frequently Asked Questions
What taxes do foreigners pay on property in Georgia?
No transfer tax on buying, only a GEL 150–350 fee. Then property tax above GEL 100,000 of family income, 5% on rent, and on a sale 0% after two years or 5% of the gain within two.
What is the property tax threshold in Georgia in 2026?
GEL 100,000 of previous-year family income (Art. 206(1)(a)), up from GEL 40,000. Above it, 0.8–1% of market value.
When is the property tax deadline in Georgia in 2026?
Return by 2 November (Revenue Service), payment by 16 November (our reading of Art. 205(14) and 3(6)).
How is rental income taxed in Georgia?
5% of gross rent without deductions, reported by 1 April of the next year where not taxed at source, non-residents included.
What is the tax on selling an apartment in Georgia?
0% after more than two years of ownership, counted from the date of the title document; 5% of the gain within two years. Return and payment by the 15th of the next month.
Do non-residents pay property tax in Georgia?
Art. 201 taxes any owner and the exemption has no residency condition. Whether foreign income counts is not stated: get a written answer.
Is there inheritance or gift tax on property in Georgia?
No separate tax. Close relatives are exempt; third and fourth line heirs up to GEL 150,000 a year.
Will I pay tax in my home country as well?
It depends on your country and any treaty; we make no claims. Ask an adviser at home.
Sources: Tax Code of Georgia, consolidated text of 30 September 2026 (matsne.gov.ge, English) · Tax Code of Georgia, Art. 34 (English text, consolidated version of 15.10.2026) · Tax Code of Georgia, Georgian text (matsne.gov.ge) · Revenue Service of Georgia: notice on the 2 November 2026 property tax declaration · PwC Tax Summaries: Georgia, taxes on personal income (2 September 2026) · PwC Tax Summaries: Georgia, income determination (2 September 2026) · PwC Tax Summaries: Georgia, tax administration (2 September 2026) · PwC Tax Summaries: Georgia, residence (2 September 2026) · PwC Tax Summaries: Georgia, other taxes (2 September 2026) · PwC Tax Summaries: Georgia, foreign tax relief and tax treaties · Chambers: Real Estate 2026, Georgia · NAPR: fees for registering rights to immovable property · SOVA News: parliament approves the GEL 100,000 property tax threshold (30 September 2026) · Georgia Today: bill raising the property tax threshold (15 September 2026) · Revera Legal: changes in declaring income from the supply of property (from 2024) · Kreston Georgia: Ministry of Finance Ruling No. 143 · Andersen Georgia: Capital Gains Tax in Georgia (March 2026) · Andersen Georgia: small business status 1% (22 September 2026) · bookkeeping.ge: rental income tax in Georgia (updated 18 October 2026) · PB Services: individual property taxes in Georgia (15 September 2026) · National Bank of Georgia: official USD rate of 20 October 2026 · Matsne: Law No. 1888 of 15.10.2026 amending the Tax Code (Art. 309(79): deadline 1.01.2033)