Import costs 2026
Customs clearance in Georgia depends on the car's age and engine size. Since 2 April 2026 the excise is 1.5 GEL per cc for cars up to and including six years old and 4.5 GEL for older ones: for a 2.0 L engine with no surcharges, that is 3,000 and 9,000 GEL. Enter the price, model year and engine size, and the calculator breaks the total down by item.
Total payable
9 644 ₾
≈ $3 572
Shipping from the auction
The car is no older than 6 years, so excise runs at the base rate of 1.5 GEL per cc, with no tripling for age.
Ballpark figures, not a tariff: the real cost depends on the specific lot, season and container load. We price it exactly once you send a VIN or listing link.
Calculated on the rates in force since 2 April 2026: 1.5 GEL per cc up to six years old, 4.5 GEL above that, triple for right-hand drive, a 60% break for left-hand-drive hybrids up to six years old, zero for left-hand-drive electric cars and 3,000 GEL for right-hand-drive ones. The final figure can differ: customs values the car from its own database, and the lari moves. Before you buy, we price the clearance against the specific VIN.
Rates in the law
Excise depends on engine size, the car's age, which side the steering wheel is on and the powertrain. The rates come from Articles 188 and 194 of the Tax Code of Georgia as in force since 2 April 2026.
| Car | Excise | Tax Code |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 6 years old | 1.5 GEL per cc | Art. 188(12) |
| Over 6 years old | 4.5 GEL per cc | Art. 188(13) |
| Left-hand-drive hybrid, up to 6 years old | 0.6 GEL per cc | Art. 188(14) |
| Right-hand drive, up to 6 years old | 4.5 GEL per cc | Art. 188(15) |
| Right-hand drive, over 6 years old | 13.5 GEL per cc | Art. 188(16) |
| Left-hand-drive electric car | exempt | Art. 194 |
| Right-hand-drive electric car | 3 000 GEL per car | Art. 188(17) |
| Classic car | 1 GEL per cc | Art. 188(10) |
A car's age is the year the customs declaration is registered minus its model year (Art. 188(18)). A hybrid older than six or with right-hand drive gets no discount and pays the same rate as any other car. The calculator never applies the classic rate: a car counts as classic only once the government recognises it, which takes being over 30 years old and meeting its requirements (Law on Motor Transport, Art. 1 and 8⁶).
Tax Code of Georgia, Articles 188 and 194, text on matsne.gov.ge as consolidated on 30.09.2026, checked 10.10.2026.
A 2014 petrol car with a 2 000 cc engine and left-hand drive, bought for $7 000. Cleared in 2026, it is 12 years old, so the excise rate is 4.5 GEL per cc.
These are the calculator's figures for the same inputs. Put in your own price and engine size to get the number for your car.
Worth knowing
The same car costs a different amount to clear depending on its age, its engine and how customs values it
Age is the year on the declaration minus the model year. In year seven the rate triples outright: on a 2.0 L engine that is a jump from 3,000 GEL of excise to 9,000.
The rate is tied to cubic centimetres, not horsepower. A 2.0 L turbo making 250 hp clears 1.75 times cheaper than a 3.5 L naturally aspirated engine making the same 250 hp.
VAT is charged on the customs value plus excise, and that value comes from the customs database, not your invoice. Declare well below market and the base gets revised upward.
We reply during business hours. A car listing and your requirements are optional.
from $100 · consultation and procedure support
See also
What is usually needed alongside this. Each page has the price and a request form.
Online, free
What it costs to ship a car from a Copart or IAAI auction to Poti or Batumi: auction fee, US transport, ocean freight, insurance and port fees.
from $100
Car Select helps and advises on any legal or registration procedure involving a car in Georgia.
$1000
A car from Georgia to Russia, turnkey: Car Select sources, checks and buys it on the Georgian market, delivers it to Vladikavkaz and clears it in Russia. Since 15 May 2025 Georgia has not let Russian citizens leave in passenger cars, so we arrange the delivery. Any car brought into Georgia from a country other than the US or an EU member state can go to Russia.
Blog
April 21, 2026 · 8 min read
An EV has no engine displacement, which, with left-hand drive, knocks out the excise that became the biggest line on a customs bill on April 2, 2026. Here's what actually stays on the bill for an electric car, why a hybrid needs to be six years old or younger, and where the savings turn out smaller than sellers promise.
March 19, 2026 · 8 min read
Buyers instinctively shop older and cheaper, then get a customs bill that wipes out the savings. Since April 2, 2026 the excise on cars over six years old is exactly three times the rate for younger cars. That one line, not the hammer price, usually decides what you actually pay.
March 4, 2026 · 8 min read
The auction hammer price is usually less than two thirds of what a US car ends up costing you. The rest is auction fees, shipping, excise and VAT, the part buyers rarely calculate ahead of time and almost always underestimate.
