Where and who can take a car
| Where to | Is it allowed | The main points in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Russia | Citizens of Russia: no. A car from the USA or the EU: nobody | Export ban for citizens of Russia and Belarus since 15 May 2025 (announcement of the Service Agency). Cars imported from the USA have not been released to Russia since 1 August 2023, from the EU since 26 September 2023 |
| Belarus | the same as for Russia | the same bans |
| Kazakhstan | yes | for a car imported for personal use, a private person gets an electronic vehicle passport (EPTS) only if the car is no more than 5 years old |
| Armenia | yes | Armenia still applies its own rates to passenger cars, not the common EAEU rates; VAT 20% |
| Kyrgyzstan | yes | EAEU rates, VAT 12%; right-hand drive only after conversion |
| Azerbaijan | yes | excise depends on volume and age, VAT 18% |
Work out the customs amount for Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan and Iran in the customs calculator. It shows the duty, taxes, fees and the approximate delivery from Georgia.
How to export a car from Georgia: 6 steps
- Check the rules of your country before buying. Age, steering wheel side, emission standard: in Kazakhstan a private person can register only a car no more than 5 years old.
- Check the car and its status. At the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (sa.gov.ge) get a certificate of legal status: it shows seizure, pledge and wanted status. It costs from 30 GEL (5 working days) to 110 GEL (within 3 hours). Check the history of a car from the USA by VIN in Carfax or AutoCheck.
- Decide: customs-cleared or not. A car that has not been cleared is exported under the re-export procedure, without customs clearance in Georgia. A cleared car is deregistered in Georgia for export.
- Get a transit plate. At the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, a transit plate for export or re-export costs 150 GEL. The plate is issued for a specific car and a specific person.
- File an export declaration at Georgian customs (Revenue Service of Georgia, rs.ge).
- Clear the car through customs at home. Duty, taxes and the recycling fee are paid in the country where the car is registered.
Before the deal, see the car in person and check the documents.
Russia and Belarus
Citizens of Russia and Belarus. In May 2025 the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia announced that from 15 May they are banned from exporting passenger cars and special vehicles from Georgia, including to third countries. There is no information that the ban has been lifted. You can check on the Agency's hotline: 1272.
Cars from the USA and the EU. According to the Revenue Service of Georgia, cars imported into Georgia from the USA have not been released to Russia and Belarus since 1 August 2023, and from the European Union since 26 September 2023. This is a requirement of US and EU sanctions, and it applies to any buyer.
More than three quarters of the cars imported into Georgia come from the USA. So buying a car in Georgia and driving it to Russia in 2026 is practically impossible.
Kazakhstan
- Age. Since the end of September 2026, an electronic vehicle passport (EPTS) is issued for a car imported for personal use under a passenger declaration only if the car is no more than 5 years old. Without an EPTS the car cannot be registered.
- Recycling fee. Since 22 September 2026, a private person receives a certificate of payment of the recycling fee before the car is released from customs.
- Duty for personal import follows the common EAEU rates: it depends on the age, the engine volume and the value of the car.
- What else is being prepared. According to Kazakhstani media, from 30 December 2026 private persons will be allowed to import for themselves only cars no more than 5 years old and of Euro 5 class or higher.
Before buying, check the rules on the website of the State Revenue Committee of Kazakhstan (kgd.gov.kz): they changed several times in 2026.
Suitable cars on Autospot.ge: not customs-cleared, made in 2021 or newer, left-hand drive.
Armenia
- Rates. Under the treaty on Armenia's accession to the EAEU, Armenia still applies its own rates to passenger cars rather than the common rates of the union. VAT of 20% is added on top.
- Electric cars. Electric cars made in 2024–2026 are imported without VAT in 2026. Permanent residents of Armenia have a quota for duty-free import of electric cars (EEC Council Decision No. 79 of 09.07.2026); such cars may not be transferred to citizens of Russia and Kazakhstan.
- Calculation. The exact amount is shown by the official calculator of Armenian customs, exim.src.am, and by the Autospot customs calculator.
Why cars are exported from Georgia to all the neighbouring countries
Georgia is a transit hub for the whole region. Cars from US auctions, from Japan, Korea and China arrive by sea in Poti; some stay in Georgia and the rest go on.
- In 2025 Georgia exported passenger cars worth $2.81 billion. This is 38.6% of all the country's exports and first place among goods (Geostat).
- Cars are not made in Georgia: what is exported is what was imported from other countries.
- In the first half of 2026, 38,759 cars were exported, 21% fewer than a year earlier.
| Destination country on the declaration, January–June 2026 | Cars |
|---|---|
| Kazakhstan | 13,068 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 10,701 |
| Iran | 5,086 |
| Tajikistan | 2,966 |
| Azerbaijan | 2,456 |
| Armenia | 1,431 |
Why cars in Georgia are cheaper than in neighbouring countries is explained in the article "Why Cars Are Cheap in Georgia".
