Georgia's Public Registry (NAPR) is a rare case of a state system that moves faster than the market: ownership is registered within a day, the extract with a QR code is issued immediately, and anyone can check a property online without a Georgian ID. Here is how it works and how to read an extract before you hand over any money.
- The cadastral code is the property's real identifier. Everything else — address, floor, description — can be recorded with an error; the code cannot.
- The registry extract shows the owner, the area, encumbrances and the history of rights. It is inexpensive and can be ordered online.
- Registration takes from the same day up to four working days depending on the tariff you choose.
- Foreigners cannot buy agricultural land — the restriction is visible from the property's category in the registry.
- Check before the deposit, not after: an encumbrance that surfaces later costs weeks of waiting.
What the Public Registry is and why it matters
The National Agency of Public Registry (NAPR) under the Ministry of Justice maintains a single electronic register of rights to immovable property. In Georgia ownership arises not from the contract but from the entry in the registry: until the deal is registered, the buyer is not legally the owner, however many contracts have been signed.
The practical conclusion: any conversation about buying starts not with viewing the apartment but with the extract. It answers four questions — who the owner is, what exactly the property is, whether there are encumbrances, and whether a dispute is under way.
The cadastral code: how to find it and why
A cadastral code looks like a sequence of digits separated by dots, for example 01.14.16.015. It is the only reliable identifier: addresses in Georgia are duplicated, street names have changed, and the description in a listing is written by the seller.
Ask the seller for the cadastral code before the viewing. A refusal to give it is a signal in itself: a bona fide owner has it in the extract and it is not a secret.
With the code you can look the property up on the public cadastral map maps.gov.ge: it shows the location of the plot or building, the boundaries, and the land category.
How to read an extract
The registry extract is a short document, but every line in it matters.
| What to look at | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Owner | Whether the name matches the passport of the person selling. If a representative is selling, a power of attorney is required and is checked separately. |
| Cadastral code and area | The area in the extract is the legal one. If it differs from the listing, the extract is right. |
| Encumbrances | Mortgage, freeze, pledge, lease. This is what derails deal timelines most often. |
| Category of the property | Agricultural land is off limits to foreigners; a building's status may differ from "residential". |
| History of rights | Frequent changes of owner over a short period are a reason to find out why. |
The cost of an extract depends on urgency and language: sources quote roughly 13–75 GEL, with a separate surcharge for the English version. Tariffs change from time to time, so check the current figure on napr.gov.ge.
An extract reflects the state of affairs at the moment it was issued. A new encumbrance can appear between a "fresh" extract two weeks old and the day of the deal — order it again immediately before signing.
How to register a right
Registration takes place at the House of Justice (Public Service Hall) or at territorial registry offices. The parties come together, sign the contract and file the application. What is needed:
- An application for registration.
- Passports, or company documents if a party is a legal entity.
- The contract of sale, gift, exchange or another document that serves as the basis.
- A power of attorney if a representative is acting.
- The receipt for the state fee.
The timing depends on the tariff you choose — from same-day registration to four working days. Published fee figures differ between sources (you will find 50 GEL for the standard term and 150 GEL; for expedited service, from 200 to 350), so confirm the current tariff on the spot: it is the only way to avoid an error, and the amount is small next to the deal in any case.
After registration a new extract with a QR code is issued — anyone can use it to verify that the document is genuine.
Online services and the map
Georgia's registry is almost entirely electronic, and that is its strong point:
- napr.gov.ge — ordering extracts, checking the status of an application, information on mortgages and tax pledges. No Georgian ID is required.
- maps.gov.ge — the public cadastral map: plot boundaries by code, land category.
- Verifying an extract by its QR code — a quick way to tell a genuine document from an image someone sent you.
Errors and how they are fixed
The most common reasons an application is returned are mechanical: a misspelt name, a wrong cadastral code, passport data that does not match the contract. It is fixed by refiling, but those are lost days — and weeks if the parties have gone their separate ways.
A separate story is a mismatch between the actual and the registered layout. A reconfiguration that was never entered into the registry surfaces at the sale: formally you are selling something other than what you are showing. Such things are better sorted out in advance rather than at the moment a buyer has been found.
What to check before buying
A short list that covers most of the risk:
- Get the cadastral code and look the property up on maps.gov.ge.
- Order a fresh extract and check the owner, the area and any encumbrances.
- Check the category of the property — especially for a house with land.
- If a representative is selling, check the power of attorney and its validity.
- Repeat the extract check on the day of the deal.
A full walk-through of buyer's checks is in how to buy property safely; the seller's side is covered in selling an apartment. To compare prices and judge whether the asking price is reasonable, use the district pages, the sale search and radius search from a point on the map.