Driver's License Translation in Georgia

When a Georgian driving licence needs a translation

The current Georgian driving licence is a plastic card with the holder's name printed in Georgian and in Latin script, and category symbols that follow the international convention. For short visits and car rentals in most of Europe, the card is accepted as it is or together with an international driving permit issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs Service Agency. A translation becomes necessary when the licence enters an administrative procedure: exchanging it for a local licence after taking up residence abroad, registering as a professional driver, applying for a residence permit that lists the licence as an identity document, claiming on an insurance policy after an accident, or presenting it to a court or police authority.

Exchange procedures are the most common reason. Georgia has agreements or unilateral recognition arrangements with a number of countries that allow a Georgian licence to be exchanged without a driving test, and the exchange authority typically requires a certified translation of the licence, sometimes with an apostille on the notarial certification. Countries where we regularly prepare licence translations include Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, the Czech Republic, Greece, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Israel and the United Kingdom. Because the exact requirement changes and varies by region within some countries, we recommend confirming with the local licensing office and sending us their instructions.

Older Georgian licences and Soviet-era licences with Georgian or Russian-only text are translated in full, and where the holder's name on the old licence differs from the current passport, we add a translator's note explaining the correspondence.

Foreign driver's licenses translated into Georgian

Foreign residents in Georgia can exchange their national licence for a Georgian one at the MIA Service Agency, in many cases without an examination, provided the licence is valid and issued by a country whose licences Georgia recognizes. The procedure requires a notarized Georgian translation of the licence, together with the passport translation and proof of residence. Licences from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Iran, India, Israel, the EU states, the United Kingdom and the United States pass through our office most frequently, and licences with Arabic, Persian, Hindi or Chinese script are translated from the original with the Latin rendering of the name taken from the passport.

A translated foreign licence is also needed when a foreigner buys and registers a car in Georgia, takes out motor insurance, is involved in a traffic incident where the police file requires a Georgian version of the licence, or applies for a job that involves driving. Rental companies in Georgia usually accept foreign licences in Latin script without translation, and an international driving permit covers most other cases for short stays, so we tell clients when a translation is unnecessary.

What is translated: categories, codes and dates

The translation reproduces the licence field by field: surname, given names, date and place of birth, date of issue, date of expiry, issuing authority, licence number, the holder's personal number where printed, the address if shown, categories held with the date of first issue and expiry for each, restriction and information codes, and any endorsements on the reverse side. Categories are rendered using the letter designations of the international convention (A, A1, B, BE, C, CE, D, DE and their national sub-categories) with a note where the destination uses a different scheme, for example the US class system or older national categories.

Restriction codes matter more than most clients expect. A code indicating corrective lenses, an automatic-transmission restriction or a medical restriction must be carried over exactly, because the exchange authority will apply the same restriction on the new licence and an omission can be treated as an attempt to obtain a broader licence. Where the Georgian licence uses a numeric code that has a direct EU equivalent, we give both.

Dates are checked against the card itself and, for exchange procedures, against the passport, because the exchange authority compares the licence with the identity document and a mismatch in the date of birth spelled out differently on two documents will hold up the file.

Notarization, apostille and the international driving permit

A licence is never bound to its translation; the notary prepares a certified copy of both sides of the card and the translation is attached to the copy. For exchange procedures in many EU countries, the notarial certification is then apostilled, and in a few cases the authority also requires a confirmation from the Georgian issuing body that the licence is authentic and valid; we tell you when we know that a country asks for this so that you can request it from the Service Agency at the same time.

The international driving permit (IDP) is a separate document issued by the MIA Service Agency on the basis of the Georgian licence. It is a multilingual booklet accepted for driving as a visitor in countries that are parties to the relevant road traffic conventions and is often a simpler solution than a translation for tourists and short-term visitors. The IDP does not replace a translation in exchange procedures, insurance claims or court matters, where a notarized translation of the national licence is still required. If you are not sure which you need, tell us the country and the purpose and we will say.

Process and timing

Send photos of both sides of the licence and of the passport data page, name the country and the purpose, and forward any instructions from the licensing office. We confirm whether a translation is needed at all, quote the price, which for a licence is a fixed amount plus the notarial fee, and give you the date. A licence in a common language pair is usually translated and notarized within one working day when the original card is available in Tbilisi for the notarized copy. When an apostille on the notarial certification is required, its processing time is added.

Clients who have already moved abroad can order remotely: a relative presents the card to the notary, we prepare the translation and the apostille if needed, and the package is sent by courier. If the licence is part of a larger residence file with a passport, a criminal record certificate and a marriage certificate, send everything together and we will keep the name spelling consistent across all documents.

What to send for a driver's license translation

Photograph the front and back of the card in good light, with all text legible. Add the passport data page so that the name is spelled identically, and tell us the country and the exact purpose. If a licensing office abroad has given you a list of requirements, forward it; it tells us whether an apostille or a confirmation of authenticity will also be needed.