New laws coming into effect in Georgia from January 2026
What will change from January 2026
Most of the legislative changes were planned and announced in 2025 but were delayed for various reasons.
Increase in public sector salaries
Following the practice introduced in recent years, public sector salaries in Georgia will rise by 10% from 1 January.
In particular, pay increases will apply to primary healthcare workers, police officers, and military personnel.
No salary increase is planned for teachers at this stage.
Civil servant salaries to rise
Public officials will also see their salaries increase, including ministers, their deputies, the speaker of parliament and their deputies, committee chairs, and members of parliament.
According to calculations by bm.ge, the 2026 salaries will be as follows:
- President – 16,000 lari per month, 192,000 lari per year
- Prime Minister – 16,000 lari per month, 192,000 lari per year
- Minister – 13,600 lari per month, 163,200 lari per year
- First Deputy Minister – 12,000 lari per month, 144,000 lari per year
- Deputy Minister – 11,600 lari per month, 139,200 lari per year
- Speaker of Parliament – 16,000 lari per month, 192,000 lari per year
- First Deputy Speaker – 14,720 lari per month, 176,640 lari per year
- Deputy Speaker – 14,400 lari per month, 172,800 lari per year
- Parliamentary Committee Chair – 13,760 lari per month, 165,120 lari per year
- Member of Parliament – 12,800 lari per month, 153,600 lari per year
Pensions to increase by 20 lari
From 1 January, pensions in Georgia will also rise. The standard pension will increase by 20 lari to 370 lari, while those aged over 70 will receive 495 lari.
Pensioners living in mountainous areas will receive 444 lari, and those over 70 in these regions will get 594 lari.
A total of more than 6.93 billion lari has been allocated to social protection programmes in 2026.
Mandatory insurance for foreign tourists
From 1 January 2026, foreign tourists entering Georgia will be required to have medical and accident insurance. The policy must be written in Georgian and English, and tourists must carry it in either paper or electronic form. The insurance coverage must be at least 30,000 lari. Policies can be issued by either Georgian or foreign insurance companies.
Drivers to be fined for excessive noise
From 1 January 2026, a new provision of the administrative code will take effect, setting a maximum noise limit of 80 decibels for vehicles driving in populated areas at night, between 23:00 and 08:00.
Offenders will be fined 100 lari for a first violation, 200 lari for a second, and 300 lari for subsequent violations. Although fines for drivers making excessive noise at night were announced in 2025, the law’s implementation was postponed by a year.
Drivers to have confiscated licenses returned
From 1 January 2026, some drivers who had their licences revoked will have them restored. This applies in particular to those whose licences were suspended before 16 December 2025 for leaving the scene of an accident, drunk driving, drug use, or exceeding the allowed number of penalty points.
The change has sparked widespread debate on social media, with some citizens criticising the decision to allow offenders back behind the wheel.
Mandatory certification for veterinarians
From 1 January 2026, obtaining a state certificate will become mandatory for veterinarians and veterinary technicians. Practitioners are not allowed to work without the certificate. Certificates issued in 2025 will remain valid until 1 January 2030.
Systematic land registration to be discontinued
From 1 January 2026, the free systematic land registration programme will no longer be in effect. This reform, launched by Georgia’s Ministry of Justice in 2022, aimed to measure land plots across the country, carry out cadastral work, and register property rights. The end of 2025 was set as the completion date for the programme.
From 1 January 2026, land registration will continue only on a sporadic basis. Citizens who were unable to register their plots under the systematic programme will still be able to do so on an occasional basis until 1 January 2027, but a fee will apply.
Excise tax on imported cigarettes rises
From 1 January, imported cigarettes will be subject to an excise tax of 2.75 lari per 20 cigarettes, 85 tetri higher than the current rate. At the same time, the excise tax on locally produced cigarettes will be reduced by 60 tetri.
Change to school starting age
Under new rules, only children who turn six by 15 September each year will be eligible to start first grade. The school starting age has been adjusted several times in recent years, and in the past three years children under six were also admitted.
Changes to ID cards
ID cards will include new information, including an access code for reading data from the contactless chip and a QR code to verify the document or its holder. Fingerprints will also be taken when issuing ID cards. The changes will be introduced gradually from 1 January 2026.
Ban on single-use plastic tableware
From 1 January 2026, the production, import and sale of plastic forks, knives, spoons, chopsticks, plates, cups, straws and polystyrene food containers, including their lids, will be prohibited. Businesses will be given a transitional period to comply.
Stricter rules for hiring foreigners
Amendments to the Labour Migration Law will require foreigners to obtain a special permit to work in Georgia, and employers must justify their hiring. Employers and employees who breach the rules will face a 2,000 lari fine, doubling for repeat violations. The new penalties will take effect from 1 March 2026.
Guide certification becomes mandatory
From 1 June 2026, all mountain, ski and climbing guides must be certified and hold the relevant permit. The certification will be conducted by the Personnel Certification Authority authorised by the National Tourism Administration of Georgia. Uncertified guides will be fined 1,000 lari.
Amendments to the pet law
The Law on Pets, adopted in July 2025, will be implemented in stages from 2026. Owners will be required to:
- Take sick animals to a veterinary clinic;
- Report bites, scratches or injuries and ensure veterinary supervision in isolation;
- Immediately clean up any public contamination caused by their animal;
- Compensate for any damage caused to others;
- Arrange proper burial for deceased animals in line with Georgian law;
- Follow rules on breeding and care of animals;
- Be strictly monitored for leaving animals unattended.
- From 1 July 2026, stricter fines will apply for delays in rabies vaccination and spaying/neutering. From 1 January 2026, veterinary procedures for non-medical purposes will be prohibited, including ear and tail cropping, hoof removal, surgical claw removal, shortening of ears, and vocal cord procedures.
- The changes will also affect breeders, who will be fully responsible for ensuring proper animal care.
What will change from January 2026
