Гидравлика — гид по БатумиBatumi Guideby Lera Rawlick

A car in Batumi

Rental, licences, buying and registering, parking, fines, towing and what to do after a crash.

checked in August 2026

Inside Batumi a car is more nuisance than help: the city is compact and central parking is paid and full. For the mountains, the waterfalls and the far beaches it is indispensable — public transport barely goes there.

🔑 Driving licences

A foreign licence

Your national licence is enough if the details are also written in Latin script. An international permit is not required but makes the conversation with the police easier.

A Georgian licence

A foreigner can get one, but since 2025 you need a residence permit or proof that you spent more than 185 days in the country over the last 12 months. Tests are taken at the Interior Ministry service centres; Batumi has one.

Where:
Interior Ministry Service Agency, 7a Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani St

🚗 A car earns its keep out of town — Makhuntseti, Gonio, mountain Adjara, the far beaches. Public transport hardly goes there, and a taxi for a whole day costs more than the rental.

🚙 Where to rent

  • Localrent — popular with Russian-speaking visitors, with a wide choice of local operators; some cars come with a small deposit or none.
  • EconomyBookings — an aggregator for comparing prices and terms across rental companies.
  • TakeCars — rentals from local operators, with cars and terms comparable online.
  • GetRentacar — a marketplace of offers from different owners and rental firms.
  • DW Auto — a local Batumi rental company with cars across several classes.

📝 What to check when renting

  • Basic insurance is included and covers crash damage, but not fines.
  • Film the car all the way round when you pick it up — it makes the return easier.
  • Ask whether you may leave Georgia: not every company allows Turkey.
  • Check the spare wheel and the jack — mountain roads demand it.

🅿️ Parking and fines

Paid parking

Parking in the centre is paid. You pay and check what you owe on the city transport site.

Parking fine

Around 50 ₾ in Batumi and other large cities. If you disagree, you can appeal in court within 30 days.

Check your fines:
police.ge

Towing

A parking enforcement service works in the centre, towing abandoned cars and those occupying spaces commercially. If your car is gone, check the pound before you report a theft.

📋 Buying and registering

  1. 1Check the VIN and the history — Georgia is full of crash-damaged imports from the US.
  2. 2Registration happens at an Interior Ministry service centre, where an inspector checks the VIN on the forecourt.
  3. 3Foreign plates and the registration document are handed to the police for safekeeping.
  4. 4Pay the fees. Check the exact amount on sa.gov.ge: published figures vary, from around fifty lari for plates to a couple of hundred for temporary registration.
  5. 5You receive the vehicle document and the plates. The process takes hours, not weeks.
  6. 6The technical inspection is a separate step and is compulsory for most cars.

💥 What to do after a crash

  1. 1Do not move the cars until the police arrive — it matters for the report.
  2. 2Call 112: the police handle crashes, there is no separate number.
  3. 3Photograph everything: the position of the cars, the damage, the plates, the road.
  4. 4Take the other driver's details and those of any witnesses.
  5. 5If the car is rented, call the company straight away: they have their own procedure and insurer.
  6. 6Wait for the report: without it the insurer will cover nothing.

🔗 Official sources