Parking in Georgia

Parking is simple in Georgia — you can park your vehicle wherever you find a vacant spot. Don’t worry that your car will be unattended in a dark yard, nobody will steal it.

Parking is allowed at any place where the vehicle does not obstruct road traffic. While local drivers may disregard this rule, you should not follow suit. Otherwise, you'll have to pay the fine.

Free parking

You can park your vehicle free of charge at any place where parking is allowed, and there is no paid parking signage. By the way, there are paid parking facilities only in Tbilisi, Kutaisi, and Batumi. However, you can find free parking spaces in those cities, too:

• Tbilisi: near the Bridge of Peace (opposite Rike Park) and near the Gabriadze Theater
• Batumi: walking around the “tourist” centre takes no more than 15 minutes. If you like, you can leave your car in any yard outside the city centre.
• Kutaisi: park your vehicle in the yards outside the city centre.
  

To avoid such troubles, please confirm with the hotel in advance whether or not you will need to pay for parking. Some hotels with a fenced area or hotels outside the city have their own parking space where guests can park their vehicles free of charge.

Paid parking

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Paid parking areas can be found can be found in Tbilisi, Batumi, and Kutaisi. They are designated by a “P” sign with the parking company logo:

• Tbilisi — Parking Tbilisi
• Batumi — Batumi Autotransport
• Kutaisi — Parking Service

There's only one parking company in each city, and it sets the same parking rates for all its car parks. So, you can pay conveniently for a day or week and park your vehicle at any car park in the city without the risk of getting a parking ticket. The same parking fee throughout the city means that you do not need to look for a "more affordable" price.

Paid Parking in Tbilisi

In Georgia’s capital, paid municipal parking is managed by Parking Tbilisi (website in Georgian — you can use your browser’s translation feature).

The central area (streets around Kote Abkhazi and Abanotubani) is divided into zones with hourly rates:

• Zone A – 1₾/hour (~$0.37)
• Zone B – 2₾/hour (~$0.74)
• Zone C – 3₾/hour (~$1.10)

The zone type and price are shown on the sign under the “P”.

For these hourly parking zones, you can also buy longer-term passes:

• Daily – 20₾ (~$7.35)
• Weekly – 100₾ (~$36.77)
• Monthly – 300₾ (~$110.32)

The most popular cities for car hire in Georgia

Parking attendants

At a car park, you can be approached by people in reflective vests with traffic wands (parking attendants). They are volunteers who help drivers park their cars and “supervise” from 3 to 10 parking bays.

An adequate tip for the parking service is 1-2 lari. If the "parking attendant" really helped you and was polite, why not reward him with a few lari? But if he behaves offhand, demands something and knocks on your car window, you don't have to pay him. You are not obliged to pay to "parking attendants".

Car parks with boom barriers

If you have a parking pass but drive into a gated lot (for example, at a market, train station, airport, or covered parking area), you’ll need to pay separately.

Rates are usually around 1–3₾/hour (~$0.37–1.10).

Airport parking

There are three parking lots at Tbilisi Airport. They are not free of charge. However, you don't have to pay if you stop for 5 minutes near the airport or for 10 minutes near the train station. Please note that the parking space to the left of the airport does not offer free minutes.

The parking rate at the Kutaisi Airport is $0.41 per hour.

Fines

Parking violations include parking where it’s explicitly prohibited, or leaving your car unpaid/expired in a paid zone.

Possible penalties:

• Fine – 10₾ (~$3.68)
• Towing + services – 50–150₾ (~$18.39–55.16)

Rules are enforced by municipal inspectors — unlike attendants, they don’t draw attention to themselves. They usually wear dark uniforms (plain shirts and trousers) and use tablets to check license plates, verify payments, take photos, and issue fines.

If your car got towed

Your vehicle may be towed in Georgia:

• If you parked in a handicapped zone without an appropriate permit
• If you parked at a sign saying that parking is prohibited
• If you left your car at a paid parking space without paying for longer than 12 hours
• If your parked vehicle obstructs the traffic.

If you do not find your car where you left it, don’t panic. Cars are rarely stolen in Georgia. You will most probably find your vehicle at the tow yard. Do as follows:

1. Call the local parking company. If they can't help you (which is uncommon), call the police (112), and they will tell you where's your car.
2. Go to the tow yard by taxi.
3. Receive your penalty charge notice. Pay the penalty at a bank. Return to the tow yard, show your passport, vehicle registration certificate, and payment slip.
4. Get your car back.

You need to get your car back on the same day because if your car stays at the impoundment lot for longer than 24 hours, you will pay additional 10 lari per day of vehicle impoundment.