Do you need a lawyer to buy property in Georgia?
No law requires one. A buyer can sign at a Public Service Hall or before a notary and register the purchase without a lawyer, and a simple resale purchase can be completed that way. But the registry and the notary check the documents they register, not whether the deal is good for you: whether the developer can finish, whether a floor is permitted, whether the contract protects your money. That is a lawyer's work, and for a new build, a purchase from abroad or any deal with a complication, it is usually worth paying for.
This guide explains who may practise as a lawyer in Georgia, how to check one, what a property check should cover, how fees work, and what to agree in writing before the work starts.
Who is a lawyer in Georgia?
The Law on Lawyers regulates advocates: members of the Georgian Bar Association who have higher legal education, have passed the lawyers' qualification exam and completed a one-year professional adaptation programme. Only Georgian citizens can be advocates, and the Bar Association publishes a register of its members. Advocates answer to the law and to a code of professional ethics, and a breach can lead to a warning, suspension or loss of membership.
Other law graduates can also give legal advice and draft documents, but they are outside this regulation, and in a property deal anyone with a power of attorney can act as your representative. For advice you will rely on, choosing a registered advocate, or a firm whose lawyers are registered, gives you a professional standard and a complaints route.
How to check a lawyer
- The register. Search the name in the Bar Association's online members register, which shows the registration number and specialisation; law firms have their own register.
- Experience. Ask how many purchases by foreigners the lawyer handled in the past year, and whether they include new builds.
- Independence. Ask whether the lawyer works for the developer, the seller or the agent in this or related matters.
- Language. Agree in which language you will receive advice and reports.
What should a property check cover?
A legal check usually centres on a fresh extract from the Public Registry and goes from there. A thorough check covers:
Ask for the result as a short written report: what was checked, what was found, and what remains open.
What a lawyer adds, by type of purchase
| Purchase | Main legal questions |
|---|---|
| Resale flat, both parties present | Title, encumbrances, the seller's family consents, a clean contract |
| New build from a developer | Permit and floors, the developer's record, the payment schedule, delay and refund clauses, the preliminary ownership right |
| Buying from abroad | The power of attorney, documents with apostilles, signing by a representative, payment through a deposit |
| Buying from a foreigner | Foreign documents, the seller's marriage, payment to an account abroad |
| Buying through a company | The company's structure, tax position and authority to sign |
What does a lawyer cost?
There is no official fee scale. The Law on Lawyers requires a lawyer to work under an agreement with the client and to explain all the financial obligations of the case, and the code of ethics requires the method and rate of the fee to be known to and accepted by the client in advance. Firms charge fixed fees for defined tasks, hourly rates or a percentage of the price.
As an example only, one Tbilisi legal-services website publishes these prices, all plus 18% VAT: a due diligence check for GEL 300, contract review at GEL 75 per page, registration assistance for GEL 600, a power of attorney prepared locally for GEL 400, and full purchase assistance at 2.5% of the price with a minimum of GEL 7,500. Other firms publish no prices. Compare quotes on the same written scope, not on the headline number.
To be added by the team: AVI Estates to add the scope and fixed fee of its partner lawyer's property check, as an alternative to the published examples.
Whose lawyer is it?
Georgian ethics rules forbid a lawyer to advise or represent two clients in the same or a related matter where their interests conflict, and the rule extends to the whole firm. A lawyer who also works for the developer or the seller cannot protect you against them. Be careful with a lawyer recommended by the agent or the developer, and ask directly who else the lawyer acts for. The same rules forbid lawyers to pay or receive referral commissions.
Confidentiality and anti-money-laundering checks
A lawyer must keep what you say confidential without time limit. At the same time, lawyers who act for a client in buying, selling or gifting real estate, or who manage a client's money or property, are covered by the anti-money-laundering law. They must identify you and any beneficial owner, establish the purpose of the business, and where necessary check where your money comes from; a one-off transaction above GEL 15,000 triggers these checks. If the checks cannot be completed, the lawyer may not act. Expect to show your passport and, for larger sums, documents on your source of funds.
A lawyer must also keep a client's money separate from their own and account for it on request. For the purchase price itself, a notary's deposit or a bank escrow is usually the cleaner route; see our guide to safe payment.
How to hire a lawyer, step by step
Shortlist and check the register
Two or three advocates or firms, confirmed in the Bar Association's register.
Describe the deal
The property, the seller, the price, the timetable and whether you will be in Georgia.
Ask for a written scope and quote
What will be checked, what is excluded, the fee and how it is calculated.
Confirm independence
In writing, that the lawyer does not act for the other side.
Sign the agreement
And, if needed, a power of attorney limited to this purchase.
Receive the report before paying
No deposit before the lawyer has seen the extract and the draft contract.
If you will not be in Georgia, our guide to the power of attorney explains how to authorise a lawyer to sign for you.
Lawyer, notary, agent: who does what?
A notary certifies documents and checks identities and powers but acts for the legality of the deal, not for you. An agent finds the property and negotiates, is unregulated in Georgia and is usually paid by a commission tied to the sale. A lawyer is the only one of the three whose duty is to your interests. For a simple resale purchase you may need only the notary or the Public Service Hall; for a complex one, the lawyer is the person who reads everything first.
If something goes wrong
Anyone whose rights were infringed by an advocate can complain to the Bar Association's Ethics Commission online, on paper, by post or by e-mail, free of charge and within five years. The Commission decides on breaches of professional duties; disputes about the size of a fee, refunds or damages are matters for the civil courts.
Questions to ask before hiring
- Are you a member of the Georgian Bar Association, and what is your registration number?
- Do you, or anyone in your firm, act for the seller, the developer or the agent?
- What exactly will you check, and what is outside the scope?
- Is the fee fixed, hourly or a percentage, and does it include VAT?
- Will you attend the signing and check the new extract after registration?
- In which language will I receive your report, and how quickly?
Working with a lawyer from abroad
A foreign buyer does not have to meet the lawyer in person. Working at a distance goes well if the arrangement is clear: scans of every document go to the lawyer before any payment, the power of attorney is limited to this purchase, the fee is paid by bank transfer against an invoice, and the lawyer reports in writing in your language at each stage. Ask for video calls at the key moments, before the deposit and before signing, and keep the written report as part of your purchase file.
Frequently asked questions
Is a lawyer required to buy property in Georgia?
No, but a lawyer is the only professional in the deal who works for your interests.
How do I know a lawyer is licensed?
Search the Georgian Bar Association's online register of members.
Can a foreigner be a lawyer in Georgia?
Only Georgian citizens can be advocates under the Law on Lawyers.
How much does a property lawyer charge?
There is no official scale; one published price list starts at GEL 300 plus VAT for a due diligence check.
Can the developer's lawyer act for me?
No, ethics rules forbid acting for both sides where their interests conflict.
Why does my lawyer ask about my money?
Lawyers in property deals must carry out anti-money-laundering checks, including on the source of funds where necessary.
Can my lawyer sign for me?
Yes, with a notarised power of attorney limited to the purchase.
Where do I complain about a lawyer?
To the Bar Association's Ethics Commission, free of charge, within five years.
Sources
- Law of Georgia on Lawyers (Articles 1, 2, 6-11, 19, 21, 32-35.1), Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Code of Professional Ethics for Lawyers of Georgia, Georgian Bar Association via CCBE (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Members registry, Georgian Bar Association (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Ethics Commission: frequently asked questions, Georgian Bar Association (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Law of Georgia on Facilitating the Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing (Articles 3, 10, 11), Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Real Estate 2026: Georgia, Chambers and Partners (MB Legal), 7 May 2026 (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Real estate legal services and pricing, ExpatHub (accessed 18 October 2026)
Change log
- - Guide published from the Law on Lawyers, the Bar Association code of ethics and register, the AML law and Chambers 2026.