Travel alerts & warnings
Georgia driving guide.
Driving in Georgia opens up mountain valleys, wine country and historic towns beyond the main tourist routes. Main highways are generally paved, but aggressive overtaking, livestock and rough mountain roads demand defensive driving.
- Advisory
- Normal precautions
- Drives on
- Right
- Best season
- May to June…
- Permit honored
- Yes
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Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
Georgia is generally a safe destination for travelers.
- Exercise normal precautionin Georgia.
- Review our Travel Guidance for Georgia to learn how to prepare for a safe trip.
- Do Not Travel To:
- The Russian-occupied Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia due to risk of crime, unrest, and landmines.
Driving there
Your permit in Georgia
- Georgia honors the International Driving Permit. The permit is a translation of your license into ten languages — it is not a license on its own.
- Carry your valid U.S. driver's license with the permit at all times. The permit is valid for one year and only while your U.S. license is valid.
- Rental companies and local police can be stricter than national law. Confirm the requirement with your rental company before you travel.
Advisory information is published by the U.S. Department of State and reproduced here for convenience. It can change at any time — always check the official advisory before you travel. USIDA does not issue travel advisories.
Before you drive
Top travel tips for Georgia
Road rules and speed limits
For passenger cars, usual limits are 60 km/h in built-up areas, 90 km/h outside them and 110 km/h on motorways, unless signs indicate otherwise. Wear seat belts, avoid handheld phone use and do not drink before driving.
Mountain driving
Snow, landslides and avalanche controls can close mountain roads, including the route to Stepantsminda. Check conditions before departure, avoid rural driving after dark and use low gears on steep descents. Remote routes such as Tusheti require a suitable high-clearance 4WD and experienced mountain driving.
Tolls and route planning
Georgia's public highways are generally toll-free, so ordinary touring does not require a motorway vignette. Allow extra time for roadworks, slow trucks and livestock; navigation estimates can be optimistic on mountain roads.
Fuel
Petrol, including 95-octane, and diesel are widely available in cities and along major highways. Confirm the required fuel with your rental company, refill before remote mountain journeys and carry Georgian lari for smaller stations where card payment may be unavailable.
Rentals and police checks
Carry your original driving licence, International Driving Permit, passport, rental agreement and vehicle insurance documents; the IDP does not replace your licence. Confirm rental restrictions on unpaved roads and remote regions. For police stops, pull over safely and request official documentation for any fine. Foreign-registered vehicles require Georgian third-party liability insurance.
Worth the drive
Places to see in Georgia
Mtskheta and Jvari Monastery
Mtskheta-Mtianeti · About 30–45 minutes from Tbilisi to Mtskheta; allow another 15–20 minutes to drive to Jvari.
Visit Georgia's ancient capital, Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and the hilltop monastery overlooking the river confluence.
Stepantsminda and Gergeti Trinity Church
Mtskheta-Mtianeti · About 3–4 hours from Tbilisi to Stepantsminda in good conditions, excluding sightseeing stops; closures can cause substantial delays.
Follow the Georgian Military Highway into the Greater Caucasus for dramatic mountain scenery and the iconic church beneath Mount Kazbek.
Sighnaghi
Kakheti · About 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours from Tbilisi.
Explore a compact hilltop town with defensive walls, Alazani Valley views and nearby wineries; arrange a designated driver for tastings.
Uplistsikhe Cave Town
Shida Kartli · About 20–30 minutes from Gori.
Walk through an ancient rock-cut settlement with chambers, tunnels and views over the Mtkvari River.
Prometheus Cave
Imereti · About 30–40 minutes from Kutaisi.
Tour an extensive limestone cave with illuminated formations, easily combined with a visit to nearby Tskaltubo.
Batumi Botanical Garden
Adjara · About 20–30 minutes from central Batumi, longer in summer traffic.
Enjoy subtropical plant collections and hillside walking paths overlooking the Black Sea.
Heading to Georgia?
Apply online in about ten minutes. We print and mail your permit, and you can track it the whole way.