How do rental contracts and deposits work in Georgia in 2026?

Civil Code practice requires a written real-estate lease. Notarisation is not usually required for the contract to bind landlord and tenant, though notarised powers of attorney and registry filings still need proper form. Name both parties, the exact address, cadastral code, rent amount and currency, payment date, lease term, notice rules, who pays utilities, and how the deposit returns. Georgian is the language that matters in a dispute; keep a matching English or Russian version you actually understand.

Confirm the signer matches the NAPR owner or holds a notarised power of attorney before you pay: Avoid rental scams and How to rent a home. Spell whether rent is fixed in lari or quoted in USD with a GEL payment rule. Ambiguous exchange maths creates month-two fights. Search and price context: Rent in Georgia.

Expect roughly one to two months’ security deposit plus first month on move-in, sometimes more for premium Vera or seafront stock. Separate deposit, rent, and any agent fee on receipts. Photograph meters, appliances, heating, damp patches, and walls at handover, then share the set with the landlord the same day. Normal wear should not become a blanket deposit grab; write that standard into the exit clause.

Lease registration at the National Agency of Public Registry (NAPR) is not required for every private flat. Practitioner guidance states registration is mandatory for the lease right to arise when a private-law legal entity is a party and the term exceeds one year. For ordinary person-to-person leases, registration is optional but helps if the building sells, because a registered lease sits on the title a buyer’s lawyer reads. Fees and service lines change; confirm at the Public Service Hall or NAPR counter when you file.

Pay by bank transfer once you have a local account: Open a bank account. Keep utility rules explicit for electricity, gas, water, and fibre: Utilities, internet, and transport.