Car rentals in Georgia

Driving in Georgia: Essential Rules

Georgia rewards drivers more than almost any country in the Caucasus. The Georgian Military Highway to Kazbegi, the wine country of Kakheti, the medieval towers of Svaneti, and the Black Sea coast at Batumi are all built for road trips, and a hire car is the practical way to link them. Main routes are in better condition than most first-time visitors expect, but mountain driving here is genuinely serious, and a few rules differ from Western Europe.

• Side of the road: In Georgia you drive on the right-hand side and overtake on the left, in line with the rest of continental Europe.
• Alcohol — treat as zero tolerance: Georgia enforces its drink-driving laws strictly, with sources describing the limit anywhere from a genuine zero to a very low threshold. Roadside breath tests are common and penalties escalate quickly. The only safe approach is not to drink at all if you are driving.
• Speed enforcement: Fixed speed cameras operate on major routes, including the E60 and the Georgian Military Highway, and fines are issued automatically. Georgian law bans radar detector devices outright — using or carrying one risks an on-the-spot fine and confiscation.
• Mountain roads need real respect: Georgia's mountain regions — Svaneti, Kazbegi, and Tusheti among them — offer spectacular driving, but roads are often narrow, with hairpin bends and drop-offs that may have no guardrail. Some routes, including the road to Tusheti over the Abano Pass and the Mestia–Ushguli track in Svaneti, are rough gravel or mud tracks that many rental suppliers explicitly prohibit for standard cars — confirm with your supplier before planning a route into these areas, and expect an AWD or 4WD requirement where they are permitted at all.
• Winter road closures: Mountain passes are affected by snow from December to February. The Georgian Military Highway to Kazbegi is generally kept open by snowploughs except in extreme weather, but the Tusheti road closes entirely for the winter — roughly October to May — and the Mestia–Ushguli route becomes effectively impassable in deep snow. Check current road status before any winter mountain trip.
• Mandatory equipment and documents: Carry your driving licence, passport, rental agreement, and insurance documents at all times — police checks are routine. A licence in Latin script is accepted without an International Driving Permit; non-Latin licences need one.
• Trucks and driving culture: Expect heavy freight traffic on routes like the East–West Highway and the Georgian Military Highway, and a driving style that is more assertive than Western Europe — give trucks and local traffic plenty of room rather than contesting the lane.
• Mobile phones: Handheld phone use while driving is illegal; hands-free use, including for navigation, is permitted.

Georgia currently has no toll roads — all roads and tunnels, including the motorway network, are free to use. A national toll system has been discussed for future introduction, so this is worth a periodic re-check as the network develops.

Georgia Car Hire Insurance

Every car hire listed on eCarBookers includes the supplier's standard collision damage waiver (CDW) in the basic rate. Standard CDW carries an excess — the amount you would be responsible for in the event of damage. Excess amounts vary by supplier and vehicle class, and the exact figure is displayed clearly before you confirm your booking, so there are no surprises at the desk. You confirm your booking online and pay the balance at the rental desk when you collect the car — unlike most booking platforms, eCarBookers does not charge the full rental amount at the time of booking.

If you prefer to drive with no excess at all, fully comprehensive zero-excess cover is available directly from your supplier when you collect the car. The cover comes from the hire company itself, not a third-party insurer — so once added, there is no excess to pay and no reimbursement claim to file. Because your booking confirmation shows the standard excess that applies, you arrive knowing exactly what the cover replaces.

Certain situations fall outside standard CDW cover across the car hire industry. Tyres, glass, underbody damage, lost or damaged keys, and a flat battery caused by driver error — such as leaving the lights on while the vehicle is unattended — are typically not covered and may result in a separate charge if they occur. Given the state of some of Georgia's mountain roads, tyre and underbody cover deserve particular attention, and driving on prohibited mountain routes is typically excluded from cover entirely — check your booking confirmation for the specific cover terms applicable to your hire, as scope can vary by supplier.

Cross-border travel with a Georgian hire car is generally restricted, and travel into or near the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia is not permitted under any circumstances. Where a supplier does allow travel into a neighbouring country such as Armenia, written authorisation arranged at the time of booking is essential. Never attempt a border crossing without confirmed permission from your supplier, as doing so voids your insurance entirely.

Popular Car Hire Locations in Georgia

eCarBookers compares car hire across Georgia's key collection points. Tbilisi is the gateway for most visitors, with collection at the international airport and in the city itself, while Batumi serves the Black Sea coast and Kutaisi covers the west, including the routes into Svaneti. Every location follows the same model: book online, see every cost before you confirm, and pay the balance at the desk on collection.