Is a notary needed to buy an apartment in Georgia?
Not always. If the parties sign the contract themselves, it is executed at a Public Service Hall without a notary. A notary is mandatory for a deal under a power of attorney issued abroad, for a notarial deposit and for a pledge on a private loan.
If the buyer and seller sign the contract themselves, a notary is not mandatory: the sale and purchase contract is signed at a Public Service Hall and submitted straight away for registration in the Public Registry. Many people do exactly that, especially when both parties are on site and speak the same language. Registration then works the same way as with a notarised deal, and the registry fee depends on the chosen deadline.
Is a notary needed if you cannot come
A notary is mandatory if you cannot come and the deal is signed by your representative under a power of attorney issued abroad: since 20 October 2023 such deals are registered only in notarial form. The power of attorney itself is then executed before a notary in your country and apostilled, and its text is agreed with a Georgian notary in advance. A notary is also needed to certify a power of attorney in Georgia, for a notarial deposit, when the notary holds the money until the deal's conditions are met, and for a pledge securing a loan not from a bank.
When a notary is useful even if not mandatory
When the buyer does not speak Georgian: the notary reads out the contract, the interpreter translates, and you sign only when everything is clear. When you want an independent lawyer to read the contract. But a notary is neutral: they are responsible for the form of the deal and the identity of the parties, not for the choice of apartment. The legal status of the property is checked before the visit. More on the pages about a notary in Batumi and a deal under a power of attorney.