Georgia announces large-scale amnesty for suspended driving licences

Georgia’s parliament has approved legislation initiating a large-scale amnesty for drivers whose licences were suspended on various legal grounds, following an initiative by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs said around 35,500 people currently have suspended driving licences. Under the new legislation, the amnesty applies to drivers whose licences were suspended up to and including 16 December 2025 for offences such as leaving the scene of a road accident, driving under the influence of alcohol, drug use, or the exhaustion of penalty points.

The authorities said that approximately 780 drivers whose licences were suspended due to the exhaustion of penalty points will have their driving rights automatically restored from 1 January 2026, with their licences reset to 100 points.

Drivers whose licences were suspended due to unpaid fines - estimated at around 11,000 people - will regain their driving rights only after settling the outstanding penalties.

The amnesty does not provide automatic reinstatement for approximately 3,500 drivers whose licences were suspended for drug use. In these cases, driving rights may be restored only after submitting a medical-forensic assessment confirming compliance with legal requirements.

For an estimated 20,000 drivers whose licences were suspended for driving under the influence of alcohol or leaving the scene of an accident, the Ministry of Internal Affairs says it will publish information confirming exemption from administrative penalties on its official website by 1 February 2026. Publication of this information will serve as confirmation that driving rights have been reinstated.

The amnesty also applies to certain drug-related criminal offences under Articles 260(1) and 273 of Georgia’s Criminal Code. Affected individuals must apply to a commission under the Ministry of Justice responsible for reviewing suspended sentences.

However, the amnesty does not apply to cases involving large-scale drug possession, trafficking or sale, nor to serious traffic safety violations under Article 276 of the Criminal Code.

The legislation also abolishes provisions allowing drivers to restore driving rights ahead of time following administrative offences, with authorities saying repeat violations will be subject to stricter penalties.