Building a house on agricultural land in Georgia

Under the Law on Land Designation and Sustainable Management, an agricultural plot may carry an individual house, farm buildings or auxiliary buildings. Under the Spatial Planning Code, a house on a private agricultural plot is allowed if it fits the zone or existing buildings; outside settlements, no permit is issued for housing.

Changes of designation are decided by the Public Registry and require a justified need. If an approved development plan changes the zone, the owner's application is enough. A commission gives its opinion within 15 days and the decision follows within 5; the registration fee is GEL 50.

Compensation for a change of designation

• Only in special-regulation territories — GEL 100,000 per hectare
• In Tbilisi and Batumi — GEL 34,001 per hectare
• Elsewhere no compensation; state and municipal land is exempt
• Paid in proportion to the area, before the final decision

Changing the category

Agricultural land can only move 'up' a category — e.g. pasture to hay meadow, arable or household plot, arable to household plot — on the owner's application. Building a house also needs a municipal building permit.