How to Read a Georgian Registry Extract — and the Cadastral Code Trap

The extract from the National Agency of Public Registry is the only reliable statement of who owns a Georgian property and what is registered against it. It shows the owner, the cadastral code, the area, and any mortgages, tax liens, court restrictions or third-party claims. It is inexpensive, available online or at any Public Service Hall, and it is the document that stands between a purchase and a dispute. If you read nothing else before paying, read this.

What is NAPR and what does the extract show?

The National Agency of Public Registry is a public-law body under the Ministry of Justice. It registers immovable property rights, public-law restrictions, tax liens and mortgages. An up-to-date extract typically shows:

• The cadastral code — the property's unique identifier.
• The registered owner or owners, with their shares if there is more than one.
• The area and property type.
• Encumbrances: mortgages, tax liens, seizures, court-ordered restrictions.
• Registered claims by third parties.

A clean extract does not guarantee a perfect purchase, but a dirty one reliably warns you off a bad one.

The cadastral code trap

This is the part that catches foreign buyers and is worth reading twice. Georgian cadastral codes are dotted numbers such as 01.10.14.003.043. They identify a specific registered object.

Here is the problem. An apartment block sits on one plot of land, and that plot has its own cadastral code and its own area. Every flat in the building also has its own separate code and its own extract. If someone sends you "the cadastral code" and you look it up, you may be reading the extract for the land under the building — with an area of hundreds or thousands of square metres and an owner who is the developer or a collective — rather than for the apartment you are buying.

Two quick checks:

• Does the area on the extract match the apartment? If the extract says 1,800 m2 and you are buying 62 m2, you have the plot, not the flat.
• Does the code on the extract match the code in the draft contract, digit for digit? Not the address — the code. Addresses are approximate; codes are not.

Kavlian's vetted agents pull and read these extracts as routine. If you are not sure what you have been sent, ask before you transfer anything — it costs nothing.

When should you check the registry?

When should you check the registry?

Moment	Why
Before paying any deposit	To confirm the seller is the registered owner and the property is unencumbered.
Before signing the contract	The contract should describe the property by cadastral code, matching the extract.
Again on the day of signing	This is the step people skip. A mortgage or a lien can be registered at any time between your first check and completion. The extract is only true for the day it was issued.
After registration	To confirm the transfer actually landed and your name is on it.

What should make you stop?

• The seller is not the registered owner and cannot produce a valid power of attorney.
• A mortgage is registered and no one has explained how and when it will be discharged.
• A seizure or court restriction appears. Do not proceed on a promise that it will be lifted.
• Multiple owners and only one of them is signing.
• The area or code does not match the contract or the apartment you viewed.
• The extract is weeks old. Ask for a fresh one; they are cheap.

What about unregistered alterations?

An extract describes the registered state of the property, not its physical state. An apartment where walls have been removed or a balcony enclosed without permission can have a perfectly clean extract while differing from what is registered. This is why a document check and a physical viewing are two separate tasks and neither replaces the other — see our guide to what to inspect in older buildings.

This is general guidance, not legal advice. Have a qualified Georgian lawyer review the extract and the contract before you commit funds.

FAQ

Can I order an extract myself?

Yes. Extracts are obtainable through the Public Registry, online or in person at a Public Service Hall, for a small fee. You do not need the seller's permission to check a property by cadastral code.

Is the extract in English?

Documents are issued in Georgian. Have someone you trust read it — a translation app on a phone is not a due diligence process.

How current is "up to date"?

Treat an extract as describing the day it was issued. For the final signing, same-day is the standard to aim for.

Does a clean extract mean the property is safe to buy?

It removes the largest and most common category of risk. It does not tell you about build quality, unpermitted alterations, or whether the building is maintained.

Have the document read before you pay

Kavlian connects you with vetted local specialists who check ownership and encumbrances as a matter of routine, free of charge. Talk to a specialist or browse verified listings.