White Taxis to Be Mandatory in Tbilisi from 2019

From October 1, 2019, all taxis in the capital of Georgia must be white. The decision was made by the City Hall and announced by Mayor Kakha Kaladze on Wednesday.

“Some visual standards for taxis in the capital will be mandatory from October 1, 2019. We have had a lot of discussions about the color. We decided on white as the mandatory color for Tbilisi taxis from October next year,” he said, adding that three-door vehicles as well as right-hand-drive vehicles will not be allowed to provide this service. The Mayor called on all taxi drivers to apply for the mandatory registration launched on August 1, which must be completed by November 2018.

“More than 6,200 licenses have been issued. Providing the service without a license will be impossible from October 1. There will be a very strict attitude towards those who do not have the license – a 200 GEL fine,” Kaladze said.

Taxi drivers who want a permit to taxi need to fill in the online application at www.taxi.tbilisi.gov.ge and afterwards pay a one-year permit fee of 50 GEL for hybrid vehicles, 100 GEL for ordinary cars. There is no charge for eco-friendly electronic vehicles.

A permit-seeker who has already passed authorization then needs to indicate the unique taxi code and registration number of the vehicle, after which the vehicle will be reflected in the applicant’s personal space, creating an electronic application for permission.

The applicant will then receive an invoice stateing the registration fee, which can be paid online or at the bank. The permit will be issued only in electronic form, upon payment of the fee.

The permit certificate, which the driver receives electronically, contains the following data: the driver's photo, driver's name and surname, permit number, date of issue of the permit and validity period, state number of vehicle, model of transport, and a fast feedback code (QR code).

By Thea Morrison