Registering an online shop business in Georgia — what to know in 2026

To sell online for real in Georgia (the country in the Caucasus, not the U.S. state), you normally need to register a business too — for most small sellers, that means individual entrepreneur status. Registering a business in Georgia is known for being comparatively fast and inexpensive by international standards, but this article is general orientation, not legal or tax advice — always verify your specific situation with an accountant, a lawyer, or official sources.

When you need to register

A one-off sale to a friend or clearing out a hobby item doesn't call for registration yet. But once selling becomes regular — you keep an ongoing catalog, take repeat orders, and the income is ongoing in nature — that's trade, not a hobby. When in doubt, it's better to sort out registration before your first real order than to chase it later.

Individual entrepreneur or LLC

For a solo seller, individual entrepreneur (IE) status is the most common and simplest route — the business and you as a person are the same legal entity. An LLC (შპს) makes more sense once you have partners or want the company to stand as a separate entity from you personally. Which form fits depends on your plans — it's worth talking to an accountant or lawyer before deciding.

Where and how registration happens

Business registration in Georgia goes through the public registry — in practice, through the Public Service Hall (იუსტიციის სახლი). The process is known internationally for being fast and simple. The exact list of documents and steps changes over time, so the best source is always the official channels — verify the current requirements before you register rather than relying on an old set of instructions you found online.

Taxes — what to verify

After registering, your tax relationship is with the Revenue Service (შემოსავლების სამსახური, rs.ge). Preferential small-business tax statuses exist for small-volume sellers — they're real, and many small businesses use them — but the specific rates and turnover thresholds change over time, so this article doesn't name them. Always confirm the current terms on rs.ge or with an accountant before deciding on a status.

Bank account and card payments

To accept card payments from buyers, you need your own banking relationship — for example, with Bank of Georgia or TBC, in Tbilisi or anywhere in the country. On Sellit, money paid by card lands directly in your own account — the platform never holds it. Sellit's first month is free, then it's 89 GEL/month plus 1% of sales; details are at sellit.ge/pricing.

What buyers expect from a registered shop

The basics of buyer trust are simple: a clear price, understandable delivery and return terms, and real contact details. This isn't a legal checklist — it's just what any buyer expects from a serious shop, and what they notice within the first few seconds.

Common mistakes

• Putting off registration until volume is already large — the longer you wait, the more there is to catch up on.
• Treating a tax status as automatic instead of verifying its current terms.
• Mixing personal and business money in one account — it complicates bookkeeping and hurts trust.
• Not showing delivery and return terms in the shop.

This article is general orientation, not legal or tax advice — always verify your specific situation with an accountant, a lawyer, or official sources. The legal step is yours, but building the shop takes minutes — at sellit.ge.