Georgia lowers speeding fines after recent increase

Georgian authorities have decided to ease penalties for speeding less than two months after doubling them, with the draft amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences presented today by the leader of the parliamentary majority, Irakli Kirtskhalia.

He said the changes are intended to make the penalty system more “differentiated,” Caliber.Az reports, citing Georgian media.

Since May 1, 2026, fines for exceeding the speed limit by 15–40 km/h have increased from 50 lari ($19) to 100 lari ($38), while more serious violations carry fines of up to 300 lari ($114).

However, authorities are now proposing to restore the previous 50-lari fine for exceeding the limit by 15–30 km/h instead of 100 lari ($38).

The 100-lari ($38) fine for exceeding the limit by 30–40 km/h will remain unchanged.

For violations of 40–50 km/h, drivers will pay 100 lari ($38) instead of the current 300 lari ($114), while the 300-lari penalty will be retained only for those exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 km/h.

Explaining the decision, Kirtskhalia said the authorities did not see any change in behaviour following the increase in fines.

“A fine must deliver results and perform a preventive function. We monitored the statistics and saw that the indicator we expected to change did not change,” he told journalists.

The initiative comes as a concession to Georgian motorists, who have been actively criticising the new penalties on social media in recent months.

At the same time, budget revenues from road fines had continued to rise sharply even before the increase. According to the Ministry of Finance, the state collected 79.7 million lari ($30.3 million) from traffic fines in January–March, more than double the figure a year earlier, when revenues stood at 38.7 million lari ($14.7 million).

The parliament is expected to consider the amendments in the near future.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov