State regulation of activities and actions by permits and licenses is carried out only in the event, when this activity or an action is immediately associated with increased threat to human health or life, or spheres of government and public interests.

Basic principles of regulation of activities and actions through licenses and permits are:
a) to ensure and protect human life and health safety;
b) to ensure and protect safety of human living and cultural environment;
c) to protect state and public interests

License is the right to exercise a certain activity, as prescribed by the law. Main types of licenses are:

User license – type of license under which a person is granted the right to use certain state resources. User license shall be issued by auction for a certain period of time;

Operating license – type of license under which a person is granted the right to exercise an activity under this Law. Operating license is used for an indefinite term.

Permit – the right to exercise an action, for a definite or indefinite term.

Environment Impact Permit is issued by Georgian Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, as prescribed by the law, for an indefinite term.

Prior to the issuance, it is necessary to study and examine a planned activity that is intended to protect individual components of the environment, people, as well as landscapes and cultural heritage. The EIA shall examine, identify and describe direct and indirect impact of an activity on human health and safety, vegetation and the animal world, soil, air, water, climate, landscape, ecosystems and historical monuments, or on a combination of all the above factors, including the impact of these factors on cultural values (cultural heritage) and socioeconomic factors.

According to the legislation, developers shall be obliged to arrange a public review of the EIA reports before they are submitted to a permit issuing administrative body.

An ecological examination of the appropriate documentation submitted by a developer is performed, based on which a conclusion of the ecological examination is drawn up.

The permit shall be issued only in case of a positive conclusion of the ecological examination.