Construction Code of Georgia (No. 3213): what matters for a ventilated facade
The Code sets who designs, signs and reviews a facade project in Georgia. Here are the articles a facade engineer actually uses.
The Code of Georgia on Spatial Planning, Architectural and Construction Activities (No. 3213-რს of 20 July 2018, in force since 3 June 2019) is the top of the hierarchy for every facade project. It contains no rules on cladding systems, but it decides who may design, who must sign, what is reviewed and how products enter the market. This article lists the provisions a facade designer meets in practice. The official English text is on matsne.gov.ge: Code of Georgia, English version.
Provisions that matter for a facade
| Article | What it says | Consequence for the facade |
|---|---|---|
| 78 | Basic requirements for buildings are set by the Code, technical regulations and standards. When the Government prepares regulations it takes Eurocodes and other international norms into account. | Eurocodes are a reference for regulation makers, not a mandatory design standard. See Eurocodes in Georgia. |
| 87 | Thermal calculation of the building envelope is a mandatory principle. | The facade section needs a thermal calculation; limit values come from Resolution No. 354. |
| 96 | Structures are divided into five classes: I minimal risk, II low, III medium, IV high, V increased technical risk. | The class sets the review and signature requirements for the project. |
| 98 | Who signs the design documents. | Architect and design engineer take responsibility for the sections they sign. |
| 99 | Expert review is carried out by an accredited inspection body and/or a certified expert, with liability insurance. | The facade calculations are read by an independent reviewer. |
| 101 | Permitting in two stages: conditions of land use, then the construction permit. | Facade decisions that change the appearance of the building belong in the permit documents. |
| 140 | Mandatory certification of architects, civil engineers and experts. | Currently suspended; see below. |
| 142, para 10 | The act on construction products takes Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 into account. | The legal basis for Resolution No. 476 on declarations of performance. |
Building classes (Article 96)
The Code defines five classes, from I (minimal risk) to V (increased technical risk). The criteria for buildings are given in Annex 1 to Government Resolution No. 255 of 31 May 2019 (version of Resolution No. 269 of 2019). The class is set by the highest characteristic: any parameter above a threshold raises the class.
| Class | Area | Height | Foundation depth | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| II | up to 500 m² | up to 12 m | up to 4 m | up to 7 m |
| III | up to 6000 m² | up to 22 m | over 4 m | up to 12 m |
| IV | over 6000 m² | over 22 m | pile foundation | over 12 m |
Class I covers the smallest buildings (up to 50 m² and 5 m, no residential use). Annex 1 does not define class V for buildings.
For a facade designer the class matters twice: it decides which parts of the design go to expert review (see Resolution No. 255), and the 12 m height line is also where the fire rules for exterior walls change (see Resolution No. 41).
Who signs and who is responsible (Article 98)
- For classes II to IV the architectural design and the architectural sketch are signed by an architect.
- The structural scheme and structural design are signed by a design engineer.
- The author is responsible for compliance with the technical regulations.
- For class I any person may prepare the documents.
A ventilated facade is usually a subcontracted design package. The facade engineer prepares the calculations and drawings, but the signature on the structural section rests with the licensed design engineer of the project, so the package should be delivered in a form that engineer can check and adopt. See permits and expert review for facades.
Certification of engineers (Article 140) is suspended
Article 140 requires certification of architects, civil engineers and experts. Its application has been suspended until 20 December 2026 by Law No. 1641-Vმს-XIმპ of 9 June 2026, published on 11 June 2026. Until then, expert review and technical supervision are carried out, alongside accredited bodies, by persons under the temporary procedure of Article 141, part 9. The deadline has been extended several times before (earlier dates were 1 March 2024 and 1 December 2025), so check its status before every submission. The law is available here: Law on the amendment of the Code (suspension of Article 140).
Amendments in 2026
Parliament adopted several amendments to the Code in May and June 2026 (Laws No. 1626, No. 1641 and No. 1821). These are amendments, not a new edition of the Code. Check the current consolidated version on matsne.gov.ge.
What the Code does not contain
- No requirements for ventilated facades as a system. There is no special Georgian norm on rainscreen or ventilated facades.
- No technical values: loads, U-values and fire tests are set by the technical regulations (see the sections on seismic and climate regulations).
- No mandatory Eurocodes.
A facade design in Georgia is therefore assembled from the Code, several regulations and the technical documents of the products. That is the reason a project should state its sources explicitly. For the full list of acts see the document library.
Checklist before submission
- Confirm the building class and whether the facade changes the appearance of the building.
- Identify who signs the structural section and agree the form of the facade package with them.
- Include the thermal calculation of the envelope (Article 87).
- Check the current status of Article 140 and the consolidated text of the Code.
- List the regulations and international norms used, and agree any Eurocode-based assumptions with the expert in advance.
If you need the facade section prepared in this form, send us the project data.