This paper is focused on the optimum design for decreasing volume and increasing reliability of multi-stage gear drive. For the optimization on volume and reliability, multi-objective optimization is used. The genetic algorithm is introduced to multi-objective optimization method and it is used to develop the optimum design program using exterior penalty function method to solve the complicated subject conditions. A 5 staged gear drive(geared motor) is chosen to compare the result of developed optimum design method with the existing design. Each of the volume objective, reliability objective, and volume-reliability multi-objectives are performed and compared with existing design. As a result, optimum solutions are produced, which decrease volume and increase reliability. It is shown that the developed design method is good for multi-stage gear drive design.