Mandatory scooter permits, end of license plate auctions and more – changes taking effect from October 1

Football field in every neighborhood

Under a presidential resolution of 21 August 2025, the program “A football field in every neighborhood” is officially being launched.

• Vacant state-owned land plots in neighborhoods will be put up for online auction, with the condition that part of the land be used for building a football field. This designation must remain unchanged for at least 10 years.
• Auction winners will manage the remaining portion of the land in line with legislation.
• Unsold plots will see their starting price reduced by 10 percent every three months, up to 50 percent in total. Buyers may also pay in installments over three years.

By the end of November 2025, regional authorities must complete an inventory of vacant state-owned plots in neighborhoods without football facilities, followed by the adoption of targeted programs for new fields in December. The resolution also prohibits repurposing or selling existing state-owned football fields and stadiums.

Scooter drivers now require permits

As of 1 October, moped and scooter drivers must hold driving permits, and their vehicles must be registered. Distinctive license plates have been introduced for electric motorcycles, mopeds, and scooters. Registration is carried out by the regional traffic safety departments.

Drivers operating without permits will face fines.

The requirement was originally scheduled to take effect on 1 March 2025 but was delayed until October. 

License plate auctions being abolished

From 1 October 2025, the Uzbekistan Commodity and Raw Materials Exchange will cease auctioning license plates. A Cabinet of Ministers resolution dated 9 September 2025 provides for a simplified procedure.

Starting 1 January 2026, citizens and businesses will be able to select any available plate combination online from a continuously updated database. A one-time premium fee will apply, payable to Uzavtomotobelgi, the state enterprise responsible for issuing license plates.

The resolution notes that the previous auction system was burdensome and inaccessible due to high starting prices for certain categories.

From 2026, Uzavtomotobelgi will also be authorized to conduct open auctions for rare combinations.

 Academy of Justice launched

In accordance with a presidential decree of 21 August 2025, the Academy of Justice under the Supreme Council of Judges will be established. It will be based on the former Higher School of Judges.

From October, candidates for judicial positions must complete six-month retraining courses funded by state grants. Participants retain their positions during training and receive a stipend equivalent to the salary of a judge’s assistant. Admission is through competitive selection, including psychological and language testing, specialization exams, and interviews.

Graduates who pass final exams will be eligible for judicial vacancies, while those who fail or decline offers may be required to return the stipends received.

 Other changes from 1 October

• Regional statistics departments will hire up to five specialists under civil contracts to prepare for the 2026 national census.
• Staff positions at children’s libraries in Tashkent and the regions will be transferred to Kelajak Centers.
• Apartment building project documentation will be reviewed by the State Center for Expertise of Urban Planning Documentation.
• Samarkand International Airport has launched a pilot of the “Tourist map” interactive portal.
• Xalq Bank pension services now support biometric identification (Face ID) and electronic signatures for cash withdrawals.
• Legal documents on land use must now include data on allocations for public needs and PPP projects.
• Transparency and digitalization mechanisms will be introduced on the “Yashil makon” platform.
• Entrepreneurs in Karakalpakstan may pay for subsoil use rights in installments.
• State agencies must publish compliance data and report quarterly on implementation of laws and presidential decrees.
• Civil servant business trips will be managed through the “Xizmat safari” module of the hrm.argos.uz system.
• Only certified local furniture may be listed on “National store” procurement platforms.
• Short-term training courses will be launched for government managers and candidates.
• Ownerless real estate will be registered as state property through court applications.
• Excise tax on imported white sugar without additives has been abolished.
• High-impact activities (categories I and II) must hold a valid “Green certificate” during project reviews.
• All permits, certificates, and approvals for imports, exports, and transit will be processed exclusively through the “Single window” customs system.
• Subsidies, grants, and loans from the Poverty Reduction State Fund will be distributed via social cards instead of cash.
• State service documents are transitioning fully to electronic form.
• A new Social Card identification system has been integrated into the “Digital government” platform.