Business law changes in Uzbekistan — 2026
The key changes of the year: Decree UP-175 of 27 August 2026 — a three-year moratorium on inspections of small businesses and the "Second Chance" tax amnesty; Law ZRU-1168 of 17 August 2026 — business categories are now determined by annual income; Law ZRU-1164 of 13 August 2026 — three months of trading in a licensed sector without a licence. Below are all the changes of the year, newest first.
Updated: 1 September 2026
What relief did business receive following the VI open dialogue with entrepreneurs?
From 28 August 2026, Presidential Decree UP-175 has imposed a moratorium on any inspections of small business entities for a period of three years — other than inspections within criminal proceedings, inspections concerning effects on human health, compliance with labour law, inspections prompted by complaints from members of the public, VAT refund inspections and inspections on liquidation. Until 31 December 2026 the "Second Chance" economic amnesty applies: where a tax debt that arose before 28 August 2026 is paid in full, the late-payment interest is written off and enforcement proceedings in respect of that debt are discontinued. From 1 January 2027 a "warning for the first offence" rule is introduced, with 10 days to put matters right, together with a ban on repeat inspections within one year without the permission of the Business Ombudsman. From 1 November 2026 the advance payment for electricity and gas by entrepreneurs connected to the ASKUE/ASKUG automated metering systems is cut to 15%. In public-law disputes a "presumption that the business entity is right" is now established: the burden of proof lies entirely with the state body.
The Decree also raised the ceiling on cash settlements for goods and services:
| Before | Now |
| 25 million soums (Decree UP-246 of 10 December 2025) | 400 BCV (base calculation value), that is 176.000.000 soums (from 28 August 2026) |
E-commerce operators must give notice when they start and when they stop operating
From 24 September 2026, under an order of the NAPP (Ministry of Justice reg. No. 3927 of 19 August 2026), e-commerce operators — operators of electronic trading platforms, order aggregators and digital streaming services — must notify the National Agency for Prospective Projects through a dedicated information system (log in with OneID) before they begin operating. Acting as an operator without giving notice is prohibited. The notice is accepted on the day it is filed, confirmation with a QR code is issued within one business day, and no fee is charged. Requirements for the notifying party: an Uzbek legal entity, a working information system, registration of employment contracts in the Unified National Labour System, and compliance with the legislation on e-commerce, personal data and consumer protection. Where the requirements are breached, the agency may suspend operations for no more than 10 business days; only a court can bring them to an end. The register of notices is public.
An International Centre for Digital Technologies with a special legal regime has been created
From 21 January 2027, Constitutional Law ZRU-1169 of 19 August 2026 creates the International Centre for Digital Technologies — a special territory with a special legal regime that will run until 2100. Inside the Centre its own rules govern corporate, employment, tax, customs and currency relations; the common law and the principles of equity of England and Wales may apply on a subsidiary basis. IT projects are offered a "regulatory sandbox" — an experimental regime for creating and testing innovative products. Economic offences committed by participants of the Centre on its territory (currency, customs, tax and competition offences) are dealt with by the Centre's administration in the first instance through its own economic and administrative measures, without referring the files to the authorities of the republic. Simplified entry and confirmation of the right to work are provided for foreign staff, along with investor statuses: institutional, start-up, resident and infrastructure investor. The Law expressly prohibits changing the preferences granted to the holder's disadvantage or terminating them early.
Auctions introduced for entrepreneurs building small and micro hydropower plants
From 25 August 2026, Presidential Resolution PP-298 of 19 August 2026 approved a programme to develop the network of small and micro hydropower plants over 2026–2030: raising their combined capacity above 204 MW, generating 620 million kWh of clean electricity a year, with entrepreneurs brought in on a large scale. Projects are allocated through auctions in which the electricity buy-back tariff is tied to the tariff for group II consumers: for micro plants with a capacity of up to 500 kW the starting price is 150% of the tariff and the floor is 50%; for small plants from 500 kW to 2 MW — 120% and 40%; from 2 to 5 MW — 100% and 30%. For an investor this means competitive selection on price, with a clear band of returns and long-term offtake.
Tourism start-ups will be able to receive subsidies of up to 1 billion soums
From 19 August 2026 an administrative regulation is in force (Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 443 of 18 August 2026) governing subsidies for tourism start-ups: each year the Tourism Support Fund reimburses 50% of the cost of developing and rolling out a new type of tourist service, capped at 1 billion soums, for a maximum of ten of the best projects a year. The application is filed free of charge through public service centres or the Single Portal of Interactive Public Services, together with a business plan and a presentation of the project. Within five business days the Tourism Committee's commission schedules an interview (in person or by video link), then prepares its opinion within ten business days; the decision on the subsidy is taken within two business days. Requirements for the applicant: no tax debt and no bankruptcy or liquidation proceedings. One applicant may receive the subsidy once per calendar year.
Business categories are now set by annual income rather than by headcount
From 18 November 2026, under Law ZRU-1168 of 17 August 2026, the categories of business entities are determined by aggregate income for the calendar year rather than by the number of employees. The Law also introduces: a single register of mandatory requirements for business — no liability arises for failing to meet a requirement that is not entered in the register; payment of 50% of a fine within one month with the balance waived, or payment by instalments over six months; suspension of operations by a supervisory body for no more than 10 business days and only on the grounds listed in the high-risk register — anything beyond that requires a court; suspension of operations at the entrepreneur's own request, with tax accruals and reporting obligations stopping for that period; and filing of reports in electronic form only. Compulsory acquisition of land for public needs is permitted only after full compensation at market value, including lost profit.
| Before (Art. 5 of the Law as worded in 2012) | Now (from 18 November 2026) |
| Categories based on the average annual headcount by sector (micro firms — up to 20 people in manufacturing, up to 10 in services, up to 5 in trade) | Micro firms — income of up to 1 billion soums; small — 1–10 billion; medium — 10–100 billion; large — from 100 billion soums a year |
Uzbekistan has acceded to the Singapore Convention on mediation of commercial disputes
From 14 August 2026, under Law ZRU-1167, Uzbekistan has acceded to the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation (the Singapore Convention, New York, 20 December 2018). For business this means that a settlement agreement in an international commercial dispute reached through mediation gains a mechanism for recognition and enforcement in the member states — without full court or arbitration proceedings. Uzbekistan entered two reservations: the Convention does not apply to settlement agreements to which the Republic of Uzbekistan or its government agencies are a party, and it applies only where the parties to the agreement have expressly agreed that it should. The practical conclusion for foreign trade contracts: for a future settlement agreement to fall under the Convention, the clause applying it must be written into the text of the agreement expressly.
The rules for taking business cases to economic and administrative courts have changed
From 14 August 2026, Law ZRU-1165 introduced a package of amendments to the procedural codes on access to justice for entrepreneurs. Extraterritorial jurisdiction has been introduced: the parties to an economic dispute may vary jurisdiction by agreement, and the particular court is then picked by an automated system — which rules out the court "tied" to the defendant. Administrative proceedings have gained a preliminary hearing (held within 20 days of the application being received), the principle of protecting legitimate expectations in decisions of state bodies, and mandatory attendance at the hearing by an official of the state body — for failure to appear without good reason the court may impose a judicial fine. Refunds of the state duty have been extended: to applications left without consideration following the preliminary hearing, and to insolvency cases. The inter-district, district and city economic courts have been merged into inter-district economic courts.
Instalment payment (BNPL) services become regulated from 2027
From 1 January 2027, under Presidential Resolution PP-294 of 14 August 2026, the business of instalment payment service operators becomes regulated: the right to operate arises only on entry in the Central Bank's register (banks and microfinance organisations by notification, other legal entities by registration for record). Contractual limits: the value of the item bought in instalments must not exceed 250 BCV (110.000.000 soums); all payments over and above the principal, including fees and penalties, must not exceed half of the annual instalment amount; the maximum term is 12 months, and a contract for a longer term is treated as a consumer loan; early repayment carries no penalties or fees. Sellers of consumer goods credit with a quarterly turnover above 500 million soums and an instalment share of 50% or more (other than manufacturing enterprises) must complete registration for record and meet the requirements applying to operators. Operators are prohibited from issuing cash loans and from raising funds from individuals, other than by issuing bonds.
NFRS No. 1 will replace NAS No. 1 from 1 January 2027
From 1 January 2027, NFRS No. 1 "Presentation and disclosure of information in financial statements" takes effect (Ministry of Economy and Finance Order No. 392 of 23 July 2026, Ministry of Justice reg. No. 3923 of 13 August 2026), replacing NAS No. 1 "Presentation of financial statements and accounting policy" (reg. No. 3544 of 6 August 2024). The standard is mandatory for all Uzbek legal entities regardless of their form of ownership, apart from public interest entities and budget-funded organisations. A full set of statements under NFRS No. 1 comprises: the statement of financial position (balance sheet), the statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income, the statement of changes in equity, the statement of cash flows, and notes with comparative figures. The standard is built on IFRS approaches: it introduces the concepts of material information, subtotals and reclassification adjustments. Companies would do well to update their accounting policy and reporting formats before the end of 2026.
A three-month regime for entering business without a licence has been introduced
From 14 August 2026, Law ZRU-1164 of 13 August 2026 inserted Article 28-1 into the Law "On licensing, permit and notification procedures" — a special "Entry into business without a licence" regime. An entrepreneur may start a licensed activity, or an activity requiring a permit document, without a licence, by giving free-of-charge notice to the authorised body through a dedicated electronic system or the Single Portal of Interactive Public Services. The regime lasts three months: during that period no liability attaches for operating without a licence, and the entrepreneur must bring the activity into line with the licensing requirements and obtain a licence, or else stop the activity. The list of activities covered by the regime is approved by the Cabinet of Ministers in the licensing regulations and their passports. The same law updated the Law "On archives": private archives operate on a notification basis, electronic archives are given legal footing, and retention periods are set for HR records — 75 years for records created before 1 January 2019 and 50 years for those created later.
Light industry gains soft loans for solar plants and new subsidies
From 14 August 2026, Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 438 of 12 August 2026 approved the arrangements for placing USD 50 million (under Decree UP-4 of 12 January 2026) through commercial banks as loans to light industry enterprises for buying and installing solar photovoltaic plants and other renewable energy sources: a term of up to 4 years at a rate no higher than 6% a year (of which 1.5% is the bank's margin). Condition for the borrower: overdue receivables of no more than 10% of turnover. The same resolution expanded subsidies for the footwear and leather goods sector: 1 million soums for each new model put into production (up to 50 million soums per enterprise a year); reimbursement of 50% of the cost of imported shoe lasts and moulds — up to USD 10,000 a year for EU countries and up to USD 5,000 for others; reimbursement of 50% of the cost of water treatment reagents; and, for companies that have relocated a foreign brand to Uzbekistan, cover of up to USD 5 million.
Trademark appeals have moved to electronic format
From 12 August 2026, an order of the Ministry of Justice (reg. No. 3190-1) moved the rules for filing appeals and applications to have trademarks recognised as well known into electronic format: documents are filed through the Ministry of Justice's intellectual property portal, and paper copies in duplicate are no longer required. The state duty is paid electronically through the unified billing system — without payment, no legally significant action is taken. Applicants may now be represented only by patent attorneys listed in the state register. An application to have a mark recognised as well known must set out the list of goods under the international classification. Sessions of the Board of Appeal are recorded on video and no minutes are kept; decisions are signed with electronic QR codes and sent to the personal account on the portal. Employees of the justice authorities may not make up more than 30% of the Board.
Debtors have gained the right to have a notary's writ of execution set aside
From 10 August 2026, an order of the Ministry of Justice (reg. No. 3757-1 of 7 August 2026) changed the procedure for issuing writs of execution — an instrument of undisputed debt recovery that creditors use heavily. A debtor who disagrees with the writ may, within 10 days of receiving a copy of it or of learning that it exists, file an objection with the notary — the notary then sets the writ aside, and the creditor is advised of the right to bring its claim in court. Missing the 10-day deadline without good reason (illness, the death of a close relative, being abroad) is grounds for refusing to set the writ aside; that refusal can be challenged in court. Where the debt arose from a technical failure in the electronic systems, the writ is set aside on the application of either party. Recovery under service contracts and multi-apartment building management contracts now requires a copy of the contract to be attached.
A new law on estate agency: work only through the single register and under a certificate
From 8 November 2026 a new Law "On estate agency" (ZRU-1163 of 7 August 2026) takes effect, replacing the law of 2010. The key points: estate agency services may be provided only by estate agencies and property agents entered in the Single Register; an estate agent is an individual holding a qualification certificate, issued by professional public associations (with at least 50 members) on the basis of a qualifying examination; a property agent may be a sole trader or a self-employed person. The authorised body is the Agency for State Asset Management: it keeps the register and monitors compliance with the anti-money laundering requirements, which now extend to estate agents. Where a multiple listing system is used, details of performance of the contract must be entered in it within three business days. The list of recognised international estate agent certificates will be approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
Lending terms set for livestock and fish farming
From 7 August 2026, Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 435 of 6 August 2026 approved the arrangements for lending to livestock and fish farming projects: the fund places resources with commercial banks for 10 years at 6% a year, and the end borrower receives a loan at 10% a year (including a 4% bank margin) for a term of up to 10 years, with a 4-year grace period and repayment in equal instalments, with no right of extension. Entities setting up enterprises to produce semen from pedigree bulls, and fish farming projects including the rearing of pedigree fish, may borrow up to 20 billion soums. Early repayment in full or in part is allowed. The resolution also introduced a subsidy of 2 million soums for training insemination technicians on courses run from 1 July 2026 to 31 December 2028, and clarified the arrangements for compensating interest on loans for growing wheat and cotton.
A new law on motor roads: toll roads and roadside services
From 6 August 2026 a new Law "On motor roads" (ZRU-1162 of 5 August 2026) is in force, setting the framework for private investment in the road sector. The Law establishes the institution of toll roads: travel is paid for with a road voucher, including an electronic one with automatic payment by number plate; the toll road operator is a legal entity acting under a contract with the road owner or under a public-private partnership agreement, with obligations to repair, maintain and operate the road and to collect payments. Maximum toll rates are approved by the authorised body. Roadside infrastructure and service facilities are regulated separately — filling and charging stations, hotels, campsites, retail and catering outlets and vehicle service stations: land plots for building them are allocated under land legislation within the right-of-way strip and the roadside strip. Construction and operation of toll roads may be financed by investors and under PPP arrangements.
Pedigree farms given subsidies for rearing breeding stock
From 1 September 2026 to 1 January 2030, under Presidential Resolution PP-293 of 5 August 2026, pedigree farms are reimbursed from the State Budget for part of the cost of keeping identified pedigree breeding stock: 1.5 million soums for a first pedigree heifer, 2 million for a second, and 1 million each for keeping the heifer to 12 months and from 12 to 18 months. The payments are administered by the Agency for Payments in the Agricultural Sector. To replenish the working capital of the sector's service enterprise, loans from Xalq Bank are available at 10% a year (with a 4% bank margin) for a term of up to 10 years with a 4-year grace period, along with interest-free loans from earmarked funds — up to 60 billion soums from the poverty reduction fund and up to 10 billion from the food safety fund.
The rules for authorised economic operators have been restated
Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 430 of 4 August 2026 restated the regulation on authorised economic operators (AEOs); for existing operators the new requirements take effect on 6 February 2027 — six months after official publication. An AEO certificate now comes in three types — for customs matters, for security matters and combined — and is valid for 5 years; renewal must be applied for at least 2 months before expiry, otherwise the status lapses. The key criteria for entry in the register: a business sustainability rating of at least "B" (for a security certificate, "BB"), at least 2 years of foreign trade experience (3 years for security), customs payment arrears of no more than 50 BCV (22.000.000 soums), no convictions of the management under economic offences, and a limited number of administrative offences over the year. AEO status places a company in the low-risk category.
Industrial safety inspections are now scheduled through the "Risk analysis" system
From 5 November 2026 the Committee for Industrial, Radiation and Nuclear Safety schedules inspections of entrepreneurs through the "Risk analysis" electronic system (regulation, Ministry of Justice reg. No. 3915 of 1 August 2026). The risk of a breach is scored against indicators across eight areas of supervision: up to 61 points is a low level, 61–81 medium, and above 81 up to 100 high. Inspections and preventive measures are initiated for entities in the medium and high risk bands under the existing procedure (UP-184, PP-374, Cabinet of Ministers Resolution 611). Limits that matter to business are set out expressly: during the risk analysis no documents or information may be demanded from the entrepreneur, the process itself must not interfere with the business, and a risk score at any level is not grounds for applying enforcement measures — only for planning prevention and inspections.