Starting in February, a number of decisions will come into effect that change business regulations in various sectors — from tourism and jewelry to transportation, immigration services, and digital services. FRANK.uz publishes a summary of the key changes, based on data from the Norma portal, that directly affect entrepreneurs and impact costs, benefits, and administrative procedures.
Deputies will have expanded access to initiative budget tools
- Changes to the initiative budget mechanism will come into force in Uzbekistan, expanding the powers of members of the Legislative Chamber.
- Deputies will have the right to annually promote additional projects, including those that did not pass the Open Budget vote, and to create a mandatory list of initiatives for funding from the republican budget.
- Each deputy will be provided with funding in the amount of 8,000 BRV per year, and projects with public participation at a level of at least 50% of the cost will be automatically recognized as winners.
- At the same time, new transparency and oversight tools will be launched, including a parliamentary commission and digital mechanisms for monitoring project implementation.
Tax and customs benefits will be expanded for tourism
- A package of measures will be launched in the tourism sector, gradually changing the rules for VAT refunds, project subsidies, and customs regulations.
- Starting in February, foreign citizens will be allowed to receive VAT refunds upon leaving the country. Starting in March, subsidies will be allocated to tourism start-ups in the amount of 50% of expenses (but no more than 1 billion soums) and half of the cost of hotels obtaining green certificates will be reimbursed.
- Starting in April, a 50% VAT refund will be introduced for entrepreneurs organizing international conferences and events attended by at least 100 foreign tourists, and tourist transport will be exempt from customs duties until January 2027.
- Separate incentives are provided for Karakalpakstan tour operators importing vehicles for extreme tours, and long-term customs exemptions until 2030 for the construction of branded hotels from the Brand Finance top 50 rating.
Migration services will be transferred to digital format
- The migration and personalization system will launch a digital model for the work of internal affairs agencies, expanding online services and centralizing data.
- The issuance of digital signature certificates, recorded in the ID card chip upon initial registration, will be made free of charge for individuals, and the authorized department will focus on the creation and ongoing updating of key databases on citizenship, ID cards, registration, and visa records.
- Starting in September 2026, new services will be offered through the Unified State Portal of Public Services (USPPS) and government service centers, including inviting compatriots from abroad and submitting applications for biometric travel documents for stateless persons.
The exams for categories A and B will be partially simplified
- Starting in February, the driver training procedure will change: applicants for Category A and B licenses will be able to independently study the theoretical part of the mandatory curriculum without attending a driving school.
- At the same time, the current rules for subcategory “A1” are being consolidated, which allows driving mopeds, scooters and small-sized vehicles with a design speed of up to 25 km/h and an engine of up to 25 cm³ or a power of up to 0.25 kW.
- Training remains optional for the A1 driving test. Drivers with categories A, B, C, and D are also permitted to drive A1 vehicles.
Benefits for the jewelry industry will be extended and selection criteria will be tightened.
- Discounts on precious metals sold through exchange trading and direct contracts will be extended for jewelry manufacturers until February 1, 2029.
- Starting in February 2026, the criteria for selecting companies eligible for these discounts will be updated: This will include the registration of jewelers for new jobs with a salary of at least four times the minimum wage and confirmation from tax authorities, as well as the company’s work in jewelry centers for at least one month.
- At the same time, measures are planned to increase the volume of gold sales through exchange mechanisms and direct contracts.
Legal information will be communicated in a proactive format
- A proactive approach to disseminating legal information will be launched using digital platforms and artificial intelligence elements.
- Lex.uz will implement a “smart propaganda” model: the portal will be integrated with tax services and the Unified State Portal of Public Services (EPIGU), and legislative provisions will be automatically matched with types of economic activity and government services.
- Users — entrepreneurs, the self-employed, and citizens — will receive relevant legal information and links to regulatory legal acts in their personal accounts, tailored to their activities and the services they receive.
- At the same time, a mechanism for early notification of draft regulations will be launched, gradually abandoning ineffective offline formats such as roundtables and seminars.
Installment plans and access to discounts have been clarified for jewelers
- Jewelry manufacturers will be subject to changes to the payment procedure for precious metals purchased with deferred payment: interest will not accrue on payments made in the first 30 days, and interest from the 31st to the 180th day will be calculated at the Central Bank’s base rate proportional to the deferred payment period.
- At the same time, the conditions for forming a list of companies eligible for discounts on the purchase of precious metals on the exchange are being clarified. These discounts are valid until February 1, 2026, and depend on the number of jobs created.
- The selection process will take into account the share of specialized jobs in jewelry production, official employment with a salary of at least one minimum wage for at least six months, and confirmation of this by tax authorities.
- Additionally, the requirement for enterprises to have a production base and equipment for the production of jewelry with high added value is established.
