What will change in Uzbekistan from September 1?

A number of important changes and innovations will come into force in the legislation of Uzbekistan from September 1. Below you can read the commentary prepared based on information from the websites "Gazeta.uz", the Ministry of Justice and Lex.uz.

**Salaries and scholarships will be increased**

From September 1, the salaries and scholarships of employees of budgetary organizations will be increased by 7%. From this date, the minimum amount of remuneration for labor will be set at 1,360,000 soums per month (currently 1,271,000 soums), and the basic calculation amount (BHM) will be set at 440,000 soums (currently 412,000 soums). We remind you that from July 1, pensions, benefits, including child benefits and material assistance payments to families included in the Social Register, were increased by 7%. From July 1, the basic amount for calculating pensions has also been set at 504,000 soums.

**The procedure for paying fares on buses will change**

From September 1, on buses equipped with an automated payment system - a validator, passengers must pay the fare or confirm the right to preferential/free travel when boarding the bus. For this, you can use a transport or bank card, smartphone and other contactless electronic payment methods. If the fare is not paid when boarding the bus or the right to preferential travel is not confirmed, the passenger is considered to be traveling without a ticket. A fine of 1/10 of the MHM (44 thousand soums from September) has been established for this. We remind you that from September 1, it was planned to increase the actual amount of the fine for failure to pay the fare on the bus by up to 10 times. The proposal submitted to the Legislative Chamber provides for a fine of 220 thousand soums for the first violation, and up to 440 thousand soums for a repeated violation.

**Composite procedure for accommodation and registration in a student dormitory**

From September 1, a composite procedure for registration of a student by place of residence will be introduced simultaneously with the conclusion of a contract for accommodation in a student dormitory. That is, the processes of accommodation in a dormitory and registration by place of residence will be carried out simultaneously. Also, from September, services will be launched through the YAIDHP and public service centers to invite compatriots living abroad and their family members to Uzbekistan, to apply for biometric travel documents for stateless persons, and in some cases, to cancel registration by place of residence.

**A "family-based" work system for children with special educational needs**

From September 1, a "family-based" work system will be introduced to involve children with special educational needs in education, social assistance and services. According to it, social workers provide practical assistance to parents in involving the child in educational and social services, constantly monitor the child's use of these services and, if necessary, refer them to other social assistance and services. Also, the special educational needs of children aged 3-18 are determined by the Child Comprehensive Assessment Group of the "Inson" social service centers and are referred to state educational institutions.

**Subsidies for correctional classes**

From September 1, a subsidy will be allocated for each student to non-state general secondary educational organizations that have established a correctional class.

**Procedure for placement of persons without a fixed place of residence**

From September 1, persons without a fixed place of residence will be placed in Social Centers only with their consent. The practice of their forced placement based on a court decision will be abolished. Persons placed in centers will be provided with temporary shelter, food and personal hygiene products. An individual plan will be developed for them, providing for the restoration of documents, the provision of medical and social services, vocational training and employment. Also, from September 1, working specialists, engineers and technicians of district and city improvement departments and production workers will be formed primarily at the expense of persons placed in Social Centers.

**Virtual payment cards in the Unified Interactive State Services Portal**

From September 1, it is planned to introduce virtual payment cards of commercial banks in the Unified Interactive State Services Portal (UASSP). The user will be able to attach his current bank card to the virtual card and make payments for state services through the portal. No commission is charged for opening a virtual card, replenishing it and transferring the remaining funds to another bank card of the user. Also, payments made for overpaid or incorrectly paid, unjustifiably refused state services and delayed services will be automatically returned to the virtual card without a separate application.

**Tax exemptions for organizations in the field of culture and art**

From September 1, 2026 to January 1, 2036, companies engaged in organizing concerts, cinematography, creating content for children, non-state theaters and theater studios, as well as private educational organizations in the field of culture and art will be exempt from a number of taxes. In particular, they will not pay value added tax, profit tax, turnover tax, land tax and property tax. Also, personal income tax of employees of these organizations will not be collected during this period. In addition, 10 billion soums will be allocated annually to support non-state theaters and theater studios. The funds will cover the costs of creating 50 stage works annually and part of the rent for private buildings. Also, from July 1, additional subsidies will be provided to state and non-state theaters for each ticket sold: 10,000 soums if the performance is performed in the region where the theater operates, and 20,000 soums if it is performed in another region.

**Doctoral admission quotas and scholarships**

From September 1, 2026, at least 60 percent of the basic doctoral and doctoral admission quota allocated from the state budget will be allocated to priority scientific specialties. Doctoral students admitted to these areas will be paid an increased scholarship of 1.7 times the basic scholarship. In addition, additional funds in the amount of 30 percent of the basic scholarship will be allocated each month to purchase the necessary equipment for the research work of doctoral students studying in priority scientific specialties. Also, in the first academic year of the basic doctoral program, training courses will be organized in such disciplines as scientific research methodology, academic writing, statistics and data analysis. Priority scientific specialties include digital technologies and artificial intelligence, nuclear and renewable energy, agro-innovations and food security, medicine and biotechnology, water resources and climate sustainability, new materials, robotics and automation, as well as seismic safety.

**New procedure for assisting victims of human trafficking**

From September 1, a new procedure for identifying victims of human trafficking and providing them with social services will be introduced. The right to initial identification will be granted to the "Inson" social service centers, specialized institutions of the National Agency for Social Protection, and some NGOs. Potential victims will be provided with a minimum package of social services free of charge, regardless of their financial situation. From September 1, the hotline 1146 will accept applications from victims and provide social, psychological and legal advice. In addition, mechanisms for vocational training and employment of victims, as well as rehabilitation of children will be established. Foreign citizens and stateless persons recognized as victims will be granted the right to temporarily stay in Uzbekistan during the rehabilitation period. In addition, the Republican Center for Rehabilitation and Adaptation of Women and its territorial divisions will be renamed the Republican Center for Rehabilitation of Women and Children. Potential victims can use the services of specialized centers for up to one month, and those recognized as victims for up to six months.

**Reimbursement of expenses from the Tourism Support Fund**

From September 1, a number of expenses aimed at attracting foreign tourists will be reimbursed from the Tourism Support Fund. In particular, until the end of 2030, part of the costs of transportation, accommodation and meals of representatives of tour operators invited from abroad will be compensated. Also, up to 25 percent of the costs of promotional events of local tour operators abroad, but not exceeding 500 million soums, will be reimbursed. A procedure for financing part of the costs of organizing cultural, mass, concert and other cultural events for tourists for a period of up to one year will also be introduced.

**Restrictions on the use of equipment at gas stations**

From September 1, 2026 to January 1, 2030, the use of equipment operating under excessive pressure, whose service life has expired or whose production date is not specified, will be restricted at all types of gas stations and gas filling facilities, including facilities that use fuel for their own needs. Also, from September 1, the installation of containers with storage capacities for petroleum products, liquefied hydrocarbon gas and compressed gas, as well as their distribution equipment, in one place will be allowed only in compliance with established safety requirements. This includes requirements such as certified modular gas stations, safe distances, solid structures, fire barriers and automatic emergency blocking.

**New procedures in the construction sector**

From September 1, in all regions of Uzbekistan, state services for issuing permits for changing the specialization of buildings and structures, reconstruction, reconstruction, and the construction of additional buildings and structures on their territory, and the development of architectural and planning assignments will be unified, and a single state service - a system for issuing architectural and urban planning requirements will be introduced. In settlements with a digital master plan, these requirements will be formed automatically, without the human factor. From this date, a requirement for the mandatory installation of video surveillance cameras will also be introduced in some facilities where construction begins from scratch. This applies to multi-apartment buildings built by entrepreneurs, social sphere facilities of categories III and IV, hotels, tourism, trade and industrial facilities, as well as facilities worth more than 3 billion soums built at the expense of budget funds.

**Subsidies to breeding farms**

From September 1, 2026 to January 1, 2030, breeding farms will be provided with a subsidy to cover part of the costs of maintaining identified female pedigree cattle left for breeding. The amount of the subsidy is determined depending on the period of receipt and storage of the calf: 1.5 million soums for the first pedigree female calf, 2 million soums for the second calf, 1 million soums for each of the periods up to 12 months and 12-18 months. Also, a service enterprise has been established under the auspices of the Livestock and Pasture Development Agency, which will import large and small cattle from abroad and deliver them to farms and the population. A service package will also be provided for the delivered livestock, including at least 12 months of feeding, veterinary, artificial insemination, breeding and zootechnical services.

**Financing of poultry farming and compound feed production**

From September 1, loans will be provided through Microcreditbank at an annual rate of 10 percent to finance poultry farms, poultry compound feed producers and “ready-made business” projects. These conditions apply only to newly issued loan agreements. Loans will be provided at the expense of funds transferred to the bank from the Reconstruction and Development Fund.