Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Resolution No. 389 of 25 March 2026 entered into force on September 27, 2026, approving the Technical Regulation on the approval of wheeled vehicle construction, their components and equipment. The resolution takes effect six months after publication in the Uriadovyi Kurier and replaces Ministry of Infrastructure Order No. 521 of 17 August 2012, the previous type-approval procedure, for every new placement on the Ukrainian market.
Ukrainian importers of new and used wheeled vehicles in categories M, N, O and L, vehicle manufacturers placing vehicles on the Ukrainian market, producers and importers of vehicle parts and equipment, dealers handling first state registration, and designated certification bodies must secure type-approval or individual-approval certificates under the new Technical Regulation and register them in the Ukrtransbezpeka electronic certificate register by September 27, 2026, or vehicles, parts and equipment cannot clear customs, cannot complete first state registration, and face market-surveillance measures and penalties under the Law on Technical Regulations and Conformity Assessment.
What does the new Technical Regulation change?
Resolution 389, adopted under Article 5 of the Law on Technical Regulations and Conformity Assessment, elevates vehicle certification from a ministry order to a full Technical Regulation approved by the Cabinet. It covers wheeled vehicles in categories M (passenger), N (goods), O (trailers) and L (two- and three-wheelers), and their parts and equipment. Two certification routes remain available: type approval, where the manufacturer or its authorised representative obtains a type certificate from a Ministry-designated body, recognised across the 1958 Geneva Agreement parties, and individual approval, where a certificate of conformity is issued for an individual new vehicle, a batch of parts or a used vehicle at first state registration.
The resolution amends CMU Resolution No. 419 of 1 July 2016, which governs the designation of certification bodies for individual approval, and CMU Resolution No. 1069 of 28 December 2016, the market-surveillance product list, replacing every reference to the old Order 521 procedure with the new Technical Regulation. The Ministry of Communities and Territories Development, formerly the Ministry of Infrastructure, is tasked with implementing the regulation.
Who must secure certificates under Resolution 389?
The obligation applies to every actor placing wheeled vehicles, components or equipment on the Ukrainian market. Ukrainian importers of new and used vehicles in categories M, N, O and L need a certificate for customs clearance and first state registration. Ukrainian vehicle manufacturers and foreign OEMs exporting to Ukraine must hold type approval for their vehicle types. Producers and importers of parts and equipment, from braking systems to lighting, need conformity certificates for their batches. Dealers and distributors handling first state registration must present a valid certificate, and the designated certification bodies that issued certificates under Order 521 continue their conformity-assessment work under the new Technical Regulation.
How does the transitional period work?
Paragraph 2 of the resolution grandfathers vehicles, parts and equipment already placed on the market under Order 521 before September 27, 2026: they cannot be prohibited or restricted for non-conformity with the new Technical Regulation. Designated authorised bodies and certification bodies appointed under the old procedure continue to operate in their designated spheres, now assessing conformity against the Technical Regulation rather than Order 521.
| Element | Before September 27, 2026 | From September 27, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Legal instrument | Mininfrastruktury Order 521/2012 | CMU Resolution 389 Technical Regulation |
| Issuer level | Ministry order (nakaz) | Cabinet resolution (postanova) |
| Certification bodies | Designated under Order 521 | Same bodies continue under the TR |
| Already-placed stock | Valid under Order 521 | Grandfathered, no re-certification |
| New placements | Order 521 certificate | TR certificate required |
What happens without the required certificate?
Vehicles, parts and equipment placed on the Ukrainian market without a Technical Regulation certificate cannot clear customs at the border and cannot complete first state registration. Ukrtransbezpeka, the State Transport Safety Service, runs the electronic Registry of Certificates of Conformity and carries out post-market surveillance. Non-compliant products face market-surveillance measures and penalties under the Law on Technical Regulations and Conformity Assessment. The State Customs Service performs border conformity checks, and the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development designates the authorised and certification bodies. Continuous, per-jurisdiction monitoring surfaces this kind of change the moment it publishes.
What to check now
- Confirm whether your vehicle types, parts or equipment fall under categories M, N, O or L and are intended for the Ukrainian market.
- Verify that your certification body is designated under the new Technical Regulation and can issue TR certificates, not only Order 521 certificates.
- Check that certificates for new placements are registered in the Ukrtransbezpeka electronic certificate register before customs clearance or first state registration.
- Review stock already placed on the market under Order 521: the transitional provision protects it, but new batches need TR certificates.
- Brief your customs, registration and compliance teams on the September 27, 2026 entry-into-force date and the penalty regime for missing certificates.
