Licensing in Uzbekistan

Licensable and permit-based activities in the Republic of Uzbekistan are regulated by a unified law. At the same time, licensing rules for certain specific types of activities may also be established by other laws and subordinate regulations.

Separate licenses and permit documents are not required for branches and representative offices established by legal entities. In such cases, the addresses of branches and representative offices are included in the licenses and permit documents previously obtained by the legal entity through amendments made by the competent authority.

Before branches and representative offices commence activities that are subject to a notification procedure, the legal entity that established them must notify the competent authority through a special electronic system or through the Unified Interactive State Services Portal of the Republic of Uzbekistan (my.gov.uz). The competent authority then records information about the relevant branches and representative offices in the register of notifications.

Foreign legal entities that are non-residents of the Republic of Uzbekistan must submit applications for licenses and permit documents, as well as notifications, through their permanent establishment in Uzbekistan that has been registered in accordance with the established procedure.

General

A separate license is issued for each licensable type of activity. At the applicant's request, a license may be granted for one or more subcategories of a licensable activity.

A licensed activity (or subcategory thereof) may be carried out only by the individual or legal entity to whom the license has been issued. The transfer of licenses or any rights thereunder to another person is prohibited.

Unless otherwise provided by the applicable licensing requirements and conditions, a licensed activity may be carried out throughout the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Types of licenses

Licences may be either standard (general) or individual.

A standard (general) licence is issued where an unlimited number of applicants may obtain a licence, provided they satisfy the uniform licensing requirements and conditions applicable to the relevant activity.

An individual licence is issued subject to specific licensing requirements and conditions and grants the licensee exclusive rights to carry out a particular activity. As a general rule, individual licences are awarded through a competitive selection (tender) process.

Term of licenses

In general licences are issued for indifinete period. However, for the following activities licenses are issued for a fixed term, which may not be less than five years:

• medical activities;

• pharmaceutical activities;

• wholesale and retail trade in mineral fertilizers and chemical plant protection products;

• fumigation of quarantine-controlled products exported from the Republic of Uzbekistan;

• activities involving the circulation of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors;

• cultivation, import (export), processing, storage, sale (transfer), acquisition and transportation of cannabis containing up to 0.2% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) for industrial purposes not related to the production or manufacture of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances;

• operation of mobile radiotelephone (cellular) communication networks and television and radio broadcasting networks, and the provision of related services;

• exploration, production, processing and sale of oil, gas (including compressed natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas), and gas condensate;

• precious metals refining (assaying and refining) activities;

• organization of lotteries;

• bookmaking activities; and

• organization of games of chance conducted via the Internet.

Fees

A state duty is payable for the issuance, extension, and amendment of a licence.

In addition, annual state duties are imposed for licences relating to the following activities:

• concert and entertainment activities;

• production of potable and technical ethyl alcohol and alcoholic beverages;

• wholesale trade in alcoholic beverages;

• design, construction and operation of telecommunications networks, and the provision of telecommunications services;

• bookmaking activities; and

• organization of games of chance on the Internet.

Application

Where an applicant applies for the issuance of a licence or permit, the application must include the following information:

• for a legal entity – its Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);

• for an individual – the applicant's full name, identification document details or Personal Identification Number (PINFL);

• the licensable activity or the activity (or action) requiring a permit that the applicant intends to carry out, including, where required by law, the relevant subcategory of the activity; and

• other information confirming the applicant's ability to comply with the applicable licensing or permitting requirements and conditions, where required by law.

Unless and until the competent authority proves otherwise, all documents submitted by the applicant that are required for obtaining a licence or permit shall be presumed to be accurate and authentic.

The competent authority may not require the applicant to submit any documents other than those expressly provided for by this Law, the regulations governing the licensing or permitting of specific activities, or the relevant regulatory passport.

Licensing and permitting procedures may be completed online through the electronic portal license.gov.uz or by applying directly through public services centers.

Where an application is submitted through the dedicated electronic system or the Unified Interactive State Services Portal (my.gov.uz), it must be signed using an electronic digital signature. The applicant shall be liable under the law for submitting false or misleading information.

Grounds for Refusal

An application for the issuance of a licence or permit may be refused only on the following grounds:

• the applicant has failed to submit all documents required for the issuance of the licence or permit;

• the applicant does not satisfy the applicable licensing or permitting requirements and conditions;

• the applicant is prohibited by law from obtaining the relevant licence for a period of one year, or is prohibited by a court judgment from engaging in the relevant type of activity;

• the documents submitted by the applicant contain false or misleading information; or

• a reasoned negative conclusion has been issued following mandatory studies, examinations, inspections, or other scientific or technical assessments required under the regulations governing the licensing or permitting of the relevant activity.

Revocation of a Licence or Permit

A licence or permit shall be revoked in the following circumstances:

• where the licensee or permit holder submits an application requesting the revocation of the licence or permit;

• where a legal entity is liquidated (effective from the date of liquidation) or ceases to exist as a result of a reorganization (effective from the date of reorganization), except where the reorganization takes the form of a transformation or a merger in which, on the date of state registration of the newly established legal entity, the reorganized legal entity already held a licence or permit for the same licensable activity or regulated activity;

• where the certificate of state registration of an individual entrepreneur ceases to be valid;

• where an individual has his or her legal capacity restricted or is declared legally incapacitated in accordance with the established procedure;

• where the state duty for the issuance of a licence or the fee for the issuance of a permit is not paid within the prescribed time limit;

• where the licensee or permit holder fails to remedy, within the period prescribed by the competent authority or a court, the circumstances that gave rise to the suspension of the licence or permit;

• where it is established that the decision of the competent authority to issue the licence or permit was unlawful;

• where the licensee or permit holder repeatedly breaches the applicable licensing or permitting requirements and conditions (two or more times within one year);

• where the licensee or permit holder commits a single gross violation of the applicable licensing or permitting requirements and conditions, if such violation results in harm to the life or health of citizens, damage to the rights and legitimate interests of individuals or legal entities, public safety, the environment, the interests of society or the state, or poses a threat to peace and security. The list of violations constituting gross violations and giving rise to revocation shall be established by the regulations governing the licensing or permitting of specific activities and the relevant regulatory passports; or

• where it is established that the licence or permit was obtained through the use of forged documents.

Notification-Based Activities

Activities (or actions) carried out under the notification procedure are those for which commencement of the activity does not require a prior decision of the competent authority. Instead, the person commencing the activity assumes responsibility for complying with the requirements and conditions established by law, thereby enabling state regulation, maintaining records of persons carrying out the relevant activities, and ensuring regulatory oversight.

The notifying person (or an authorized representative acting on its behalf) must submit a notification to the competent authority through the dedicated electronic system or the Unified Interactive State Services Portal (my.gov.uz), using an electronic digital signature.

Where the notification complies with the requirements and conditions set out in the Unified Regulation on the Notification Procedure and the relevant regulatory passports annexed thereto, it is automatically accepted through the electronic system, and the notifying person is issued an electronic confirmation acknowledging receipt of the notification.

Planning to invest in Uzbekistan?

If you are considering investing in Uzbekistan and would like to determine whether your proposed business activity requires a licence or permit, our legal team is ready to assist.

We provide comprehensive legal advice on licensing, permitting, and regulatory compliance, helping investors navigate Uzbekistan's legal framework efficiently and with confidence.

Contact us: info@fairlex.uz