Uzbekistan consolidated its rules on business authorisation into a single Law No. ЗРУ-701 dated 14 July 2021 "On Licensing, Permitting and Notification Procedures". The law establishes three distinct tracks — licensing, permitting documents, and notifications — and moves the entire process onto a unified electronic platform called the "License" system (license.gov.uz).
01Three Tracks at a Glance
- Licensing: required for activities where unrestricted operation could harm public health, safety, or the environment. The full list is in Appendix 1 of the Law.
- Permitting documents: a lighter authorisation for activities listed in Appendix 2. These also require advance approval but are subject to simpler conditions.
- Notifications: the most flexible track. You notify the relevant authority before starting — no approval is needed. Activities requiring notifications are listed in Appendix 3.
02Types of Licences
The law draws a clear line between two licence categories:
- Standard (typovye) licences — issued to any applicant who meets uniform conditions. These are the norm for most regulated activities.
- Individual licences — issued on special terms and grant exclusive rights. They are limited in number, by territory or object, and are typically awarded through a tender. Broadcast spectrum allocation is a typical example.
Each licence covers one type of activity (though sub-types are possible). Licences are valid indefinitely as a rule. The exception: a minimum 5-year term applies to medical and pharmaceutical activities, narcotics-related operations, mobile telecoms, oil and gas extraction, lottery and online gambling operations, and a handful of other sensitive sectors.
03How to Apply
All applications — for licences, permitting documents, and notifications — are filed electronically through the License system or the Unified Portal of Interactive Government Services (EPAGU), signed with a digital signature. The portal is available 24/7 including weekends. State fees and processing charges are set out in each activity's passport and must be paid before the application is forwarded to the competent authority.
- Legal entities provide their taxpayer identification number (INN).
- Individuals provide full name, identity document details, or personal identification number (PINFL).
- All applicants specify the type (and sub-type) of activity and attach documents confirming that licensing conditions are met.
The competent authority must issue or refuse the licence or permitting document within 20 working days of the application date. Its decision must be posted in the License system within one day, and the applicant notified within one working hour of that posting. If no decision is made within the deadline, the applicant is entitled to begin operations — provided they notify the authority electronically.
04Grounds for Refusal, Suspension and Revocation
Refusal
A licence or permitting document may only be refused on three grounds: incomplete documents; false or distorted information; or failure to meet licensing conditions. Refusal on any other basis — including "inexpediency" — is not permitted. Where documents are deficient, the applicant has up to 30 working days to remedy them.
Suspension
The competent authority may suspend a licence for up to 10 days where violations are identified. Suspension beyond 10 days (up to 6 months) requires a court order. Once the violations are remedied, the authority must lift the suspension within 3 days of receiving confirmation.
Revocation (annulment)
- Voluntary application by the holder.
- Liquidation of the legal entity or death of the individual.
- Non-payment of fees within the required period.
- Failure to remedy the grounds for suspension within the prescribed time.
- Repeated (twice or more within a year) or single serious breach of licensing conditions.
- Use of forged documents.
05Notification Procedure
For notification-track activities, no advance approval is required — the business simply files a notification and can begin operating. The notification is auto-accepted if all conditions are met and a confirmation is issued instantly. A fee of up to 50 times the base calculation value (BCV) is charged for most notification filings, with retail alcohol sales being one of the exceptions.
The authority can reject a notification only in five specific circumstances: false information; non-payment of the fee; non-confirmation of compliance with requirements; a current suspension order; or a court-imposed prohibition. The authority may suspend notified activities for up to 10 working days where violations are found; court involvement is required for longer periods.
06Branches and Representative Offices
Branches and representative offices of a legal entity do not need separate licences or permitting documents. Instead, their addresses are added to the parent entity's existing licence through an amendment filed with the competent authority. For entities that already have branches, the addition is handled through a notification to the authority via the License system or EPAGU.
07Can a Permanent Establishment Apply?
A Permanent Establishment (PE) is a tax status — not a legal entity — and therefore has no standing as an independent civil-law subject. Under the Law, only individuals and legal entities may apply for a licence or permitting document. In practice, however, authorities sometimes issue documents to PEs on request, and tax authorities often treat PEs as though they were legal entities. This is legally inconsistent and businesses operating through a PE should take specific advice before relying on authorisations issued in the PE's name.
08Liability for Violations
Individuals face administrative liability under Articles 165, 176³ and 241⁵ of the Administrative Responsibility Code, and criminal liability under Articles 190 and 192⁵ of the Criminal Code for operating without a licence, permitting document, or notification.
Legal entities are subject to fines (set out in Appendix 4 of the Law) for: operating without required authorisation; using forged documents; or providing false information. The competent authority issues the fine decision within 5 working days of detecting the violation. If the entity voluntarily pays 70% of the fine and simultaneously applies for the required licence or permitting document, the remaining 30% is waived. Unpaid fines are referred to court within 5 working days.
09How Advizen Can Help
Navigating Uzbekistan's licensing and permitting landscape requires knowing which track applies to your activity, what conditions must be met, and how to respond if the authority pushes back. Advizen's legal team assists clients at every stage — from identifying the correct authorisation path and preparing application packages, to managing suspensions, amendments, and regulatory disputes.