Ukraine will bring back mandatory technical inspection from 2026: what will change for drivers and car importers

Ukraine is preparing to reinstate mandatory vehicle inspections. According to the government’s plans, the updated vehicle inspection system will take effect in 2026, and used cars imported from abroad will be the first to be subject to the new requirements.

The reform of vehicle inspections has been identified as one of the top priorities in the automotive sector for 2026. This was reported on the official website of the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine.

Who Will Be the First to Be Subject to Vehicle Inspections in Ukraine

In the first phase, mandatory vehicle inspections are planned to be introduced for imported used cars—specifically, upon their first state registration in Ukraine.

According to the ministry:

vehicle inspections should simplify the process of verifying the technical condition of used cars;
the procedure will effectively replace the existing certification;
the changes will be implemented gradually, rather than covering all vehicle categories at once.

After that, the technical inspection may be expanded to other types of vehicles.

How Vehicle Inspections Currently Work in Ukraine

At present, mandatory vehicle inspections in Ukraine do not apply to all vehicles. The following are required to undergo inspection:

commercial vehicles that regularly transport passengers;
trucks;
special-purpose vehicles.

Inspections are conducted at authorized service centers and must include photo and video documentation.

Fines for failing to undergo a vehicle inspection:

from 340 to 1,700 hryvnia.

For private passenger cars, vehicle inspections are not yet mandatory—however, this may change after 2026.

Why Technical Inspections Are Being Reintroduced: Aligning with EU Standards

The reinstatement of mandatory vehicle inspections is part of a large-scale transportation reform aimed at harmonizing Ukrainian legislation with European Union standards.

Authorities emphasize that the goal of the reform is not to make life more difficult for drivers, but rather to:

improving road safety;
combating vehicles with mechanical defects;
simplifying and digitizing procedures.

What transportation reforms are planned in Ukraine for 2026

In addition to reinstating vehicle inspections, the government plans to implement a number of important changes in the transportation sector:

legislative regulation of the “єЧерга” system;
reform of subsidized transportation;
comprehensive taxi reform;
the introduction of the electronic waybill (e-TTN);
regulation of the transport of hazardous and perishable goods;
establishment of the National Bureau for the Investigation of Transportation Accidents;
improving legislation governing civilian unmanned aerial vehicles.

What Drivers Need to Know Right Now

Although mandatory vehicle inspections for private cars have not yet been reinstated, owners of used cars—especially those planning to import them into Ukraine—should take future changes into account.

Experts advise:

monitor the vehicle’s technical condition in advance;
take into account possible additional costs when importing vehicles;
stay informed about official clarifications from relevant government agencies.

Conclusion

Mandatory vehicle inspections are indeed returning to Ukraine, but they will be phased in gradually and will focus on imported used cars. The full implementation of the reform is expected in 2026, and its ultimate goal is safety, transparency, and compliance with EU standards.

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FAQ

We understand your concerns and strive to provide you with the utmost comfort and confidence in the car buying process. For your peace of mind, we provide the following guarantees and measures. Our managers conduct over 8 steps of a thorough vehicle inspection. This includes a video report prior to purchase. This will allow you to find out whether the car was a party to an accident, the number of owners, its service history, the reliability of the seller, etc. All data about the car is provided to the client and, only after its approval, the manager proceeds to the bidding process.

For you, we are ready to make buying a car abroad easy and reliable. We offer you a full range of services, including car selection, paperwork, transportation and customs clearance. Choose the best among new and used cars with our help. We can also help you to restore and repair the imported car.

You save an average of $5,000 or more. Exclusive models and configurations. Transparent history of car operation. With our help you get the car of your dreams in the shortest possible time and with maximum benefit.

We conclude a contract with you, in which all the terms, conditions, deadlines, milestones and payments are spelled out. After signing the contract, the conditions do not change. We inform you about each stage of transportation of your car, provide video reports. All payments are made in stages and sent to the settlement account specified in the contract.

After finding your wishes, the manager sends you several options for the car you applied for in messengers. Before starting cooperation, we sign an agreement with you on the selection of a car and ask you to make a reverse advance payment in national currency equivalent to $ 500. After clarifying and checking the car chosen by the client, we reserve it and buy it in Korea.

After signing the contract for the selection of a car, our company asks you to make a refundable advance payment of $500, which is returned in full before the car is booked. Why is it needed? The Korean market is in great demand not only in Ukraine, but also throughout the world. The best cars are very quickly "taken apart" from sites and auctions. An advance payment is necessary in order to book a car in a timely manner and get the best offer.

For now, Ukrainian ports do not accept cargo, so all our clients' vehicles arrive at the port of Constantia (Romania). Bypassing delays in queues at the border, your vehicle will arrive quickly and without delays.

Car delivery consists of the following components: preparation of export documents and booking a place on a ship (from 2 weeks), land transportation of the car across Korea to the port of departure (up to 3 days), transportation by sea to a European port (from 60 days), delivery from a European port to Ukraine (up to 10 days). In total, delivery takes from 2.5 months.

Yes, it is possible. For example, OTP Bank is ready to provide a loan for the purchase of a car even to clients without official employment - an amount of up to UAH 300,000 can be approved without a certificate of income. The bank considers alternative sources of income and the borrower's credit history. In other cases, if you have an official salary card (especially in PrivatBank), you often do not need to confirm your income - the bank already sees the receipt. In any case, Bex Auto will help you collect the optimal package of documents or get by with a minimum number of them.

As a rule, the decision is made very quickly. Our partners have made the process as efficient as possible: PrivatBank pre-approves the loan a few minutes after submitting the application - you will find out the result almost instantly. OTP Bank in most cases issues the final decision and transfers the money within one day. In general, buying a car on credit through Bex Auto usually takes 1-2 days, including choosing a car, submitting an application and signing the contract.

The conditions vary depending on the bank and the program. OTP Bank does not have a CASCO requirement at all - you save on insurance, the bank does not oblige to insure the collateral, since the loan is actually unsecured. At PrivatBank, CASCO is required as standard for new cars, but with a down payment of 20-30%, insurance is not a mandatory condition (although the bank itself advises to insure the car voluntarily). Oschadbank always requires full CASCO, since it lends new cars with collateral. Thus, the presence of mandatory CASCO depends on the selected program: if you want to avoid insurance costs, consider options with a high down payment or a loan from OTP Bank.

Yes, you can repay your car loan early at any time without any penalties. All Bex Auto partner banks – OTP, Privat and Oschad – do not charge fees for early repayment. If you have the opportunity to repay the remaining loan early (partially or in full), do so without hesitation: the overpayment will be transferred only for the actual term of use of the borrowed funds. No penalties or hidden conditions – you save on interest by repaying the debt early.

Yes, of course. Bex Auto helps you buy a used car on credit as successfully as a new one. In particular, our partner OTP Bank specializes in used car loans - there are no restrictions on the brand, year of manufacture or mileage of the car. Moreover, no collateral or CASCO is required for such transactions, which distinguishes OTP's offer from classic car loans. You can choose a car at a car lot, a car dealership or even from a private seller - the bank will give you money to buy it. We also accompany the execution of the purchase and sale transaction and registration of the car in your name. If you want to import a car from abroad, we will offer a special program for a grace period (the first months without interest) - this allows you to calmly wait for your car and not pay extra.

The South Korean market is very full of diesel cars. The most popular cars among our clients are: Hyundai Tucson, Hyundai Santa Fe, Renaut (Samsung) Koleos (QM6), Hyundai Palisade, KIA Carnival, KIA Sorento, BMW 5-Series, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Audi A6, Audi Q7, Volvo XC60, Volvo XC90. Our manager will select the best car option for you according to your wishes.

The most popular electric cars from Korea among our clients are: Hyundai Ioniq 5, KIA EV6, Hyundai Kona, KIA Niro, Hyundai Ioniq 6, KIA EV9, Chevrolet Bolt. Also, the Korean sites are full of imported cars, such as Mercedes EQC, BMW IX, Audi E-Tron, Tesla Model S and others. The biggest advantage of electric cars from Korea is that the charging ports are identical to European ones, so you can quickly charge the car in any situation without any adapters.

Yes, indeed, official dealers have a wide range of Korean cars on the Ukrainian market, but they differ from Korean ones. For example, in Korea, the trim levels are very "rich". For the price that you will buy the maximum trim level from the official dealers, in Korea it will be the basic one. And the fact that in the Korean top trim level it is impossible to even imagine... Engine modifications, for example, Hyundai Tucson in Ukraine is offered only with a 2.0 l petrol engine, or a 1.6 l hybrid, where in Korea you can choose: 1.6 turbo petrol, 2.0 diesel, 1.6 hybrid. Also in Korea, there are many cars that have factory LPG, which is very economical to operate.

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