Mandatory vehicle inspection for all cars from 2026: what the Ministry of Development is planning

What exactly is the Ministry announcing.  The Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories (often grouped with the infrastructure/transport portfolio) has designated the reform of technical inspection as one of its key legislative priorities for 2026. This is not only about reinstating/expanding vehicle inspections, but about updating an entire package of acts in the field of road transport, carriage of goods and passengers, and road safety.

According to statements by the Ministry and sector‑specific media, in 2026 it plans to:

• gradually introduce mandatory technical inspection for all types of motor vehicles (in practice, for all categories of vehicles, not only trucks and buses as is the case now);
• reform the inspection procedure, making it simpler, more transparent, and as protected as possible from corrupt abuses.

Why the return of inspections became topical.  The return of vehicle inspections has become topical due to Ukraine’s obligation to implement EU law, in particular Directive 2014/45/EU, which treats periodic inspections as a key instrument for monitoring vehicle roadworthiness. The Ministry also stresses safety and environmental goals: extending inspections should reduce accidents caused by technical failures and cut harmful emissions from old or poorly repaired vehicles. Additional motivation is to shrink the shadow transport market and strengthen control over commercial fleets, which are now often operated without proper maintenance.

How inspections will be introduced for all vehicle types

• Inspections will be introduced step by step, not all at once from a single date for every vehicle.
• The first stage is extending mandatory inspections beyond commercial transport to used passenger cars that:
  • are used in business activities;
  • operate as taxis or delivery services;
  • are part of corporate fleets.
• The next stage is applying inspections to all passenger cars, including private family vehicles, with different frequency depending on vehicle age (new cars less often, older ones more often, similar to a number of EU countries).
• In 2025, the rules on technical control were already tightened (photo and video recording, stricter requirements for inspection centres), but this had little impact on private passenger cars.
• The Ministry declares its intention to cover all types of motor vehicles with inspections, so in 2026 changes are expected to core laws and secondary legislation expanding the list of vehicles subject to periodic technical inspection.

How the inspection procedure itself will change.  One of the Ministry’s main stated tasks is to make inspections transparent, standardised, and less prone to corruption. Public statements highlight the following benchmarks:

• digitalisation of the process: mandatory photo and video recording, electronic recording of results, and integration with vehicle and insurance registers;
• unification of requirements for inspection centres, including equipment, access to databases, staff qualifications, and a system for granting and revoking accreditation;
• introduction of stricter defect‑assessment standards modelled on European practice (critical, major, minor deficiencies) and linking inspection results to whether a vehicle may be operated.

In parallel, the Ministry plans to update the rules for transporting dangerous goods and to create a National Transport Accident Investigation Bureau for deeper analysis of road accident causes. This underlines that inspections are not a fiscal tool but part of a broader, integrated transport safety policy.

Implications for drivers and business.  The return of mandatory inspections will mean regular time and financial costs for drivers, but also clearer rules: without a valid inspection, a vehicle may not be operated. The actual frequency and cost for different transport types will only be defined after the laws are adopted, so in 2026 it will be important to follow official clarifications by the Ministry and the government.

For businesses (carriers, logistics operators, taxi services, corporate fleets), inspections from 2026 onward will mean stricter requirements for vehicle roadworthiness, the need for scheduled maintenance, and updates to internal safety policies. At the same time, a digital, transparent control system may reduce the number of purely formal checks and corruption risks and become a competitive advantage for companies that invest in proper vehicle condition and compliance.

If you have questions or issues related to preparing for inspections, challenging inspection results, or fines for vehicle technical condition, you should seek qualified legal advice from Attorneys Union “LAW COMPANY ‘WINNER’”.

Author: Ihor Yasko, Managing Partner at Attorneys Union “LAW COMPANY ‘WINNER’”, PhD in Law.