Vehicle Inspections Are Returning to Ukraine: Why and When?

Ukraine is reinstating mandatory vehicle inspections for passenger cars — the system is scheduled to be launched by the end of 2027. Find out how the new inspection system will work, who a vehicle inspector is, and what corruption risks experts have identified

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Ukraine is reinstating mandatory vehicle inspections for passenger cars, which were abolished back in 2011 due to widespread corruption. The updated system is scheduled to be launched by the end of 2027. This was announced on Facebook by Iryna Kosse, a senior research fellow at the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting.

The return of vehicle inspections is not merely a domestic decision: it is part of Ukraine’s obligations to the EU under Directive 2014/45/EU on periodic technical inspections of vehicles. Brussels evaluates not just the existence of the law, but also the extent to which the system is comprehensive, transparent, and uniform for all participants.

“For the European Union, vehicle inspections are not a formality, but a tool for road safety and environmental protection aimed at drastically reducing fatalities and injuries,” Kosse emphasizes.

Read also: Reinstating a driver’s license after suspension—what tests and documents are required?

What will change in the vehicle inspection procedure?

The reform provides for a significant simplification of administrative procedures. Accreditation, approval, and registration of inspection stations will be consolidated into a single electronic procedure with a processing time of up to 30 days.

A separate official profession is being established: technical inspection inspector. All inspectors, including those already working in the field, are required to confirm their qualifications and undergo recertification every 5 years.

Key requirement: Inspectors must act independently and without any conflict of interest. Their compensation cannot depend on the outcome of the inspection — this is a direct regulation designed to prevent any incentive to issue a “favorable” conclusion.

A specific person is responsible for each inspection. Photos and videos from the inspection will be analyzed using an AI-based program that automatically flags suspicious cases for further review.

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What are people saying about the corruption risks associated with vehicle inspections?

In parallel with the development of the reform, the Ministry of Development and the civil society organization “Together Against Corruption” conducted an anti-corruption study of the entire system—from an operator’s entry into the market to the verification of results. According to Kosse, the conclusion is disappointing. Without addressing the identified vulnerabilities, the reform risks recreating the very same schemes that existed prior to 2011. The expert highlighted three key problems:

1. The video is stored by the inspection station itself, not by the state. The operator controls its own evidence and can alter or delete it. An independent state repository for recordings is a necessary condition that is missing from the current draft.

2. Measurement results are entered manually. This means that the figures can be falsified at any stage without automatic recording by the equipment.

3. Responsibility is blurred and attributed to an abstract “center.” Instead of being personally assigned to the inspector who conducted a specific inspection, responsibility remains collective—which effectively means it belongs to no one.

When will the bill be submitted to parliament?

The reform timeline is as follows: the bill is scheduled to be published by the end of summer, followed by one month for public discussion and another month for approval. The document is planned to be submitted to parliament in September–October 2026. Ukraine intends to implement the changes by the end of 2027.

Kosse makes no secret of his concerns regarding the pace of work on the reform: “When time is short, it’s easiest to pass the law on time and build in safeguards against corruption later. Then we’ll end up with a new procedure that still has the old vulnerabilities at its core. And then, formally, there will be a reform, but corruption will remain.”

We remind you! This summer, new requirements for drivers will take effect: ranging from hefty fines and vehicle towing for tinted windows to the reinstatement of mandatory vehicle inspections and higher parking rates. Read how to save money and avoid penalties.

Photo: maxlupascu / Freepik

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