The carriers asked Putin to delay the localization of taxi cars

The Public Council for Taxi Development (OCRT) has appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a proposal to postpone the entry into force of the requirements for the localization of taxi cars for the self-employed until March 1, 2031. The text of the appeal to the president is at the disposal of Izvestia.

The carriers also proposed to allow the re-registration of cars in the taxi registry upon a change of ownership (including after the end of leasing / purchase), if the car was previously in the registry, and in parallel to launch a package of state support for self-employed and small taxi companies (preferential loans and leasing with extended terms, subsidizing part of the cost of localized cars, tax preferences and grants mechanisms for stimulating trade-in).

In addition, the OCRT considers it necessary to promptly review the criteria for including models in the list of localized vehicles, taking into account the operational requirements of urban taxis, cost of ownership and regional infrastructure constraints.

With the adoption of innovations in the current conditions, there is a real risk of mass withdrawal from the legal register of hundreds of thousands of cars, loss of jobs and an increase in illegal traffic at the current time of implementation of the norm, the council said. According to FGIS Taxi, in September 2025, there were over 1.13 million vehicles in the registers, of which 834.1 thousand were operational. A significant proportion of cars are registered with the self-employed, who use personal cars. According to the council, up to 75% of such vehicles do not meet the current localization criteria. In addition, there is a risk of damage to a taxi company that is leased and leased with purchase: about 75% of cars under the age of 10 do not meet the criteria.

"If we introduce requirements without adapting to the reality of self-employed and leasing cars, we will get the opposite effect: the growth of the illegal market, deterioration of safety and an increase in the cost of travel. A postponement for the self—employed until 2031 and the right to re-register cars after the lease ends is a reasonable compromise that will preserve the availability of taxi services. We are in favor of localization, but one that works for people and the economy," said Irina Zaripova, Chairman of the OSART.

Steering wheel rule: almost 100 thousand taxi cars will not be able to be replaced due to the localization law

The lack of relaxation may lead to the departure of passenger traffic to the gray zone, experts say.

Earlier, on October 1, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation published a primary list of cars that meet the requirements of the law on taxi localization, which will be operational from March 2026. It includes models of Lada, UAZ, Sollers, Moskvich, Evolute and Voyah brands. Later, the ministry clarified that the list is planned to be expanded, including models under the Haval and Tenet brands, as well as cars manufactured at Kaliningrad Avtotor.

On September 16, it was reported that due to the law on taxi localization, which will come into force in the spring of 2026, about 200 thousand drivers (20% of the total number) may leave the industry. This assessment is given in the minutes of the meeting of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) on the localization of taxi cars.

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