Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers has simplified the export procedure for domestically produced vehicles, according to Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Bohdan Drapiatyi. The government adopted the resolution during a cabinet meeting on August 13.
Under the new rules, manufacturers delivering Ukrainian-built vehicles to foreign customers will receive single-trip license plates and a registration certificate valid for one month. The certificate carries a specific notation marking it for temporary export registration.
The regulation, developed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, addresses a long-standing issue for domestic automakers. Ukrainian law forbids unregistered vehicles from driving on public roads.
Previously, manufacturers transporting new vehicles abroad had to register them in Ukraine first and then remove them from the national registry. This process stripped vehicles of their status as new and created complications for executing export contracts.
Drapiatyi noted that the temporary certificate only confirms that a vehicle has been recorded by the manufacturer for export purposes. It does not count as a document of official state registration.
Ukrainian vehicle manufacturing landscape
While Ukraine no longer operates full-cycle vehicle manufacturing plants, domestic automotive production continues through vehicle assembly and body fabrication. Companies assemble serial models from imported kit parts, such as Škoda cars built at the Eurocar plant.
Other domestic manufacturers produce bus bodies mounted on imported chassis. These include Ataman buses built on Isuzu platforms, Etalon buses on TATA or Ashok Leyland chassis, and ZAZ A08 buses on AsiaStar chassis.
State support and electric vehicle goals
The government measure builds on broader policy efforts aimed at supporting Ukraine's vehicle industry. In February 2024, then Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stated that Ukraine aimed to establish a closed-cycle production process for electric vehicles.
During meetings at that time, Shmyhal asked Japanese companies to consider building automotive factories in Ukraine. The Cabinet of Ministers also pledged extra state incentive programs to support local vehicle manufacturers.
