This text is an automatic translation from Русский. It was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies.
Read original →Taxi Services Go Local
Starting March 2026, Russia will enforce a taxi localization law—only domestically produced vehicles will be eligible for registry. Here's how this will affect prices, taxi fleets, and the transportation market.
AI summary
Starting March 1, 2026, a law on taxi localization comes into force in Russia, according to which only vehicles with an established level of production localization will be included in the registry. The law is aimed at supporting the domestic automotive industry and creating guaranteed demand for localized models in the taxi segment, which involves more than 1 million vehicles. The changes may lead to an increase in taxi fares, a shortage of suitable vehicles, and expansion of the "gray" market segment.
Law as an Instrument of Industrial Policy
The federal law on taxi localization stipulates that starting March 1, 2026, only vehicles meeting established localization requirements or manufactured under special investment contracts (SPICs) signed between 2022 and 2025 will be eligible for inclusion in the taxi registry. Kaliningrad Oblast and Siberia have been granted an extension until 2028, while the Far East has until 2030. From 2033 onward, the localization level will become the sole criterion for admission.
The regional registry is not a tool for aggregators, but rather a state mechanism for licensing taxi operations. It records the right of a specific carrier and vehicle to provide transportation services, ensures oversight of insurance, technical inspections and vehicle compliance, and forms the industry's tax and statistical base. The presence of "gray" taxi drivers doesn't diminish its significance: the registry regulates the legal segment of the market, through which the bulk of orders flow. Moreover, following adoption of the localization law, it's precisely through the mechanism of including or excluding vehicles from the registry that the state effectively manages the structure of the taxi fleet and creates guaranteed demand for certain models.
The official rationale: supporting domestic automakers and reducing dependence on imported components. In reality, this is about securing guaranteed demand for localized models in one of the largest corporate segments—taxis.
According to estimates from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, more than 1 million vehicles are engaged in taxi transportation in Russia. Until recently, a significant portion of this fleet consisted of Kia Rio, Hyundai Solaris, and Volkswagen Polo models—cars that are optimal in terms of ownership costs, durability, and resale value.