New measures against “gray“ cars announced in Kazakhstan starting September 1
Tengrinews.kz — Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has ordered the development of a comprehensive set of measures within 10 days to combat the illegal import of vehicles into Kazakhstan.
Earlier, Anar Makasheva, President of the Kazakhstan Auto Union, noted a rising number of violations involving vehicles imported through unofficial channels. According to her, cars entering the country are often encumbered by liens in other states, listed as stolen, or have other legal issues. Furthermore, buyers frequently lack the means to verify the history of such vehicles in advance.
Against this backdrop, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov ordered a crackdown on illegal vehicle imports. According to him, such cars often fail to meet technical and environmental requirements, and one of the reasons for the current situation is the existence of gaps in the enforcement of customs legislation.
"The Ministry of Finance, together with the Ministry of Industry, is required to develop a set of measures within a ten-day period to prevent the illegal import of vehicles based on current legislative norms," Olzhas Bektenov stated at a government meeting.
He emphasized that new approaches to customs administration and technical regulation must be operational by September 1, 2026.
In addition, the Prime Minister instructed that public awareness campaigns be conducted to explain all measures being taken.
Context
The fight against "grey" vehicle imports has been a topic of discussion in Kazakhstan for several years. Previously, the Ministry of Industry stated that certain companies were using individuals for the mass import of vehicles to bypass requirements applicable to legal entities. As a result, the state loses out on customs duties, and the market is flooded with vehicles whose registration involved violations.
In July, the State Revenue Committee also refuted reports circulating online regarding an alleged increase in import rates for vehicles, emphasizing that current customs duties have not changed.
At the same time, the agency reminded that a restriction remains for importing vehicles for personal use—no more than one car per person per year—and registration must be carried out in accordance with the requirements of customs legislation.