President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan signed a law on April 20 that allows for the simplified collection of debts for utility services, homeowners' association fees, and other debts up to 5 times the minimum wage. The law came into force upon official publication.
The law amends the legislation “On Enforcement of Court Decisions and Acts of Other Bodies.” The bill was passed by the Legislative Chamber on August 12, 2025, and approved by the Senate on October 31.
The key change is the expansion of the list of debts subject to simplified enforcement proceedings. In addition to administrative fines and tax arrears, the list now includes utility debts, homeowners' association fees, and other debts up to 5 times the minimum wage.
According to the law, the simplified procedure still does not apply to enforcement documents concerning criminal fines or documents subject to immediate execution.
Under the amendments, although these debts are included in the simplified collection system, the forced withdrawal of funds from individuals' bank accounts is prohibited. This restricts the powers of state bailiffs, preventing them from automatically deducting money from citizens' bank cards or accounts for this category of debt.
However, these debts can be collected from the debtor's salary, stipend, pension, and other income based on enforcement documents. The amount of deduction must not exceed the minimum wage.
During the discussion of the amendments, some deputies opposed the changes. Initially, the norm allowing deduction from bank accounts was included but was removed from the final document.
The simplified enforcement procedure is a method of collecting debts from individuals (e.g., fines, taxes, state duties, postal costs) without visiting the debtor's place of residence or property location. The entire process is carried out remotely through banks and information technology.
Unlike the regular procedure, strict measures such as property seizure or travel restrictions are not applied. After receiving a notification, the debtor is given 5 working days to voluntarily pay the debt. If the debt is not paid without valid reason within 5 days, forced deduction from bank accounts begins, and an additional enforcement fee is charged.
It should be noted that from July 1, homeowners who fail to pay mandatory fees by the 15th of the month will have their electricity payment acceptance suspended. A penalty is charged for each day of delay: 0.1% for individuals and 0.4% for legal entities. Utility payments are accepted only through bank counters or cards.
Source: www.gazeta.uz