The key facts

  • Design codes — only after public discussion; take effect 3 months after publication
  • Tashkent khokimiyat and Chamber of Commerce and Industry — discuss the capital's design code with business and media by December 10
  • Advertising removal — with written notice two days in advance, on working days from 9:00 to 18:00, with a report and photos

New rules for design codes

A resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan dated October 13 introduces a rule: territorial design codes regulating relations in the field of advertising must be developed and updated only after broad public discussion, including discussion on the portal of normative legal acts. Design codes may take effect no earlier than three months after publication. The changes were made to the government resolution on regulating the outdoor advertising market dated February 20, 2020.

Assignment to Tashkent

The Tashkent khokimiyat, together with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other interested agencies, has been tasked with holding, by December 10, a broad discussion of the capital's design code rules with the participation of entrepreneurs and the media. Proposals to update the design code, taking into account the comments received, must be submitted for approval to the city council of people's deputies. When developing it, the possibility of using registered trademarks of enterprises and organizations must be taken into account.

Procedure for removing advertising

The resolution regulates the forced removal of outdoor advertising objects. The date and time of removal must be published on local authorities' websites two days before it takes place, and the owner must be sent a written notice to the legal address. Removal is allowed only on working days and during working hours — from 9:00 to 18:00. In the owner's presence, a report is drawn up indicating the date, time and reason for removal, with attached photographs and the storage address of the structure; the information is entered into the 'Tashki reklama' ('Outdoor Advertising') system. If the owner is unknown, the notice is posted on the object itself. Public oversight of advertising placement must be organized through the 'Khalq nazorati' portal.

Background of the conflict with business

In February, the Tashkent council of people's deputies approved a document introducing the design code, defining the types and boundaries of public spaces, rules for placing urban design elements and commercial real estate objects, the formation of visual identity, and the selection of trees and shrubs. The document came into force on May 17, but already from November 2025 businesses began having their signs removed — citing the absence of an advertising place passport (although signs under 1 sq. m are not outdoor advertising objects) and the need to bring facades into line with the design code. The same resolution abolished the passport requirement for signs.

Business discontent and the authorities' response

From March, khokimiyats intensified raids, which caused mass discontent among entrepreneurs: they complained about pressure, losses from forced removal of signs and electricity shutdowns, which was later confirmed by the office of Uzbekistan's business ombudsman. In April, the office submitted a conclusion calling for a revision of the city council's design code decision. Business cited as the main problems the lack of constructive dialogue, advance notifications and clear rules for placing structures; one entrepreneur said he was forced to change his facade three times in a single day. In early May, the question of excluding signs with the company name and type of activity from the advertising category was discussed at a meeting with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Khokim's admission of mistakes

In October, in an interview with Gazeta, Tashkent khokim Shavkat Umrzakov admitted the mistakes that had led to public discontent, linking them to a lack of dialogue with the population. According to him, on 56 streets, after working with people on the design code, 98% supported the changes, and the value of territories where the design code is being implemented, by his observation, is growing approximately twofold.