News · Nov 10, 2026
Law ZRU-1168 from November 18: registry-based café inspections and 5 steps to prepare
Law ZRU-1168 on guarantees of freedom of entrepreneurial activity takes effect on November 18, 2026. Here's what it changes for café and restaurant inspections and what to prepare before that date.
On November 18, 2026, Law No. ZRU-1168 of 17.08.2026 on strengthening guarantees of freedom of entrepreneurial activity comes into force. The full text is published on lex.uz. The key rule for cafés and restaurants is this: a business can't be held liable for a requirement that isn't listed in the Unified Registry of Mandatory Requirements. Since the law changes what inspectors can hold you to, use the time before November 18 to get your paperwork in order and prepare your floor manager for inspections.
What changes on November 18
The law amends several existing acts, including the core Law No. 69-II of 25.05.2000. Four provisions matter most for food service.
- Unified Registry of Mandatory Requirements. This is a public database. It lists requirements for businesses, how long they apply, the supporting documents and the penalties. Government agencies add the requirements themselves, and the Ministry of Justice runs the registry. According to a Ministry of Justice representative speaking in the Senate, about 42,000 requirements have already been entered. The rules for maintaining the registry are set by the Cabinet of Ministers.
- Reporting. Small businesses report only to the statistics authorities and the tax office; sole proprietors report only to the tax office. All reports are filed electronically. Authorities may not request reports that aren't on the unified list (uzdaily.uz).
- Suspension of operations. A regulator can suspend a business for no more than 10 working days, and only if there is a high-risk factor to life and health that is listed in a dedicated registry. Suspensions longer than 10 working days, up to a maximum of 6 months, can only be ordered by a court (kun.uz).
- Risk-based inspections. The type of oversight depends on the level of risk of a violation. In cases specified by the law, an inspection can only go ahead after the Business Ombudsman has been notified.
What this means for your café or restaurant
If an inspector asks for something that isn't in the registry, such as an extra logbook or a certificate required "by internal order", you can challenge a fine for not having it. For cafés, this is the law's biggest practical benefit.
Alongside the law, Presidential Decree No. UP-175 of 27.08.2026 was adopted. It introduces a three-year moratorium on inspections of small businesses. Exceptions to the moratorium:
- criminal cases;
- assessing impact on human health;
- labor law;
- complaints from citizens;
- VAT refunds;
- liquidation.
For food service, this means a small venue shouldn't face scheduled inspections. Inspections triggered by a guest complaint or health concerns are still possible. Under UP-175, a repeat inspection within one year (other than a desk tax audit) requires the Business Ombudsman's approval. Check the moratorium start date against the decree text on lex.uz.
Small businesses include sole proprietors, micro-firms with annual revenue up to 1 billion UZS, and small enterprises with revenue from 1 to 10 billion UZS. These criteria are set by Decree No. UP-21 of 10.02.2023. A typical chaikhana, coffee shop or plov spot usually falls into this group.
What the law doesn't cancel
The law doesn't cancel sanitary and environmental requirements for food service, so check whether they've been entered in the registry. Grease trap requirements and work with product labeling codes remain in place. What's changed is that once the registry is live, you'll be able to see which registry entry a requirement is based on. We covered on-site tax audits and video recording in "Tax inspections in food service: a café checklist for autumn 2026".
Who inspects cafés and what to check against the registry
| Inspector | What they usually check | What to keep on site |
|---|---|---|
| Tax office | Cash register, fiscal receipts, card terminals | Z-reports, receipts, fiscalization contract |
| Sanitary inspection | Cleanliness, food storage, staff | Logbooks, grease trap cleaning records |
| Fire safety inspection | Fire extinguishers, exits, wiring | Extinguisher inspection records, evacuation plan |
| Consumer protection | Menu, prices, guest receipt | Menu with prices, receipts |
| Khokimiyat (local administration) | Signage, premises, opening hours | Permits, lease agreement |
| Product labeling | Codes on drinks, beer, tobacco | Delivery notes, code write-off records |
For each row, find the relevant requirements in the registry and note anything from current inspection practice that's missing from it. For labeling changes after UP-175, see "Product labeling in food service after UP-175: what you no longer need to scan at the register".
What to do before November 18: 5 steps
- List your regulators using the table above and check their requirements against the registry. Get the registry link from the Ministry of Justice website. We couldn't find public confirmation that the Cabinet of Ministers resolution on maintaining the registry has been adopted yet.
- Prepare a one-page guide for your floor manager and general manager. It should cover:
- ask for the inspector's ID and the document authorizing the inspection;
- clarify the scope of the inspection and the registry entry for each requirement;
- call the owner right away;
- write down the arrival time, inspectors' full names and the list of requested documents;
- sign the report only after reading it, and put any disagreement in writing.
- Check related rules: the UP-175 moratorium, tax audit procedures and sanitary requirements. The law doesn't replace them.
- Review your internal documents: logbooks, supplier contracts, receipts, labeling codes. Even if a particular document isn't in the registry, the rest of your paperwork still needs to be in order.
- Keep a copy of the law. Download ZRU-1168 from lex.uz (Uzbek version — O‘RQ-1168) and keep it with your guide. Before any dispute, check the wording against the official text, not news summaries.
How POS records help
Answering questions from the tax office or labeling inspectors is much easier when your data lives in a system, not a notebook. With AliPos, the register issues fiscal receipts in line with Uzbekistan's requirements and handles labeled products. Every deletion and void is logged with the staff member's name and time. Reports are available in AliPos Web from any computer. Learn more about connecting an online cash register on our "Fiscalization" page.
FAQ
When does the law take effect and what is its number?
Law No. ZRU-1168 of 17.08.2026 takes effect on 18.11.2026. The official text is published on lex.uz.
Can a café be fined for a requirement that isn't in the registry?
Under the law, no: a business can't be held liable for failing to meet requirements that aren't entered in the registry.
Who can shut down a café, and for how long?
A regulator can suspend operations for up to 10 working days, and only if there's a high-risk factor to life and health. Suspensions longer than 10 working days, up to 6 months, can only be ordered by a court.
Will cafés still face scheduled inspections?
UP-175 introduces a three-year moratorium for small businesses. Inspections based on citizen complaints, health, labor law, VAT refunds, liquidation and criminal cases still apply.
Does the law cancel sanitary rules and product labeling?
No. The law doesn't cancel sanitary requirements for food service. Check whether these and other requirements, including labeling, have been entered in the registry.
Want receipts, voids and reports at your fingertips during any inspection? Check out AliPos pricing or submit a request. We'll call you back and set things up for your venue.
