The State Customs Service is launching new, stricter controls on imports of used cars
On June 8, 2026, the State Customs Service of Ukraine will launch a new phase of a pilot project aimed at the centralized verification of customs declarations. This time, used vehicles imported into the country under preferential trade regimes will be subject to special and enhanced monitoring.
This was reported by the State Customs Service’s press center.
The control procedure will be carried out by a specialized Customs Competence Center, established on the basis of the Coordination and Monitoring Customs Office. The risk management system will automatically select every second declaration (50% of the total volume) for verification under the relevant commodity codes, using a random selective sampling method. The entire document analysis process will be centralized and completely independent of the specific regional customs post where the declarant directly submitted the paperwork. The agency explains that this algorithm will help establish uniform, transparent standards for customs clearance and effectively identify hidden risks or attempts to underreport payments during the import of tax-exempt vehicles.
The approved pilot project for used cars will run from June 8 to December 31, 2026. At the same time, the State Customs Service noted that the previous similar monitoring phase ends on June 30, 2026—it was entirely dedicated to monitoring the import and clearance of mineral fertilizers, as well as plant protection products, including insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides.
In Volyn, a large-scale customs fraud scheme involving the use of counterfeit EUR.1 certificates for customs clearance of vehicles operated for years, resulting in a loss of at least 800 million hryvnias to Ukraine’s state budget.
The Odesa Regional Prosecutor’s Office has filed an indictment against four members of an organized group. According to the investigation, they sold nonexistent vehicles to the army under the guise of volunteer aid and defrauded 11 military personnel. Another participant has been placed on the wanted list.
An alternative bill, No. 15195-1, has been registered in the Verkhovna Rada, which provides for customs clearance benefits for military personnel. The bill proposes exempting active-duty and mobilized military personnel from paying VAT and excise taxes when importing cars into Ukraine.
