Kyrgyzstan extends pilot program for driving schools to end of 2026

Kyrgyzstan has extended its pilot program for regulating driving schools and driver training until December 31, 2026. The program, initially set to end on August 30, 2026, received amendments via a presidential decree.

The Presidential Affairs Department will monitor the pilot program's implementation until September 1, 2026. By October 1, 2026, it must submit draft regulatory legal acts to the presidential administration, incorporating the experiment's interim results. This extension provides an additional four months for testing the new driving school system before finalizing regulations.

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Corruption had been recorded in the driving school system for years, and the pass rate at some private schools exceeded 90 percent.

The pilot regime, introduced on January 30, 2026, suspended licenses for private driving schools and permitted only state-run institutions to conduct training. Authorities cited the need to review the existing licensing system and develop new driver training regulations. President Sadyr Japarov highlighted that the reform addresses the quality of driver training and road safety, noting years of corruption within the system and unusually high pass rates at some private schools.

Statistics presented by the president indicate that over the past decade, Kyrgyzstan recorded approximately 75,000 traffic accidents, resulting in 9,120 fatalities. The reform intends to establish uniform training requirements and enhance both theoretical and practical instruction for aspiring drivers.

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Over the past ten years, approximately 75,000 traffic accidents occurred in Kyrgyzstan, killing 9,120 people.