In the last days of April, drivers in Turkmenistan were actively discussing changes to administrative liability legislation. The editors of Turkmenportal decided to take a closer look at what exactly has changed and what violations they affect.

The amendments to Articles 211 and 213 of the Code of Turkmenistan on Administrative Offenses, introduced by the law of April 11, 2026, affected sanctions in several areas at once—in almost all cases, fines were significantly increased.

Thus, under Part One of Article 211—for driving a vehicle without mandatory equipment (windows or rear-view mirrors, a first aid kit, a fire extinguisher, an emergency stop sign, wheel chocks, and also crash bars on motorcycles)—the fine has increased from 0.1 to one base unit.

For Part Two—for violating the rules for the use of motorcycle helmets or seat belts, as well as for failure to ensure that passengers comply with them—the penalty amount has been increased from 0.2 to one base unit.

The most notable changes to Article 211 affected Part Three. Now, operating vehicles equipped with items not intended by the manufacturer that pose a road safety hazard is subject to a fine of two base units, up from the previous one. This list includes spotlights, dazzling headlights, modified suspension springs, non-standard exhaust and sound devices, tinted or mirrored glass installed in violation of regulations, curtains on the windows (except in cases where there are outside mirrors on both sides and the driver's view is preserved), and tires that do not meet the requirements for the given vehicle.

Under Part Four—for installing other items not mentioned in Part Three—the fine has been increased from 0.5 to one base unit.

Under Part Five—for violating the rules for the use of external lighting devices and sound signals, as well as for driving a dirty vehicle (when it is impossible to see anything through the windows, discern the inscriptions on the state registration plates, or identify the make and color of the vehicle), including with inoperative or dirty lighting devices and reflectors—the penalty has been increased from 0.3 to one base value.

In addition, the amendments affected Article 213 of the Code. The fine for distracting a vehicle while driving—talking on the phone, eating, smoking, obstructing other road users, listening to loud audio or video devices, and other similar actions—as well as driving with body parts clearly protruding beyond the vehicle's limits, has been increased from one to two times the base fine.

Thus, the amendments significantly increased the liability of drivers under all the affected articles, standardizing most penalties to one base amount, and for the most serious violations, to two.