Parliament passes land reform extending maximum lease terms to 49 years

Uzbekistan’s Legislative Chamber has approved a land reform bill in its second and third readings, extending the maximum lease term for both agricultural and non-agricultural land to 49 years and introducing new restrictions on foreign nationals’ access to certain categories of land. The legislation has been forwarded to the Senate for consideration.

Under current law, agricultural land may be leased for a maximum of 30 years. The bill would raise that ceiling to 49 years and apply the same upper limit to non-agricultural land, creating a unified maximum across all land categories. The change was first discussed at a presidential meeting in April, when authorities outlined plans to standardise lease terms while tightening controls on foreign land use.

Foreign access narrowed on sensitive sites

The bill clarifies the rules governing land use by foreign citizens, stateless persons and companies with foreign participation. Agricultural land may be used by these entities only through sublease arrangements rather than direct lease agreements. The legislation would also prohibit the transfer of several categories of land to foreign nationals entirely: land used for defence purposes, border areas, sites of historical and cultural significance, and forest fund land.

Lawmakers said the bill was revised before its second reading to reflect practical experience in enforcing existing legislation, arguing that the amendments would provide greater legal certainty, strengthen state oversight of land relations and promote more efficient land use.

Sublease rights and housing plots formalised

On the non-agricultural side, the bill eases existing rules by allowing tenants who acquire land through auctions to sublease their plots — a right not previously available to auction winners. The legislation also formally establishes a legal framework for leasing land designated for individual housing construction, a category that had lacked clear statutory grounding.

Voting and legislative path

The bill passed its second reading with 105 votes in favour and one against; three lawmakers did not vote. During the third reading it was merged with a separate bill on the protection of forest land and approved with 102 votes in favour.

The legislation now moves to the Senate. If the upper chamber approves it, the bill will be submitted to the president for signature. The bill was first introduced in early June, when its stated purpose was to systematise the land rights of non-residents and create a more predictable legal framework for long-term foreign investment projects.