New Law on Vehicle Gas Cylinders: What Drivers Need to Do and the Challenges They Face

It is no secret that Armenia is one of the countries where most vehicles operate on gas cylinders. The majority of drivers say that gasoline is expensive, and by installing a gas cylinder, using liquid or compressed gas, they can save money.

The safety inspection of gas cylinders has long been left to the discretion of the drivers, raising the question of how and where they have been inspected, or whether any inspection has taken place at all.

As a result of this, on December 10, 2021, a law initiated by the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures came into force, which stipulates that the Government approved a licensing procedure for the installation of gas cylinder equipment on vehicles operating on compressed natural or liquefied petroleum gas and the periodic certification of gas cylinders. The installation of gas cylinders and periodic certification have been included in the list of activities subject to licensing.

The editorial staff of Auroranews has received numerous calls from drivers regarding this law, stating that there is currently no licensed organization in Armenia that can conduct the licensing process. Consequently, licensing is mandatory, yet there is no licensing body. According to the law, starting from February 15, gas stations will not have the right to refuel gas cylinders.

Drivers claim that this will lead to a collapse since a large portion of vehicles in the country are equipped with gas cylinders. It appears that regardless of the legal requirements and the penalties established, drivers will be unable to comply with the law's demands.

Auroranews submitted a written inquiry to the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures, requesting answers to several questions: “Why is the licensing process delayed? How many companies have applied for licensing? How frequently will the licensing of gas cylinders be conducted? What will drivers do if the licensing process is not completed by February 15, as gas stations have already been instructed not to refill gas cylinders without the appropriate documentation?”

We received the following response from the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures: “As of January 18, 2022, three applications are under review for the installation of gas cylinders for vehicles operating on compressed natural or liquefied petroleum gas and the periodic certification of gas cylinders. A meeting was held on January 17, 2022, to discuss issues related to organizing the licensing of gas cylinder installation and periodic certification in a short time, with representatives from 16 organizations operating in the sector participating. It was suggested to collaborate with the authorized body to ensure an adequate number of licensed organizations in the country in a short time for the proper execution of gas cylinder installation and periodic certification processes used in vehicles.

In Armenia, the periodic certification of gas cylinders installed on vehicles is set at least once every two years. The certificates issued by accredited organizations for the certified gas cylinders remain valid until the next certification deadline and can be used until then.