Gas Cylinders to Be Licensed: New Regulations for Compressed and Liquid Gas Vehicles

The government, in its meeting today on April 28, decided to allocate 23.4 million drams for the installation of gas cylinder equipment on vehicles and the implementation of an automated system for periodic certification.

Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Gnel Sanosyan mentioned that the system will begin operation on August 1. "All vehicles powered by compressed gas and liquid gas in Armenia must be inspected at least once every two years. Some types of cylinders can be inspected every three years. There are licensed organizations that must install and then check the equipment. An electronic system will store the results of these inspections. Our ministry will manage this registry. This means that when a vehicle goes to a gas station, the employee can check the vehicle’s inspection status by entering the license plate number into the system. If the vehicle has not passed inspection, it will not be refueled," he stated.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan noted that there is a significant number of gas-powered vehicles in Armenia, and there are concerns about potential explosions. "We are obligated to ensure the safety of our citizens. The traffic police can online, sometimes even without stopping the vehicle, check if the vehicle has the appropriate certification and whether the gas cylinder is licensed. This will minimize accidents," he added.

Sanosyan mentioned that the ministry should provide a license within 23 days from the application date, although it may be issued sooner. He stated, "Of course, we are not market price setters, but currently, this service costs between 8,000 to 12,000 drams for citizens." It was also noted that after August 1, vehicles whose gas cylinders have not passed certification will not be able to refuel at gas filling stations.