Ukraine's national postal operator Ukrposhta will no longer require citizens to provide a taxpayer identification number when making cash utility payments, chief executive Igor Smelyansky announced on Wednesday, August 12.
Starting Thursday, August 13, the state-owned enterprise will drop the tax number requirement for cash payments covering utility services up to 5,000 UAH, mobile phone top-ups, and bank card deposits under 5,000 UAH. The exemption for utility payments excludes tax payments where such details remain mandatory.
Smelyansky added that Ukrposhta will also begin masking part of citizens' bank card numbers on utility payment documents starting at the end of this week.
Dispute over central bank regulations
The decision follows discussions between Ukrposhta and the National Bank of Ukraine regarding regulatory requirements. In an official letter sent to the central bank on Wednesday, Ukrposhta cited public communication from the NBU and the text of a central bank resolution containing the choice between 'and' or 'or'. Ukrposhta stated that it chose to interpret the clause strictly as 'or' in the interest of Ukrainian citizens.
The announcement comes after Smelyansky stated on August 3 that the NBU was requiring taxpayer numbers and full payment card numbers on all receipts. The National Bank responded that it had not introduced new rules, noting that basic formatting requirements for payment documents have been in force since 2022.
Smelyansky quoted the central bank response, arguing that the language in NBU Resolution No. 103 remains open to dual interpretation. Under Resolution No. 103, receipts for individual payments must include the person's full name and either their tax registration number or passport number for those without a tax code. Smelyansky concluded that the central bank effectively requires a tax number in certain instances without specifying which cases apply.
Broader conflict over banking license
The disagreement over payment documentation is part of a broader conflict between the state postal operator and Ukraine's central bank. Ukrposhta has long sought to obtain a banking license to offer direct financial services to customers across its national postal network.
The dispute previously escalated into an official demand by the NBU for the dismissal of Smelyansky, though the Ukrainian government has not acted on the request. Danylo Hetmantsev, chairman of the financial committee of the Verkhovna Rada, said the disagreement has developed into a personal confrontation between Smelyansky and NBU Governor Andriy Pyshny.
