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19Sep
What the Law of Ukraine “On Citizens’ Appeals” Regulates
The Law of Ukraine “On Citizens’ Appeals” defines how a person can address a state body, local self-government body, enterprise, institution, organization, or official, and also establishes the rules for considering such appeals.
It is not only about complaints. The law covers proposals, statements, petitions, complaints, personal reception of citizens, and electronic petitions.
As of September 2026, the Law of Ukraine “On Citizens’ Appeals” No. 393/96-VR is in force. The current edition on the official portal of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is dated June 27, 2026. Law of Ukraine “On Citizens’ Appeals” on the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine website
The right of a person to appeal to authorities is enshrined not only by this law. Article 40 of the Constitution of Ukraine guarantees everyone the right to send individual or collective written appeals or personally address state authorities, local self-government bodies, and their officials. They, in turn, must consider the appeal and provide a justified response within the timeframe established by law. Article 40 of the Constitution of Ukraine
The right to appeal also applies to foreigners and stateless persons legally residing in Ukraine, unless otherwise specified by an international treaty.
Types of Appeals Provided by the Law
Article 3 of the Law of Ukraine “On Citizens’ Appeals” effectively divides appeals into three main types. The choice depends on what exactly the person wants from the body or official.
- Proposal or remark – advice, recommendation, or opinion regarding the work of authorities, officials, improvement of legislation, or resolution of certain public issues;
- Statement or petition – a request to help realize a right or lawful interest, notification of a violation, or a request to recognize a certain status, right, or freedom;
- Complaint – a demand to restore a violated right and protect lawful interests due to an unlawful decision, action, or inaction of an authority or official;
Thus, writing to the city council with a proposal to change traffic organization is one thing. Requesting the law-entitled right is another. And demanding the cancellation of an unlawful decision by an official is already a complaint.
Article 5 of the Law of Ukraine “On Citizens’ Appeals”: How to Properly Submit an Appeal
One of the most common search queries is “Art. 5 law of Ukraine on citizens’ appeals.” This article explains what an appeal should look like and how it can be submitted.
An appeal can be individual or collective, oral or written. A written appeal can be delivered in person, sent by mail, or submitted via the Internet or electronic communication means. An oral appeal can be made during a personal reception or through a designated contact center or “hotline.”
To ensure a written appeal meets legal requirements, it is worth checking it by a simple scheme.
- Indicate the full name of the applicant.
- Specify the place of residence.
- Clearly describe the essence of the question, statement, proposal, or complaint.
- Formulate the request or demand.
- Put a signature and date on the written appeal.
- For electronic appeals, indicate an email address for the response or another means of contact.
A qualified electronic signature is not required by law for sending an electronic appeal. If the appeal is submitted in violation of established requirements, it may be returned to the applicant with explanations no later than 10 days after receipt.
Article 7 of the Law of Ukraine “On Citizens’ Appeals”: Can They Refuse to Accept the Statement?
A properly formatted and submitted appeal must be accepted and considered. Article 7 explicitly prohibits refusal to accept appeals due to political views, party affiliation, gender, age, religion, nationality, or lack of knowledge of the appeal language.
An important practical rule: a person is not always obliged to accurately determine the body responsible for resolving their issue.
If an appeal is sent to a body outside its competence, the respective authority must, within no more than 5 days, forward it to the proper body or official and inform the applicant about this. At the same time, a complaint cannot be forwarded for consideration to the same body or official whose actions or decisions are being challenged by the person.
Article 8 of the Law of Ukraine “On Citizens’ Appeals”: Appeals That May Not Be Considered
Not every letter automatically creates an obligation to consider the issue on the merits.
A written appeal without indication of residence, without an author’s signature, or from which authorship cannot be determined is recognized by law as anonymous. Such appeals are not considered.
The law also establishes restrictions regarding repeated appeals. If the same person repeatedly appeals to the same authority on the same issue, and the previous appeal has already been resolved on the merits, the consideration may be terminated. The applicant must be informed about the relevant decision.
Article 20 of the Law of Ukraine “On Citizens’ Appeals”: Response Time
The query “law of Ukraine on citizens’ appeals response time” directly relates to Article 20.
The general rule is as follows:
- Up to 15 days – if the appeal does not require additional study;
- Up to one month – general period for consideration of the appeal;
- Up to 45 days – maximum period if resolving the issue within a month is impossible and the applicant has been informed about the extension;
Upon a justified written request from a citizen, the consideration period may be shortened. Appeals from persons entitled to benefits established by law are considered with priority.
The consideration of an appeal itself is free of charge. An authority or official cannot demand payment from a citizen just for submitting a statement, proposal, or complaint.
What Rights Does a Citizen Have During the Consideration of an Appeal
The law does not reduce the rights of the applicant only to waiting for a response. Article 18 grants the citizen additional opportunities to defend their position during the consideration of a statement or complaint.
In particular, the person has the right to:
- Personally present their arguments and participate in the verification of a statement or complaint;
- Familiarize themselves with the verification materials;
- Submit additional documents and other materials;
- Be present during the consideration of the appeal;
- Use the assistance of an attorney or duly authorized representative;
- Receive a written response regarding the results of the consideration;
- Demand confidentiality of the appeal consideration;
- Demand compensation for damages in cases provided by law;
Authorities and officials, in turn, must objectively and timely verify statements and complaints, inform about the results, and in case of unjustified refusal – explain the procedure for appealing it.
How to File a Complaint About a Decision or Inaction
If a person’s rights are violated by a decision, action, or inaction, the Law of Ukraine “On Citizens’ Appeals” allows filing a complaint with a higher body or official. This does not deprive the person of the right to go to court.
For an administrative complaint under this law, there is a separate deadline: it can be filed within one year from the date of the decision, but no later than one month from the moment the citizen became aware of this decision. The body or official may restore the missed deadline for valid reasons.
At the same time, special procedures need to be considered. Article 12 explicitly provides cases when the Law of Ukraine “On Citizens’ Appeals” does not define the procedure for considering a statement or complaint. If the issue is regulated, for example, by the Law of Ukraine “On Administrative Procedure,” the special procedure is applied.
Electronic Appeals and Electronic Petitions
An electronic appeal and an electronic petition are not the same.
A regular electronic appeal can be submitted by a citizen via the Internet or electronic means of communication. It does not require thousands of signatures.
An electronic petition is a special form of collective appeal. For a petition to the President of Ukraine, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, or Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the law requires no less than 25,000 signatures to be collected within no more than three months. For local self-government bodies, the required number of signatures and the collection period are determined by the charter of the respective territorial community.
A petition that has collected the required number of signatures is considered promptly, but no later than 10 working days from the day the information about the beginning of its consideration was published.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Law of Ukraine “On Citizens’ Appeals”
As a rule – no more than one month. If the issue does not require additional study – no later than 15 days. In more complex situations, the term may be extended, but generally, it should not exceed 45 days.
Yes. The law allows sending written appeals via the Internet and electronic communication tools. An electronic appeal must indicate an email address for receiving a response or another means of contact.
No. Article 5 of the Law of Ukraine “On Citizens’ Appeals” explicitly provides that the use of a qualified electronic signature when sending an electronic appeal is not required.
If the issue violated is not within the competence of the recipient, they must, no later than within 5 days, forward the appeal to the proper body or official and inform the citizen about this.
As a general rule – no. If a written appeal does not specify place of residence, is unsigned, or the author cannot be identified, it is considered anonymous and is not subject to consideration.
Yes. Depending on the legal situation, a citizen can appeal a decision, action, or inaction to a higher authority or official, or apply to court. For certain categories of cases, a special law may establish another procedure and deadlines for appeal.
No. Article 21 of the Law of Ukraine “On Citizens’ Appeals” establishes the free-of-charge consideration of appeals.
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