Moscow Will Require Identity Verification for Car Rentals Starting This Fall

Beginning September 1, Moscow will block access to carsharing services for users who fail identity checks — part of a citywide push to reduce traffic accidents and tighten control over shared mobility.

Starting this September, anyone hoping to rent a car in Moscow via carsharing apps will need to pass identity verification through the city’s digital services portal, mos.ru. The new rule, announced by Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, aims to weed out dangerous drivers and support law enforcement in the event of accidents or emergencies.

He added that the same system, Mos ID, has already been rolled out for couriers and e-scooter renters, resulting in a 60% drop in accidents since the start of the season.

Under the new policy, users must have a fully verified account on mos.ru. Without that, carsharing access will be automatically denied.

The stakes are high: Moscow has the largest fleet of carsharing vehicles in the world, with over 150,000 trips made daily, according to city officials.

The new verification protocol is part of a broader strategy to improve traffic safety and hold drivers more accountable. Authorities say the system is designed to help build a more predictable and responsible urban transportation ecosystem.