The Government issued Decree No. 153/2025/ND-CP amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No. 72/2023/ND-CP dated September 26, 2023 of the Government regulating standards and norms for the use of automobiles. The Decree will take effect from July 1, 2025.
According to the new regulations, the following commune-level positions are allowed to use cars for general work to perform the duties and tasks assigned by agencies, organizations and units:
Secretary, Chairman of the People's Council, Chairman of the People's Committee, Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee at the commune level; Deputy Secretary, Vice Chairman of the People's Council, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee at the commune level.
According to Decree No. 72/2023/ND-CP, some commune-level positions are granted public cars for general work. Vehicles serving general work are one-wheeled or two-wheeled cars with a seating capacity of 4 to 16 seats (including pickup trucks) to serve the general work of agencies, organizations, units (including units under, directly under agencies, organizations, units), state-owned enterprises, not on the list of specialized cars as prescribed.
The purchase price of cars for general work is regulated as follows:
The maximum purchase price of a car for general work is 950 million VND/vehicle. In case it is necessary to buy a car with 12 - 16 seats, the maximum price is 1.3 billion VND/vehicle, buy a 7- or 8-seat car with 2 seats, the maximum price is 1.6 billion VND/vehicle. Ministries, central agencies, and provincial People's Committees shall base on the scope of operations, nature of work, and actual vehicle needs of agencies, organizations, and units to decide on the equipment of cars with 12-16 seats and 2-seat cars with 7 or 8 seats for agencies, organizations, and units under their management to ensure a reasonable, economical, and efficient structure.
Thus, commune chairmen and some commune-level positions are granted a maximum of 950 million VND in public cars. If necessary, some of these titles are granted cars worth up to 1.6 billion VND.
One of the notable points is that these titles are only used by cars for work, not for private purposes and are not taken from place of residence to work.
The commune chairman will be fined if he intentionally uses public cars for the wrong purpose. Clause 4, Article 10 of the Law on Management and Use of Public Assets 2017 stipulates the following prohibited acts in the management and use of public assets:
Using cars and other public assets donated by organizations and individuals for the wrong purposes or regimes, exceeding standards and norms.
Clause 2, Article 8 of Decree 63/2019/ND-CP stipulates the act of using public assets for the wrong purpose as follows:
Fines from VND 10,000,000 to VND 20,000,000 in cases of handing over or using assets that are offices, business establishments, or automobiles for the wrong purpose.
