The National Catalog of Goods (NKT) of Kazakhstan: what NTIN is and who must have it in 2026

What the NKT is and why it appeared

The National Catalog of Goods is a single state directory that holds data on products sold in Kazakhstan: name, brand, manufacturer, country of origin, and characteristics. The goal is for one and the same product to be described identically by all participants in trade, rather than under a dozen different names in different accounting systems.

The basis is order No. 626 of the Ministry of Finance of Kazakhstan dated 24 October 2025. From 1 January 2026 the product name per the NKT and its code become part of the usual documents: the electronic invoice (ESF), the accompanying waybill for goods (SNT), and the cash register receipt.

NTIN, XTIN, and GTIN: how they differ

Three similar abbreviations orbit the catalog, and they are easy to mix up. In practice the difference is simple: NTIN is your permanent code in the NKT, XTIN is a temporary code for the processing period, and GTIN is the international barcode by which a product can be found or pulled into the catalog.

For trade, NTIN is what matters. XTIN helps when you need to sell right now while the card is still in moderation, but it is not a replacement for the permanent code — it has to be brought all the way to an NTIN.

Who is obligated and by when

The one who first puts a product into circulation must digitize it and get a code: as a rule this is the manufacturer or importer. The seller and distributor then work under an already-issued NTIN, but if the product is not in the catalog, they will have to submit the card themselves.

The requirement was introduced on 1 January 2026, but with gradual transition deadlines so businesses have time to describe their product range. The exact dates should be checked against the NKT portal, because the regulator may refine them.

How to get a code: the short route

The order is the same for everyone: register on the NKT portal (nct.gov.kz) using the company’s or sole proprietor’s electronic digital signature (EDS), check whether the product is already in the catalog, and, if not, create a card. The card can be filled in manually via a web form, uploaded in bulk via an Excel template, or transmitted through an API from your accounting system.

After submission the card goes to moderation. Typically the review of goods for sale takes up to 3 business days, and of items for public procurement up to 10. After approval the product receives a permanent NTIN, and it can be listed in the ESF, SNT, and receipt.

• registration via EDS on the NKT portal
• checking the product in the catalog by GTIN/name
• filling in the card: web, Excel, or API
• moderation and NTIN assignment

What stops a business from doing it themselves

With one or two products it is all straightforward. The problems begin at volume: hundreds and thousands of items need to be classified, their characteristics brought into line with the catalog’s requirements, standardization and conformity-assessment documents attached, and images added — all without getting rejected in moderation over incomplete data.

That is why many companies outsource digitization turnkey: a contractor gathers the data, prepares the cards, passes moderation, and hands over ready NTINs while the team focuses on sales rather than filling in forms.