The article deals with the evolution of meanings and legal regulation of public services in the current history of Russia.  It is in the framework of this evolution, that the institute of public services emerges as a tool to promote the market of services in the spheres of activity of executive bodies of power and to restrict their authoritative aspirations.

Results of the study: at present public services in Russia embrace virtually all services provided at the expense of the state budget. The state seeks to make rules and control requirements to the quality of services as are done or provided from the state budget. It mainly concerns public administration services.

Conclusions: not bad assessments of the efforts on improving the quality of public services are not a reason for complacency. There are still a lot of problems with the quality of public services. Yet, they show that the efforts on improving the quality of services are useful and must continue. To achieve a high level of customers’ satisfaction with the quality of public services both the current efforts on inculcating advanced mechanisms, including the optimization of the re-engineering of their delivery, and further institutionalization of public services with the logic of the evolution of their meanings and legal regulation are very important.