The article discusses the processes of reforming the Russian formal speech in the era of Peter the Great, which were actively continued during the time of Catherine the Great and received a logical conclusion only at the beginning of the XIX century. Social,
historical, cultural and linguistic reasons for a number of transformations in business writing are determined, having crystallization
character, which is characterized by the sequential ordering of the business language of the XVIII century, still largely amorphous
and not established in the new historical realities of Peter the Great. The changes that took place were systemic in nature and were
associated with the strengthening of the role of document communication in governing the country. Of great importance was the
regulation of documents at all levels, which led to the strengthening of the regulatory function of state communication. The authors
propose a classification of these transformations by certain criteria and demonstrate their diversity and cultural inevitability. The role
of state policy in reforming Russian business speech at the beginning of the XVIII century is emphasized.