Subject After the 2008-2009 global financial crisis, new elements and trends in budgetary governance have been developing within the framework of new budgetary principles reflected in budgetary law in most of OECD countries. These novelties resulted from profound reforms at the end of the 1990s-early 2000s. Exclusions from key budgetary principles are used much more extensively in modern budgetary practices iof OECD, especially, exclusions from principles of annuality, universality and unity. Objectives The article is to study budgetary principles and exclusions applied to modern budget governance in the OECD countries. Methods The study is based on general methods of analysis and synthesis as well as the e method of comparative analysis. Results A unification trend in basic budgetary principles is considered to have become more evident in the OECD countries after the 2008-2009 global financial crisis. In the mean time, exclusions from budgetary principles make budgetary governance more flexible. We also highlight several relevant cases in budgetary practices of Russia. Conclusions Considering both trends in modern budgetary practice in the OECD countries - unification of basic budgetary principles and legal exclusions, we suppose these countries attempt to find solutions to current budgetary and socio-economic challenges. Exclusions from the key budgetary principles are also applied in Russia but, contrary to OECD practices, they are not always written in legislation. Such a situation undermines the efficiency of budgetary planning and governance.