This paper deals with the problems of legal regulation of cluster development in the Russian Federation at the regional level. Basic regulations governing the formation and development of clusters were put in a system. It is concluded that own regulatory regions, and regions using mainly general federal approach to the formation of cluster policy are poorly developed. The practice of clustering of the Russian Federation was generalized. Prerequisites for the formation of clusters in the regions and their subsequent development were identified. A comparison of approaches to the formation of cluster policy in the Russian Federation was made, particularities in the areas of the clusters were highlighted and the types of state support for their formation were determined. The basic reasons for the development of regional clusters are: construction of the type of dominant firms, mutual cooperation of cluster members, active support from government and regional authorities (public-private partnerships and personal involvement of management in the region) and bottom-up approach.
