Vehicle Registration and Licensing (Amendment) Regulations, 2024 (No.26)
New vehicle fees: first registration is US$100 up to 1500cc and US$500 above it, change of ownership US$115 or US$515, and annual licensing runs from US$120 a year for a car up to 1500kg to US$1 800 for the heaviest trucks.
The Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development has replaced Parts I and II of the Third Schedule to the Vehicle Registration and Licensing Regulations, 1999 (S.I. 427 of 1999) — that is, the whole fee and licensing tariff. The 2022 amendment rules (S.I. 156 of 2022) are repealed.
Registration fees are now engine-capacity based. First-time registration is US$100 for a motor vehicle up to 1500cc and US$500 above 1500cc; motorcycles and trailers are US$70 each. Change of ownership costs US$115 up to 1500cc and US$515 above 1500cc, but only US$15 if existing plates are retained; for a motorcycle or trailer it is US$85 with new plates or US$15 retaining plates.
Other charges: replacement of a lost number plate US$85 (PSV trailer plate US$80), duplicate third plate US$35, garage plate US$50, garage licence US$50 with half remitted to government, abnormal load plate US$50, temporary identity card US$35, duplicate registration book US$15, vehicle licensing booklet US$50, authorisation of change of ownership US$50, and a search fee of US$5. The small administrative changes — change of night address, change of vehicle particulars, cancellation of registration and advice of sale — are US$3 each. Personalised plates are the outlier at US$2 500 and US$5 000.
Licensing in Part II is by vehicle mass and licence period. A vehicle up to 1500 kg pays US$40 for four months, US$60 for six, US$80 for eight, US$100 for ten and US$120 for twelve. The steps rise through the mass bands to the heaviest, 10 751 kg and above, at US$600 for four months up to US$1 800 for twelve. There is a sharp jump at the 3001 kg band, where the four-month fee doubles from US$60 to US$120.
The fees are set in US dollars but may be paid in local currency (ZiG) for locally registered vehicles at the ruling exchange rate of the day.
One drafting slip to note: items 14 and 15 of Part I both read "Personalised plates for Motor Vehicle with engine capacity of above 1500cc", at US$2 500 and US$5 000 respectively. One of the two was almost certainly meant to cover vehicles up to 1500cc, so a motorist quoted either figure should ask which item is being applied. The gazette line also misprints the date as "12nd April".
What changed
- First-time vehicle registration set at US$100 up to 1500cc and US$500 above 1500cc
- Motorcycle and trailer first registration set at US$70
- Change of ownership US$115 up to 1500cc and US$515 above, or US$15 if plates are retained
- Replacement number plate US$85; personalised plates US$2 500 and US$5 000
- Annual licensing by mass band, from US$120 a year up to 1500 kg to US$1 800 a year for 10 751 kg and above
- Fees may be paid in ZiG at the ruling exchange rate for locally registered vehicles
- The 2022 fee amendment (S.I. 156 of 2022) is repealed
Who this affects
- motorists registering or licensing vehicles at the CVR
- car dealers and vehicle importers
- haulage and bus operators licensing heavy vehicles
- motorcycle and trailer owners
- garages holding garage plates and licences
Plain-language summary — not legal advice. Always read the full instrument.