By Desire Tshuma
HARARE — The government has overhauled vehicle registration and licensing fees cutting the cost of registering a new car while leaving most other charges unchanged.
The changes come through Statutory Instrument 10 of 2026, the Vehicle Registration and Licensing (Amendment) Regulations, 2026, gazetted by the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development under Section 52 of the Vehicle Registration and Licensing Act [Chapter 13:14]. The new rules repeal Part I of the Third Schedule in the 1999 regulations and replace it with an updated fee structure.
The headline change is for first-time registration. Under SI 10/2026, registering a motor vehicle, motorcycle or trailer now costs a flat US$50. That’s down from US$100 for cars up to 1500cc and US$500 for larger vehicles under the 1999 schedule. Motorcycles and trailers also drop from US$70 to US$50.
“It simplifies the system and makes first-time registration more affordable, especially for owners of larger vehicles,” said one Harare dealer who asked not to be named.
Other fees remain largely untouched. Changing ownership of a motor vehicle and buying new plates is now US$95, compared to US$115 for small cars and US$515 for larger ones in 1999. If you keep the existing plates, the fee stays at US$15 for both cars and motorcycles/trailers.
Personalised plates remain a luxury item. The 2026 regulations keep the 1999 rates of US$2,500 for vehicles up to 1500cc and US$5,000 for those above 1500cc.
Replacement of lost PSV plates, duplicate third plates, garage plates and licences, and abnormal load plates are also unchanged at US$85, US$80, US$35, US$50 and US$50 respectively.
The new schedule removes the engine-capacity split for most services, applying one flat fee regardless of vehicle size. Analysts say the move reduces administrative complexity while lowering the upfront cost for motorists registering vehicles for the first time.
Statutory Instrument 10 of 2026 takes effect immediately following publication in the Government Gazette. The last major update to the fee schedule was in 1999 under SI 427/1999, with interim amendments made in later years.
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