By Tinomudaishe MUzanenhamo
The government has dramatically reduced transport sector licences, permits and regulatory fees in a move aimed at lowering the cost of doing business and boosting economic competitiveness, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Advocate Felix Mhona has said.
In a statement, Minister Mhona said the cuts follow a directive from President Mnangagwa during the first Cabinet meeting of 2025 which called on all ministries, departments and agencies to review and reduce taxes, licences and user fees deemed excessive.
“On 9 September 2025, Cabinet considered and approved the review of fees charged by the Central Vehicle Registry (CVR), Road Motor Transportation (RMT) and the Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID), with a focus on reducing or eliminating unjustifiable charges,” Mhona said.
The revised fee structure has been formalised through Statutory Instrument 6 of 2026 and Statutory Instrument 10 of 2026, gazetted on 9 and 12 January 2026 respectively.
Under the new system, first-time motor vehicle registration has been slashed from US$500 to US$50 while change-of-ownership requiring new number plates now costs US$95 down from US$515.
Operator licences have been standardised at US$125 per vehicle replacing the previous per-vehicle charge system.
Route permits have been cut from US$75 to US$20 while cross-border permits and COMESA carrier licences now cost US$50 each down from US$150.
The government has also removed requirements for garage inspection reports and the retesting of public service vehicle (PSV) drivers with law enforcement agencies instructed to immediately comply as these obligations are no longer legally enforceable.
Minister Mhona said the reforms reflect the government’s commitment to creating a modern, efficient and business-friendly transport regulatory framework while urging drivers and transport operators to continue complying with all road transport regulations and to take advantage of the new fee structure.
