Vehicle Registration and Licensing Act
Chapter 13:14
Commenced on 1 September 1970
[Note: This version of the Act was revised and consolidated by the Law Development Commission of Zimbabwe. This version is up-to-date as at 31st December 2016.]
AN ACT to provide for the registration and licensing of vehicles; to provide for the levying of fees in respect of such registration and licensing for the benefit of the Consolidated Revenue Fund and certain local authorities; and to provide for matters incidental to the foregoing.
1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Vehicle Registration and Licensing Act [Chapter 13:14].
2. Interpretation
(1) In this Act:
“appropriate officer” means a person designated by the Minister by notice in a statutory instrument;
“authorized officer” means:
(a) the Registrar, any registering officer or any inspecting officer; or
(b) any person designated by a local authority to be an authorized officer for the purposes of this Act;
“dealer” means any person who buys, holds for sale or sells vehicles under a licence issued under the Shop Licences Act [Chapter 14:17];
“Director of Customs and Excise” means the Director of Customs and Excise appointed in terms of section 3 of the Customs and Excise Act [Chapter 23.02];
[definition of “Director of Customs and Excise” inserted by section 60 of Act 18 of 2000]
[definition of “customs clearance certificate” repealed by section 60 of Act 18 of 2000]
“exemption certificate” means an exemption certificate issued in terms of section twenty-five;
“farmer” means a person who is licensed in terms of the Farmers Licensing and Levy Act [Chapter 18:10];
“fee” includes any surcharge imposed in terms of section thirty-five and any penalty payable in terms of section thirty-six;
“garage licence” means a garage licence issued in terms of section forty-two;
“licence” means a licence issued in terms of section twenty-five;
“local authority” means:
(a) a municipal council, town council, local board or rural district council; or
(b) the Minister managing any rates fund established in terms of the Housing and Building Act [Chapter 22:07];
“miner” means any person who is the holder of a registered mining location as defined in the Mines and Minerals Act [Chapter 21:05];
“Minister” means the Minister of Transport and Energy or any other Minister to whom the President may, from time to time, assign the administration of this Act;
“motor vehicle” means any vehicle, including a motor cycle, propelled by mechanical or electrical power and intended or adapted for use or capable of being used on roads, but does not include such vehicles or classes of vehicles as are prescribed;
“permanently attached” means detachable only by means of an operation involving the use of facilities which are normally found only in a workshop;
“registering officer” means any person who is designated in terms of section four, and includes the Registrar;
“registered vehicle” means a vehicle which is registered in terms of section nine;
“Registrar” means the officer referred to in section three;
“registration book” means a registration book issued in terms of section nine;
“Road Administration” means the Zimbabwe National Road Administration established in terms of the Roads Act [Chapter 13:18];
[definition of “Road Administration” inserted by section 69 of Act 6 of 2001]
“Road Fund” means the Road Fund established in terms of the Roads Act [Chapter 13:18];
[definition of “Road Fund” inserted by section 69 of Act 6 of 2001]
“temporary licence” means a temporary licence issued in terms of section twenty-eight;
“terminal day” means the 31st January, the 31st May or the 30th September;
“vehicle” means any motor vehicle or any trailer;
“vintage vehicle” means any vehicle certified by an inspecting officer as being, in his opinion, a vehicle which:
(a) was manufactured before the 1st January, 1931; or
(b) is composed mainly of materials manufactured before the 1st January, 1931.
(2) For the purposes of this Act:
(a) if a trailer is permanently attached to the drawing portion of an articulated vehicle, such articulated vehicle shall be deemed to be a single motor vehicle;
(b) any public service vehicle which is owned by the National Railways of Zimbabwe shall be deemed to be ordinarily kept at night at the place which forms its base of operations on the day such vehicle is required to be licensed in terms of this Act;
(c) any public service vehicle which operates principally at night shall be deemed to be ordinarily kept at night at the place which forms its base of operations.
(3) Any expression not specifically defined in this section to which a meaning has been assigned in the Road Traffic Act [Chapter 13:11], shall bear the same meaning when used in this Act.
2A. Application of the Act to the State and local authorities
This Act shall apply to vehicles which are the property of the State or any local authority.
[section inserted by section 69 of Act 6 of 2001]