Registration of vehicles and vehicle particulars
6. Vehicles to be used on roads to be registered
(1) Every vehicle which is to be used on any road shall be registered in terms of this Act.
(2) If an owner of a vehicle referred to in subsection (1) fails to register it in terms of this Act, he shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level four or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
[subsection substituted by section 4 of Act 22 of 2001]
(3) For the purposes of this section, a vehicle shall not be regarded as being used on any road:
(a) if it:
(i) is owned by a farmer or miner; and
(ii) is used exclusively on roads which are within the boundary of the farm or mine of the owner or, in the case of a tractor or trailer, is used exclusively on roads within the area consisting of the farm or mine of the owner and the belt ten kilometres in width immediately outside the boundary of such farm or mine; and
(iii) is used exclusively for the farming or mining purposes of the owner; or
(b) in the case of a vehicle which is designed for use in a factory, warehouse or private premises, if it is used on a road within a radius of five kilometres from the factory, warehouse or private premises in passing from one part of the factory, warehouse or private premises to another part thereof.
7. Exemption of certain vehicles from registration
Subsection (2) of section six shall not apply to the owner of any vehicle which:
(a) is already registered in terms of this Act; or
(b) is temporarily identified in terms of section nineteen; or
(c) is kept by a dealer for the purposes of sale only; or
(d) is brought into Zimbabwe by a bona fide visitor for use during a visit in terms of section forty; or
(e) is covered by a garage licence.
8. Application for registration
(1) Application for the registration of a vehicle shall be made to a registering officer.
(2) When making application for the registration of a vehicle the owner shall:
(a) provide such details as may be required in the prescribed form; and
(b) pay the prescribed fee for the benefit of the Consolidated Revenue Fund; and
(c) produce a customs clearance certificate; and
(d) produce such other certificate or document as may be prescribed:
Provided that, where the registering officer is satisfied that the owner is unable to produce a customs clearance certificate, the owner shall be required to complete a customs notification in the prescribed form.
(3) If any person, in an application for the registration of a vehicle, provides any details, information or document in terms of subsection (2) which he knows to be false in a material respect or which he does not know or believe to be materially correct, he shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level six or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
[subsection inserted by section 4 of Act 22 of 2001]
9. Allocation of registration mark and number and issue of registration book
The registering officer shall, if he is satisfied that the application for registration is in order, register the vehicle and:
(a) allocate to it a registration mark and number; and
(b) issue to the owner a registration book in respect thereof in the prescribed form.
(c) [paragraph repealed by section 60 of Act 18 of 2000]
10. Display of registration mark and number
(1) The registration mark and number allocated to a vehicle in terms of paragraph (a) of section nine shall be displayed and maintained upon that vehicle in the prescribed manner
(2) An owner of a vehicle who fails to display or maintain his vehicle's registration mark or number in terms of subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level three.
[subsection inserted by section 4 of Act 22 of 2001]
11. Application for cancellation of registration
(1) When any registered vehicle, other than a vehicle which is exported from Zimbabwe, permanently ceases to be used on any road, the owner shall, not later than fourteen days thereafter, remove or obliterate the registration mark and number of such vehicle and make written application to a registering officer for the cancellation of the registration of the vehicle.
(2) In making the application referred to in subsection (1) the owner shall surrender the registration book to the registering officer.
(3) An owner of a vehicle who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level three.
[subsection substituted by section 4 of Act 22 of 2001]
12. Power of Registrar to cancel registration
The Registrar:
(a) shall, if satisfied that an application submitted in terms of section eleven is in order; or
(b) shall, upon receipt of notice in writing that a registered vehicle has been permanently removed from Zimbabwe and if he is satisfied that such vehicle has been so removed; or
(c) may, if according to his records a registered vehicle has not been licensed or exempted for a period exceeding two years; or
(d) may, if he has reasonable grounds for believing that a registered vehicle is no longer required to be registered in terms of section six;
cancel the registration of the vehicle concerned:
Provided that the Registrar shall not cancel the registration of a vehicle in terms of paragraph (c) or (d) before the lapse of thirty days after he has published his intention to do so by notice published in the Gazette and in a newspaper circulating in the district where the vehicle is, according to his records, ordinarily kept.
13. Owner to notify disposal of registered vehicle
(1) Upon the sale or other change of ownership of a registered vehicle the person selling or disposing of the vehicle shall deliver to the new owner the registration book and any current licence relating to the vehicle and shall, not later than fourteen days after such change of ownership, notify a registering officer thereof in the prescribed form.
(2) A person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level four or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
[subsection substituted by section 4 of Act 22 of 2001]
14. New owner to register change of ownership
(1) Subject to subsection (4), the new owner of a vehicle referred to in section thirteen shall, not later that fourteen days after the vehicle is acquired by him, apply to a registering officer for the change of ownership to be registered.
(2) In making the application referred to in subsection (1) the new owner shall:
(a) provide such details as may be required in the prescribed form; and
(b) pay the prescribed fee for the benefit of the Consolidated Revenue Fund; and
(c) deliver to the registering officer the registration book and such other documents as may be prescribed; and
(d) in the case of a vehicle which is currently licensed, produce a certificate of insurance or a certificate of security which:
(i) is in the name of the person whose name is to be recorded in the registration book as that of the new owner; and
(ii) complies with the requirements of the Road Traffic Act [Chapter 13:11]; and
(iii) will be in force for the remainder of the period for which the licence has been issued.
(3) The registering officer shall, if he is satisfied that the application is in order, register the change of ownership and issue a registration book for the vehicle in the name of the new owner.
(4) Subsection (1) shall not apply in relation to any registered vehicle which:
(a) is acquired by any dealer who purchases or otherwise acquires any registered vehicle, while such vehicle is kept by him for resale; or
(b) has been repossessed under a hire-purchase or other agreement by virtue of which the property in such vehicle passes to the transferee only on the fulfilment of a suspensive condition; or
(c) is acquired by an insurance company as a result of an insurance claim.
(5) If any person:
(a) contravenes subsection (1), he shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level four or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months or to both such fine and such imprisonment;
(b) in an application referred to in subsection (1), provides any details, information or document in terms of subsection (2) which he knows to be false in a material respect or which he does not know or believe to be materially correct, he shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level six or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
[subsection inserted by section 4 of Act 22 of 2001]
15. Information to be supplied to Registrar
(1) Any person who acquires any registered vehicle in any of the circumstances referred to in paragraph (b) or (c) of subsection (4) of section fourteen shall:
(a) not later than fourteen days after such acquisition, advise the Registrar thereof in the prescribed form; and
(b) not later than fourteen days after he disposes of such vehicle, advise the Registrar of such disposal in the prescribed form.
(2) Every person who carries on the business of dealing in second-hand vehicles shall, within fourteen days after the commencement of each month, furnish to the Registrar in the prescribed form a return indicating the registration mark and number of every registered vehicle kept by him for sale or other disposal and in his possession or custody on the first day of that month.
(3) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) or (2) shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level four or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
[subsection substituted by section 4 of Act 22 of 2001]
16. Owner to register change of address
(1) When any permanent change occurs in the address at which a registered vehicle is ordinarily kept at night, the owner shall, not later than fourteen days after such change occurs, apply to a registering officer for the change of address to be registered.
(2) In making the application referred to in subsection (1) the owner shall:
(a) provide such details as may be required in the prescribed form; and
(b) submit to the registering officer the registration book relating to the vehicle.
(3) The registering officer shall, if he is satisfied that the application is in order, register the change of address and make such alterations as may be necessary to the registration book.
(4) If any person:
(a) contravenes subsection (1), he shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level four or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months or to both such fine and such imprisonment;
(b) in an application referred to in subsection (1), provides any details, information or document in terms of subsection (2) which he knows to be false in a material respect or which he does not know or believe to be materially correct, he shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level six or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
[subsection substituted by section 4 of Act 22 of 2001]
17. Owner to register change of particulars
(1) Subject to subsection (1) of section thirty, when any change, other than one referred to in section sixteen, occurs in the registered particulars relating to a registered vehicle, the owner shall, not later than fourteen days after such change occurs, apply to a registering officer for the change to be registered.
(2) In making the application referred to in subsection (1) the owner shall:
(a) provide such details as may be required in the prescribed form; and
(b) submit to the registering officer the registration book relating to the vehicle.
(3) The registering officer shall, if he is satisfied that the application is in order, register the change of particulars and make such alterations as may be necessary in the registration book.
(4) If any person:
(a) contravenes subsection (1), he shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level four or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months or to both such fine and such imprisonment;
(b) in an application referred to in subsection (1), provides any details, information or document in terms of subsection (2) which he knows to be false in a material respect or which he does not know or believe to be materially correct, he shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level six or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
[subsection substituted by section 4 of Act 22 of 2001]
Temporary identification of vehicles
18. Temporary identification of vehicles
(1) Any person who wishes to use on a road for one specific journey, including a return journey, which will be completed within a period of not more than fourteen days, any vehicle which is not registered or licensed under this Act and which would otherwise require to be so registered or licensed, may apply to a registering officer or to an appropriate officer at a port of entry into Zimbabwe for the temporary identification of such vehicle.
(2) In making the application referred to in subsection (1) the applicant shall:
(a) provide such details as may be required in the prescribed form; and
(b) produce proof that a policy of insurance which complies with the requirements of the Road Traffic Act [Chapter 13:11] will be in force in respect of the use of such vehicle for the period for which the temporary identification is required; and
(c) pay any fee imposed by or under this Act.
19. Issue of temporary identification card
The registering officer or appropriate officer, as the case may be, shall, if he is satisfied that an application referred to in section eighteen is in order, authorize the temporary identification of the vehicle and shall issue in respect thereof a temporary identification card in the prescribed form.
20. Display of temporary identification card and use of vehicle
(1) A temporary identification card issued in terms of section nineteen shall be displayed and maintained in the prescribed manner upon the vehicle in respect of which it was issued.
(1a) An owner of a vehicle who fails to display to maintain his vehicle's temporary identification card in terms of subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level three.
[subsection substituted by section 4 of Act 22 of 2001]
(2) No person shall use any vehicle for which a temporary identification card has been issued in terms of section nineteen for the carriage or haulage of passengers or goods or both for hire or reward.
(3) Any person who contravenes subsection (2) shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level five or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
[subsection substituted by section 4 of Act 22 of 2001]
21. Vehicle bearing temporary identification card deemed to be registered and licensed
A vehicle shall be deemed to be licensed under this Act and a registration book shall be deemed to have been issued under this Act for a vehicle if:
(a) a valid temporary identification card issued in respect of the vehicle is attached to it in the prescribed position; and
(b) the vehicle is being used on the route specified on the temporary identification card.