Source: Zimra updates system after facing resistance to old license plate fees –Newsday Zimbabwe
BEITBRIDGE (NewsDay Live) – The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority’s (Zimra) Customs and Excise Department has adjusted its system to reflect the reduced $50 fee for new vehicle number plates after initial attempts to charge clients the previous $500 fee met resistance.
Government on Monday reduced the cost of number plates, along with several other related fees, through Statutory Instrument 10 of 2026, titled Vehicle Registration and Licensing Amendment Regulations, 2026.
Soon after the statutory instrument was gazetted, importers of new and used vehicles at the Beitbridge border post expected Customs and Excise officials to immediately implement the new charges.
However, this did not happen, prompting importers to refuse to pay for number plates for their newly imported vehicles.
“If it is an upward adjustment, they hasten to implement it. Their system is upgraded with speed, but here they are dragging their feet,” said a shipping agent at Beitbridge.
As of Wednesday, the adjustments had not yet been effected.
Responding to inquiries, Zimra spokesperson Gladman Njanji said the system updates had since been completed.
He added that clients who may have been charged the old $500 fee after the Statutory Instrument had been gazette would be refunded.
“The Statutory Instrument 10 of 2026 was gazetted on Monday, January 12, 2026. Following its publication, Zimra and relevant stakeholder institutions immediately began the process of aligning operational systems to the new provisions,” Njanji said.
“As the implementation of the new fees requires system configuration and validation, there was a brief transitional period to ensure that all platforms were accurately updated and compliant with the Statutory Instrument. This process has now been completed and the systems are fully reflecting the revised fees.”
With regard to payments made after the statutory instrument came into effect, Njani said Zimra was conducting a verification exercise to identify cases where the old fees may have been applied after January 12, 2026.
“Where such cases are confirmed, affected clients will be duly refunded in line with standard procedures and in compliance with Statutory Instrument 10 of 2026. Zimra remains committed to ensuring transparency, fairness and efficient service delivery,” he said.
Njanji added that Zimra appreciated the public’s patience during the implementation of statutory changes.
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