FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AMNESTY STARTS 1 FEBRUARY TO 30 MAY 2008 FOR MOTORISTS WITH OUTSTANDING VEHICLE LICENCE FEES AND PENALTIES

The motor vehicles with outstanding amounts have their licences expired, yet the responsible owners never applied to their Registering Authority (local NaTIS office) for deregistration or export of the vehicles nor gave notice of change of ownership, leaving the vehicles registered but no longer licensed. It is believed that most of these vehicles are no longer in any driving condition or have been exported to other countries.

Our records indicate that the owners did not take the prescribed action of informing the Registering Authorities about the condition and/or whereabouts of the vehicles. The Roads Authority therefore wishes to get the vehicle register updated and in the process educate the motoring public about their legal responsibilities in respect of promptly paying annual licence fees.

The procedures of the Amnesty are as follows:

• The Roads Authority will soon mail out letters to motorists informing them about vehicles registered in their names that have expired licences which have not been renewed over the past couple of years.
• Motorists not receiving such letters are encouraged to verify whether they have debts with the NaTIS or not. The Registering Authority can perform quick checks on the system with the ID number (or Traffic Register Number)
• Motorists have to visit their Registering Authority and apply for the Amnesty. Applying for the Amnesty entails:
  • Explaining the correct status of the unlicensed vehicles;
  • Completing application forms for the status to be updated.
  • Vehicles that are permanently beyond repair need to be deregistered as scrap.
  • Vehicles that are stolen and have not been recovered need to be deregistered as theft.
  • Vehicles that have been exported to other countries need to be marked as exported.
  • Vehicles that have been sold need to be marked as sold.
  • Vehicles that are still in a running condition or are under repair need to be re-licensed. Vehicles that require an annual roadworthy test (all vehicles with GVM exceeding 3500kg, with 12 or more seats, used to transport passengers for reward, used to transport dangerous goods or breakdown vehicles) must undergo the prescribed roadworthy test. If the vehicles are currently under repair then the owners should already pay the licence fee during the Amnesty period, the licence disc will however only get issued after the roadworthy test, even if that happens only after the Amnesty period.
  • In all these cases, the arrear licence fees and penalties that have accumulated will be cancelled. This applies only to licences that have expired in prior to 31 December 2007
  • Motorists must identify themselves by means of ID or Traffic Register Number Certificate, also passport)
  • Normally, the Registration Certificate of the vehicle is required for deregistration. However, for the purposes of the Amnesty this requirement is relaxed.

Once the Amnesty period has expired, the Roads Authority will institute a system of recovering the debts resulting out of unlicensed vehicles. Motorists are therefore encouraged to make full use of the generous Amnesty offered during the period of 1 February to 30 May 2008.

In future, motorists should apply for deregistration or of giving notice of export or sale, or of renewing the licences on time (even in cases where the vehicle is temporarily unfit) so as to avoid the accumulation of debt with the NaTIS and then suffer inconveniences through the debt collection process.


The NaTIS Call Desk is available for any enquiries including on whether a motorist has any debts. The telephone numbers are