INTRODUCTION OF REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR NUMBER PLATE MANUFACTURING AND REGISTRATION MARK EMBOSSING

The Road Traffic Act No. 11 of 2002 prohibits the manufacturing of registration marks and numbers in Zambia, without a permit from the RTSA. Further, the Act requires a person who has obtained a permit to manufacture registration marks and numbers, to adhere to the conditions that would be attached to the permit.
Despite the foregoing, there are no provisions in the law on the manner of application for the permits, the duration of the permits, fees payable and consequences of failure to comply with the set conditions. The proposed SI, therefore seeks to fill the gap
The existing regulatory framework is inadequate and cannot resolve the problem being addressed. The proposed SI is necessary to remedy the existing lacuna.

This initiative seeks to regulate the activity of manufacturing blank number plates and embosing of regisration marks on blank plates in Zambia. For a long time, the nation has not had a regulatory framework for the two activties which has posed a significant challenge to the Road Transport and Safety Agency. Section 28 of the Road Traffic Act No. 11 of 2002 (hereqfter the ‘Act’), makes it mandatory for a person who manafuctures registration marks and numbers to obtian a pernit from RTSA. However there are currently no regulations on the procedure for applying for permits, how the permits should be issued, the conditions for issuance, and the fees payable.