Mozambican government postpones hike in driver’s licence fees but justifies it with quality of service

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Mozambican government postpones hike in driver’s licence fees but justifies it with quality of service

2:18 CAT | 09 Oct 2018

File photo: Lusa

The almost eight-fold increase in the cost of a driving license in Mozambique is necessary to ensure the continuity and quality of services, the National Land Transport Institute (Inater) has said.

“After more than 10 years without any adjustment and with increases in production costs of, for example, the biometric driving license, it is necessary to readjust the fees to ensure the continuity and improvement of the quality of the services provided,” an Inater statement declares

The institution says that studies on the production cost of the biometric driving license made in 2014 indicated the cost of the driving license of about 3,500 meticais (50.4 Euros), but the government had decided to set the new fee at 2,500 meticais (36.1 Euros).

The new rates were supposed to come into effect next Friday, but Inater says the introduction has been postponed until it is sufficiently publicised.

ALSO READ: Mozambique govt hikes driver’s license prices by 500% and driving tests by more than 2000%

The fees for driving test for light vehicles, heavy goods vehicles, motorcycles and tractors will go from the current 100 meticais (1.4 Euros) to 2,185 meticais (31 Euros) in all categories.

To this amount is added the fee for issuing the document, which goes from the current 500 meticais (about seven Euros) to 2,500 meticais (35 Euros). All in all, the total of the two rates goes from 600 meticais (8.6 Euros) to 4,685 meticais (67 Euros), an increase of 680%, or almost eight times more.

The amendments are contained in a ministerial decree published in the ‘Boletim da República’ [government gazette] on September 5, with entry into force scheduled for 30 days later – next Friday.

To these rates must be added the amount charged by driving schools, which ranges from 7,000 meticais (100 Euros) to 10,000 meticais (143 Euros).

The increases also extend to the professional driving license, whose price will rise from the current 160 meticais (2.2 Euros) to 2,185 meticais (31 Euros).

The registration of ownership of a car, which until now was free, will now cost 1,850 meticais (26 Euros).

The new fees also affect driving schools, which will pay – in addition to 20,000 meticais (286 Euros) for their operating licence – 3,650 meticais (52 Euros) for the inspection of their facilities, against the current 890 meticais (12 Euros).

An additional survey of driving schools’ equipment will increase from the current 1,670 meticais (23 Euros) to 6,850 meticais (98 Euros).

ALSO READ: Mozambique: No new drivers licences, vehicle number plates due to computer breakdown

Mozambique: More than 70,000 drivers’ licenses confiscated in last 3 years – INATTER

Source: Lusa