The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development says it will soon launch a new National Driving Licence System which will among other things, change the present five numerical Classes to the new thirteen alphanumerical categories.

Addressing journalists in Harare Wednesday, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister, Felix Mhona said 13 categories of the new driving licence will conform to the requirements of the United Nations Convention on Road Traffic; International Organization for Standardization and International Electrotechnical Commission. He added:

The 13 categories of the new Driving licence will, amongst others, make provision for the combination categories of a vehicle and trailer.

The new categories will also accommodate the different sizes of vehicles and prevent the current scenario where drivers are tested on a small vehicle and then be authorised to drive a very large vehicle which the driver may not be able to control in a safe manner.

The transitional arrangement from the Present Numerical Classes to the New Alphanumerical Categories is as follows:

Class 1 will be known as “DE” – Articulated passenger vehicle for the carriage of persons having more than 16 seats, and may be combined with a trailer not exceeding 750kg GVM

Class 2 will be known as “CE” – Articulated goods vehicle exceeding 7 500kg GVM may be combined with a trailer not exceeding 750kg

Class 3 will be known as “A” – Light motorcycles and medium motorcycles with power not exceeding 35KW, with or without a sidecar.

Class 4 will be known as “BE” – Light articulated vehicle with a GVM not exceeding 3500kg and not having more than 8 seats may be combined with a trailer not exceeding 750kg.

Class 5 will be known as “BE*” – Previously class 5 was only for Agricultural or Industrial tractors or any other suitable vehicles/machinery.

After the transitional phase, the following Professional Driver Permit Categories will come into effect:

Code G for Goods vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Mass exceeding 3 500kg. The applicable minimum age for this category is 18 years;

Code P for Passenger vehicles with a seating capacity of more than 8. The applicable minimum age for this category is 25 years; and

Code D for Dangerous Goods vehicles for the transportation of Hazardous and Dangerous Goods. The applicable minimum age for this category is 25 years.

After the transitional phase, the full spectrum of the following codes will apply:

Codes A (18 years), B1 (18 years) and A1 (16 years) motorcycle/motor powered tri-/quadricycle/light motorcycle;

Codes B (16 years), BE (18 years) light motor vehicle<3 500kg having not more than 8 seats /may draw a light trailer not exceeding 750kg GVM.

Codes C (21 years) and CE (21 years) >7 500kg GVM, Codes C1 (18 years) and C1E (21 years) >3 500kg GVM but not exceeding 7 500kg GVM/ with trailer not exceeding 750 kg.

Codes D1 (25 years) and D1E (25 years) omnibus >8 seats but not more than 16 seats/with trailer not exceeding 750kg.

Codes D (25 years) and DE (24 years) omnibus > 16 seats/ may be combined with a trailer.

Minister Mhona added that the upcoming new Driver’s Licence is fully compliant with the standard specifications of the Southern African Development Community (SADC),  Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and East African Community (EAC).

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