Vehicle Import Rules by Country, Part 1: Africa

A buyer asks, "Can I bring in a 2017 car?" The answer is different in every country, and the rules keep changing. This is Part 1 of a country-by-country guide, and it covers Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe, DR Congo and Burundi. It gives the age limits, inspections, duties and papers that matter when you quote a car. We checked each point against official pages or BE FORWARD's own pages, and where we could not, we say so and say why. The Caribbean and the Americas are in Part 2.

Three things that apply to every country

• The importing country makes the rules. The seller does not. Age limits, inspections and taxes all come from the buyer's government.
• Age can be counted in different ways. Some countries count from the year of first registration. Others count from the year of manufacture. Always ask which one.
• Duty and tax are not in the car price. BE FORWARD says clearly that duty and VAT for the buyer's country must be paid by the buyer or their clearing agent. Our FOB vs CNF vs CIF guide explains what a CNF price does and does not include.

BE FORWARD keeps a list of year limits by country on its Regulations on Vehicle Importation page (last updated 5 March 2026), and a short list of official bodies on its country regulations FAQ. We use both below. BE FORWARD itself says its list can change without notice.

Kenya

Age and drive side

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) says a used car must be less than 8 years old from the year of first registration, and it must be right-hand drive. From 1 January 2026, only cars first registered in 2019 or later are allowed. BE FORWARD's list shows the same thing: Kenya, minimum year 2019.

The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) gave importers a deadline for the last cars registered in 2018. According to The Star, those cars had to arrive at the port by 31 December 2025, and late ones would be rejected at the importer's expense. The rule also covers returning residents and diplomats.

What about 2027? The rule counts 8 years, so the oldest allowed year will probably move forward each January. We did not find a KEBS notice for 2027, so treat that as likely but not confirmed. A separate proposal to cut the limit to 5 years has also been reported. It is only a proposal, and the Car Importers Association of Kenya has objected to it. We could not confirm its status.

Inspection

Under the rules KRA lists, the car must pass a roadworthiness inspection in the country of export, done by an inspector that KEBS appoints. The buyer's agent needs the certificate at customs. Which company does the check can change. BE FORWARD's FAQ names JEVIC, while a November 2025 news report names QISJ as the company KEBS contracted. So do not promise a buyer a company name. Our pre-shipment inspection guide explains this in more detail.

Duties and taxes

KRA's motor vehicle importation page lists these rates, charged on the customs value:

• Import duty: 25%
• VAT: 16%
• Import declaration fee: 3.5%
• Railway Development Levy: 2%

Excise duty depends on the engine:

Engine	Excise duty
Petrol, 1,000 to 1,500 cc	20%
Petrol, 1,500 to 3,000 cc	25%
Petrol, over 3,000 cc	35%
Diesel, up to 2,500 cc	25%
Diesel, over 2,500 cc	35%
Hybrid	25%
Electric only	10%

The KRA page does not show a date, so check it again before you quote. Also, the customs value is not always the price paid. It can come from a KRA price list. A court suspended a revised KRA list in June 2025, and a September 2026 report says the case was still in court. We could not check this on a KRA page, so ask the buyer's clearing agent which values they are using.

Documents and registration

KRA lists: the original commercial invoice, the original logbook from the country of origin (cancelled there), the original bill of lading, the pre-shipment inspection certificate, and a copy of the buyer's PIN certificate (or the company's certificate of incorporation). The cancelled logbook is needed so that NTSA can issue a Kenyan logbook.

BE FORWARD has a Kenya page for buyers here: BE FORWARD Kenya.

Tanzania

Age: a tax, not a ban

In the sources we read, Tanzania does not ban cars by age. It taxes older cars more. From 1 July 2026, the Finance Act 2026 sets this excise duty on imported used vehicles, according to Clyde & Co and The Citizen:

Age of the car	Excise duty
More than 8 and up to 10 years	18%
More than 10 and up to 20 years	35%
More than 20 years	40%

The Citizen also reports that cars with engines of 1,000 cc or less, which used to be exempt, now pay a 5% excise duty. The 8 to 10 year rate was lowered from the 20% first proposed.

What we could not confirm: how the age is counted, which value the rate applies to, and what a car of 8 years or less pays. An older BE FORWARD guide says age is counted from the date of manufacture, but the 2026 articles do not say. Use the Tanzania Revenue Authority calculator for the real figure.

One warning for agents. BE FORWARD's year list (March 2026) says Tanzania cars from 2016 and older "require higher tax" and that the best option is 2017 or newer. That was written before the July 2026 change, so it is out of date for cars older than 8 years. Do not repeat it to buyers.

Inspection

BE FORWARD's FAQ names EAA (East Africa Automobile Services), which it says is authorised by the Tanzania Bureau of Standards. An older BE FORWARD Tanzania guide names a different company (JAAI), but it is marked "Updated for 2018", so we went with the newer FAQ.

Other duties and documents

BE FORWARD's Tanzania guide lists import duty and VAT rates, but they look like 2018 figures, so we are not repeating them. We also found no official list of documents or registration steps for Tanzania that we could confirm. Ask the buyer's clearing agent.

Uganda

Age and environmental levy

The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) page dated 23 September 2026 says:

• Cars more than 15 years old, counted from the date of manufacture, are banned.
• An environmental levy applies to vehicles aged 9 to 15 years: 50% for passenger vehicles and 20% for goods vehicles.
• Vehicles up to 8 years old are exempt from the levy.

The page words the "8 years" and "9 years" points a little differently (one from importation, one from manufacture), so ask URA how a car at the edge is counted. BE FORWARD's list shows Uganda with a minimum year of 2011, which fits the 15-year ban in 2026.

A possible change. In April 2026, the Daily Monitor reported a government proposal to cut the age limit from 15 to 13 years and add a 50% levy on older cars. Later reports disagree on what happened to it. URA's September page still shows the 15-year rule, but we could not find a clear final decision. Check before you quote a 13 or 14 year old car.

Inspection, duties and documents

BE FORWARD's FAQ names EAA as the inspector for Uganda too, authorised by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards. For used cars, URA does not tax the invoice price. It uses its own used motor vehicle valuation database to set the customs value. URA's customs valuation guide (2022-23) gives a worked example with import duty of 25%, VAT of 18%, withholding tax of 6% and an infrastructure levy of 1.5%, plus the environmental levy above. That is URA's example from 2022-23, so confirm the rates with URA's tax calculator before you quote.

BE FORWARD's Uganda guide (updated for 2018) gives one useful tip: the name on the bill of lading should match the name on the buyer's Tax Identification Number, or clearing can be delayed.

Zambia

• Inspection: BE FORWARD's FAQ says Zambia needs a JEVIC inspection certificate, and names the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) as the authority for duties.
• Age: Zambia is not on BE FORWARD's year list, and the ZRA pages we read set no age ban. ZRA only splits used vehicles into two groups for duty: 2 to 5 years old and 5 years and older. We found no rule that says how that age is counted.
• Duty: Zambia charges one fixed amount per vehicle, not a percentage. ZRA's Specific Duty Rates for Used Motor Vehicles, 2025 gives these totals in kwacha for a petrol or diesel sedan:

Engine	2 to 5 years old	5 years and older
Up to 1,000 cc	K39,461.45	K25,138.60
1,001 to 1,500 cc	K50,343.35	K29,491.36
1,501 to 2,500 cc	K61,225.25	K33,844.12
2,501 to 3,000 cc	K66,666.20	K41,461.45
Over 3,000 cc	K82,989.05	K46,902.40

• ZRA says each total includes customs duty, excise duty, VAT, the motor vehicle fee, the ASYCUDA processing fee and motor vehicle surtax 2. It does not include the carbon emission surtax, which is added by engine size. The fixed rates do not apply to used hybrids.
• The same schedule has separate figures for hatchbacks, station wagons, SUVs, buses, vans and trucks. We only show sedans here.
• This is the latest ZRA schedule we found (2025). Zambia's rates can change with the budget, so check ZRA before you quote.
• Documents: BE FORWARD's Zambia Q&A (updated for 2018) lists the purchase invoice, bill of lading, freight statement and insurance papers. Its duty percentages are old, so ignore them.

Mozambique

• Inspection: BE FORWARD's FAQ says all imported vehicles need a pre-shipment inspection by Intertek, appointed by the government of Mozambique. A BE FORWARD guide adds that a passing car gets a "MOZ number" that allows it to enter.
• Age: BE FORWARD's Mozambique guide says there is no age limit, but it was published in 2014. One news snippet we saw says the government wanted to discourage cars over 7 years old by raising duties, but it had no date and we could not confirm it. We have no current official source either way.
• Duty: The BE FORWARD guide says the duty depends on the make, model and year, and points to the Mozambique Revenue Authority for current rates. We are not quoting any percentages.
• Documents (from that 2014 guide): a copy of the passport, the original invoice, the bill of lading, an inspection report and import permit for non-diplomats, and the registration certificate.

Malawi

• Age: Malawi does not ban cars by age in the official papers we read. It taxes them by age. The Malawi Revenue Authority's customs and excise tariff order (2022 edition) puts used cars into three bands by year of manufacture: up to 8 years, over 8 up to 12 years, and over 12 years. Excise duty goes up with each older band. That fits BE FORWARD's list, which says cars from 2018 and older "require higher tax" and that the best option is 2019 or newer.
• Rates: We are not quoting percentages, because that tariff order is the 2022 edition and the rates may have changed in later budgets. One recent change is clear: an MRA public notice says that from 27 February 2026 hybrid cars pay 10% excise tax (engine 1,501 to 2,500 cc) or 20% (2,501 cc and above). Ask the MRA for the current rate on a petrol or diesel car.
• BE FORWARD: The BE FORWARD Malawi page says duty and VAT are not in the price and must be paid by the buyer or their agent, and it points to the MRA for details. The clearing charge is included only if the buyer collects the car from Lilongwe, Blantyre or Songwe.

Zimbabwe

• Age: Used vehicles must be below 10 years old when all Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) clearance is complete, according to a gazette notice reported by Legalbrief. BE FORWARD's list shows Zimbabwe with a minimum year of 2016, which matches. Because age is checked at the end of clearance, a car close to the limit can fail if shipping or clearing is delayed. Leave some room.
• Exceptions: CITE (October 2024) reports that returning residents and diplomats can import vehicles up to 25 years old under SI 172 of 2024, with VAT still payable. It says the 10-year ban "remains in effect for most other categories". The Legalbrief report adds inherited vehicles. Neither gives a date we could confirm for the newest change.
• Duty: We could not confirm current duty rates. Ask ZIMRA or a clearing agent.
• BE FORWARD: BE FORWARD Zimbabwe.

DR Congo

• Age: Bankable reported on 12 March 2026 that a decree signed by the Prime Minister on 24 January 2026 caps imported vehicles at 15 years (cars, commercial vehicles and trucks). Agricultural, forestry and mining tractors can be up to 20 years. It replaces the 2012 and 2017 rules. Many older guides still say 10 years, so they are out of date.
• Start date: The report says there is a six-month transition after the decree is published in the Official Gazette. It does not give the publication date, so we do not know the exact day the rule starts to bite.
• How age is counted: From first registration. Tsieleka reports the same 15-year limit and says the car must not be more than fifteen years past its first registration ("depuis leur première mise en circulation").
• Documents: Both reports list a certificate of good technical condition from an approved inspection centre in the country of origin, the original registration receipt or grey card (or a legalised copy), and a legalised deed of transfer. If the age or condition is doubted, customs can appoint an expert at the importer's cost. A car that does not comply can be re-exported or destroyed at the forwarder's or carrier's expense.
• Source note: Two news reports agree on this decree, but we found no official text of it, and BE FORWARD's lists do not cover DR Congo. Check with the customs authority or a clearing agent before you quote.

Burundi

• Age: BE FORWARD's list shows Burundi with a minimum year of 2016. One relocation guide says the limit is 8 years, with a USD 1,000 customs fine, while dealer sites say there is no limit. We could not confirm any of these from an official source.
• Duty: The Office Burundais des Recettes (OBR) collects import taxes. We found no OBR or government page with a car duty schedule, and the figures in dealer guides disagree a lot, so we are not quoting any. Ask OBR or a customs broker for a current calculation.
• A change coming in 2027 (news report): Jimbere reported on 2 September 2026 that Article 221 of the 2026-2027 finance law says that from 1 January 2027, new jeep-type and small cars imported must be electric or hybrid. The report does not mention used cars, and we could not read the law itself. Ask before you quote a petrol or diesel car for 2027.

Quick summary

Country	Age rule	Inspection
Kenya	Under 8 years from first registration (2019 or newer in 2026), right-hand drive	Yes, by a KEBS-appointed inspector
Tanzania	No ban found. Excise 18% / 35% / 40% by age from July 2026	Yes, EAA (per BE FORWARD)
Uganda	Ban over 15 years. Environmental levy for 9 to 15 years	Yes, EAA (per BE FORWARD)
Zambia	No ban found. Fixed duty by engine, for 2 to 5 years and 5 years and older	Yes, JEVIC (per BE FORWARD)
Mozambique	Not confirmed	Yes, Intertek
Malawi	No ban found. Excise rises in three age bands (up to 8, 8 to 12, over 12 years)	Not confirmed
Zimbabwe	Under 10 years at the end of clearance, with exceptions	Not confirmed
DR Congo	15 years (reported, 2026 decree)	Inspection certificate from the country of origin (reported)
Burundi	Not confirmed	Not confirmed

What we could not verify

• Kenya: the 2027 age cut-off (no KEBS notice for 2027 exists yet in what we found), the 5-year proposal (only reported, no decision found), and which car values KRA uses (the court case was still open in the latest report).
• Tanzania: how age is counted and what value the excise rate applies to. The 2026 articles we read do not say, and we did not find the Finance Act text.
• Uganda: what happened to the 13-year proposal. Reports disagree, and URA's September 2026 page still shows 15 years.
• Zambia: how a car's age is counted. ZRA's schedule gives the two groups but not the rule.
• Mozambique: any age rule or duty table. We found no page from the Mozambique Revenue Authority with either. We only found BE FORWARD's 2014 guide and dealer blogs.
• Malawi: current excise rates for petrol and diesel cars (the official tariff order we read is the 2022 edition) and any inspection rule.
• Zimbabwe: duty rates, and the date of the newest change for old vehicles.
• DR Congo: the decree's official text and its start date. Only news reports describe it.
• Burundi: any age rule or duty schedule. We found no OBR or government page with either, only dealer guides that disagree. We also could not read Article 221 of the finance law.
• Inspections for Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Mozambique come from BE FORWARD's FAQ, not from the countries' own pages.

Next: Part 2, the Caribbean and the Americas. If there is a country you want covered after that, tell us through the contact page.