Categories: Stories

New Zimbabwe driving licence classes

Zimbabwe has replaced the old-class based driving licence system with a more comprehensive categorisation to comply with Southern African Development Community requirements and international best practices.

The categorisation is as follows:

A – Motor cycles

A1 – Small motor cycles (up to 125 cc)

B1 – Quadricycles (quad bikes, motorised tricycles);

B – Light motor vehicles (cars, mini-buses up to 3500 kg)

BE – B vehicles with a trailer

C1 – light trucks (3500 – 7500kg)

C– Heavy trucks (over 7500kgs)

CE – C vehicles with a trailer

D1 – light buses (minibuses up to 16 seats)

D – Heavy buses (buses over 16 seats)

DE – D vehicles with a trailer; and

BE – Agricultural/construction vehicles, (tractors, excavators, etc)

Licensing testing consists of three components:

The first is theory. This is a written examination and is also being conducted using computers.

The second is practical driving tests. Applicants can be tested using either manual or automatic vehicles.  An applicant that passes a road test using a manual vehicle can drive both manual and automatic vehicles. However, an applicant who passes a road test using an automatic vehicle is restricted to driving automatic vehicles only and the licence is endorsed “Automatic Vehicles (AT)”.

The third is the vision test. This encompasses a medical examination that checks the applicant’s eyesight and visual ability. 

(18609 VIEWS)

This post was last modified on March 19, 2025 4:50 pm

Charles Rukuni

The Insider is a political and business bulletin about Zimbabwe, edited by Charles Rukuni. Founded in 1990, it was a printed 12-page subscription only newsletter until 2003 when Zimbabwe's hyper-inflation made it impossible to continue printing.

View Comments

  • Why are we still having a driving retest yet we are also required to undergo medical test and the license expires it's costly

    • Why divide motorcycles....
      Why divide mini buses....
      Why divide trucks.....
      Why divide buses....
      So how many licenses will you need. So if I get a different vehicle 🚜🚑 then add another class 🤮🤑

  • Do we have to change everything to suit other countries? Do other countries change their systems to suit Zimbabwe? I don't think so. Anyway, I feel it is too expensive to keep changing things. Who pays? And a non commercial ordinary licence expiring why? It's too expensive for this country and people. Let's consider our situation, economy etc.

  • In my thinking this must apply to those who are starting. Those with license must just apply for new and for free and given a license suit their class in which they hold.

  • Ya its good as we now suit but in other countries there is no that retest thing munhu unga bude mutruck wopinzwa mu muUd ndizvo here

  • And the provisional certificate that we took for manual cars?
    Is it going to expire for new changes before the expiry dates?

Recent Posts

Can anyone come to your farm and start mining? It depends.

The answer is Yes and No. It depends on the size of the farm. Mines…

October 24, 2025

IMF says Zimbabwe has the best performing economy in SADC

Zimbabwe has the best performing economy in the Southern African region this year beating regional…

October 21, 2025

Mnangagwa vs Chiwenga:Who owes who?

The ZANU-PF national conference that was being held in Mutare has raised the tempo on…

October 19, 2025

ZiG relatively extinct and largely irrelevant

Zimbabwe’s local currency the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) has become relatively extinct and largely irrelevant because…

October 14, 2025

What sleeping for less than 6 hours can do to you

Sleep is a vital restorative process with measurable effects on health and overall wellbeing but…

October 12, 2025

Zimbabwe among the 10 least innovative countries in Africa and the world

Zimbabwe has been ranked 129 out of the 139 most innovative countries in 2025, according…

October 9, 2025