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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. 

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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?

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