VEHICLE LICENSING AND RENEWAL IN NIGERIA

VEHICLE LICENSING A vehicle license is a permit issued by a state government allowing vehicle owners access to road network and infrastructure around the country. Vehicle licenses are renewed annually and show: The ownership of a vehicle The vehicle registration number Owner’s address Vehicle engine number License expiration month Vehicles are levied according to the load capacity of the vehicle and the purpose of use i.e. private or commercial usage. Click here for the designated licensing outlets.

PROCESS OF RENEWAL Go to any of the designated banks or existing licensing offices Present your expired vehicle licence Operator inputs the following vehicle details on the AutoReg database:   Name of vehicle owner Drivers License Number Registration number Place of issue State of registration Address of vehicle owner Vehicle’s chassis number Email add of vehicle owner Engine number Insurer’s Name and Policy Number Vehicle type Phone Number Vehicle capacity     The systems generates the amount to be paid by the vehicle owner The vehicle owner pays amount due and a scratch card is issued to the car with its PIN inputted onto the system The system generates a license to be printed if value of scratch card corresponds with levy for vehicle type or specifies additional fee to be paid (e.g. late penalty fees etc.). The system shall enable the user log out and re-access the uncompleted process with the unique pin number. The operator prints the licence The license and scratch card is handed over to the vehicle owner   Subsequent renewal information will have to correspond with information fed in the first year of automation except where user details have changed. In whatever case, the registered license number and the chassis number are unchangeable. Penalty for late renewals shall be that the licence will be issued only from the date of expiry of the last registered licence. NEW VEHICLE LICENSING PROCESS Vehicle owner presents documents of ownership at any of the existing licensing offices The licensing officer after an assessment of related documents, accesses the new vehicle licensing window, inputs vehicle particulars, scratch card number, generates a vehicle registration number, prints license and assigns plate numbers. The system generates a “unique identifier pin number” to be kept by vehicle owner for subsequent user file access. The licensing officer makes returns on plate numbers issued through the BIR to the FBIR PROCESS OF LICENSING VEHICLES WITH CHANGE IN OWNERSHIP OR ENGINE NUMBER Vehicle particulars and sale documents are presented and verified at a licensing office Vehicle owner is referred to bank operator present at the licence office Vehicle owner buys a scratch card from any designated outlet The licensing officer accesses the vehicle particulars change window of the website, inputs scratch card number, updates information with changes, and prints new license. In all cases however, the printed license must be pasted on the vehicle windscreen, while the owner must keep the utilised scratch card for the renewed year for verification by the authorities upon request. Vehicle owners are educated on the importance of safe guarding their scratch cards as a loss would mean a repurchase of scratch cards and renewal of licenses, with new issuance and expiry dates. THE SCRATCH CARD Scratch cards will be produced each with a security number, year of production, expiry date and the vehicle licensing website inscribed on it. Scratch cards will be available at all designated banks and existing vehicle license stations A print medium with high security features shall form part of the sale of each scratch card.