Road tax is one of those things most drivers only think about when it is due - or overdue. This guide covers everything practical: how much you owe, how to pay (including online), what happens if you do not pay, who is exempt, and the rules that changed with the 2022 Amendment Act.
Use our road tax calculator to check your exact fee, or see the complete fee table by vehicle type for all categories.
Quick rate overview
Road tax is based on your vehicle's gross vehicle weight (GVW). Here are the most common bands:
Vehicle | Typical GVW Band | Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|
Motorcycle | N/A (flat rate) | K74 |
Suzuki Alto / kei car | Up to 800 kg | K440 |
Honda Fit | 1,401 - 1,600 kg | K734 |
Toyota Camry / Mark X | 1,601 - 2,000 kg | K807 |
RAV4 / HiLux / Prado | 2,001 - 4,000 kg | K918 |
Land Cruiser 200/300 | 4,001 - 6,000 kg | K1,027 |
All rates are calculated as fee units multiplied by K0.40 per Statutory Instrument No. 25 of 2024.
How to pay road tax
Option 1: RTSA service centres
Visit any RTSA office across Zambia. Bring your vehicle registration card (blue book) and NRC or passport. Payment is processed on the spot and you receive your licence disc immediately. This is the only option for first-time registrations, which require a vehicle fitness inspection.
Option 2: Online via Zamportal
For renewals, you can pay online through Zamportal. Links to each vehicle-related payment service can be found on the RTSA pay online page. Enter your vehicle registration number, select the payment period (quarterly or annual), and pay via mobile money or bank transfer. The licence disc can be posted to you or collected at any RTSA office.
Online payment is particularly useful if you are renewing an existing licence and do not want to queue at an RTSA office. The system is available 24/7.
Quarterly vs annual payment
You can pay for 1, 2, 3, or 4 quarters at a time. Each quarter is exactly 25% of the annual fee with no surcharge:
1 quarter (3 months): 25% of annual fee
2 quarters (6 months): 50% of annual fee
3 quarters (9 months): 75% of annual fee
Full year (12 months): 100% of annual fee
Historically, the Road Traffic Act imposed a surcharge for quarterly payments - 30% extra for a half-year licence and 55% extra for a quarterly licence. This surcharge is no longer applied, making quarterly payments a straightforward way to spread the cost.
Penalties for not paying road tax
Operating an unlicensed vehicle is a serious offence under the Roads and Road Traffic Act (Cap. 464). Here is what you risk:
Fines
Under Section 83 of the Act (read with Section 30), a person who uses or keeps an unlicensed motor vehicle on a road is liable to a fine of up to three times the annual tax that would have been payable. For a Honda Fit paying K734 per year, that is a potential fine of K2,202.
Vehicle impoundment
Police and RTSA inspectors have the power to impound unlicensed vehicles found on public roads. Getting your vehicle released requires paying the outstanding road tax plus any impoundment and storage fees.
Outstanding offences block licensing
The Road Traffic (Amendment) Act, 2022 introduced a provision that prevents you from licensing any vehicle if you have outstanding traffic offences. This means unpaid fines, pending court appearances, or unresolved traffic violations will block your road tax renewal until they are cleared.
Registration cancellation
If a vehicle remains unlicensed for 5 consecutive years, RTSA has the power to cancel its registration entirely. Re-registering a vehicle whose registration has been cancelled is a more complex and expensive process than simply renewing a lapsed licence.
Refund rules
If you have paid road tax but need to surrender the licence early (for example, if the vehicle is scrapped, exported, or permanently taken off the road), you may be eligible for a partial refund. The refund is calculated at 1/12th of the annual fee for each remaining full month, minus a penalty of 101 fee units (K40). In practice, this means short refund periods may not yield anything after the penalty is deducted.
Licence disc display
The Road Traffic Act requires that the licence disc be displayed conspicuously on the vehicle at all times. For most vehicles, this means the windscreen. Operating without a visible licence disc is an offence even if you have actually paid - keep it displayed and carry your receipt as backup.
Exempt vehicles
The following vehicles are exempt from road tax or pay reduced rates:
Government vehicles: Vehicles owned by the Government of Zambia pay zero road tax (0 fee units)
Bicycles: Not classified as motor vehicles under the Act and not subject to road tax
Visiting vehicles: Vehicles temporarily in Zambia under a valid foreign registration may be exempt for a limited period under reciprocal agreements
Dealer stock: Vehicles held by motor dealers are covered under the dealer licence and dealer token system rather than individual road tax. Dealers pay K2,445 for the licence plus K367 per token for vehicles driven on public roads
Farm vehicles: Vehicles used exclusively for farming pay a reduced rate of 611 fee units (K245) regardless of weight
12-month rolling licence cycle
Before the 2022 Amendment, vehicle licences ran on a calendar year basis (January to December). The Road Traffic (Amendment) Act, 2022 changed this to a 12-month rolling cycle from the date of first registration. This means:
If your vehicle was first registered on 15 March, your licence runs from 15 March to 14 March the following year
Renewals are due on the anniversary of first registration, not 1 January
Quarterly periods are calculated from your registration anniversary, not from calendar quarters
This change was designed to spread RTSA's workload throughout the year instead of creating a rush in January.
Tips for staying compliant
Set a renewal reminder: Since licences now run on a rolling 12-month cycle, it is easy to forget your renewal date. Set a phone reminder 2 weeks before.
Pay online for renewals: Use Zamportal to avoid queues at RTSA offices
Keep your receipt: Even with the disc displayed, carry your payment receipt in case the disc is damaged or questioned
Clear outstanding offences first: The 2022 Amendment blocks licensing if you have unpaid fines - clear these before trying to renew
Consider annual payment: While quarterly is convenient, paying annually means one transaction per year and no risk of forgetting a quarterly renewal
For a step-by-step guide to calculating your road tax, see our road tax calculation guide. If you are importing a vehicle, our vehicle import duty calculator covers the ZRA duty you will pay at the border before road tax even comes into play.
Frequently asked questions
Can RTSA impound my car for expired road tax?
Yes. Police and RTSA inspectors have the authority to impound vehicles found on public roads with expired licences. You will need to pay the outstanding road tax plus impoundment and storage fees to get the vehicle released. The fine for operating an unlicensed vehicle can be up to three times the annual tax.
Are government vehicles exempt from road tax?
Yes. Vehicles owned by the Government of Zambia are charged 0 fee units - they are completely exempt from road tax. This applies to government-owned vehicles only, not to vehicles owned by civil servants for personal use.
What happens if my vehicle is unlicensed for 5 years?
RTSA can cancel the vehicle's registration entirely. Re-registering a vehicle after cancellation is more complex and expensive than simply renewing a lapsed licence. It may require a fresh fitness inspection, new documentation, and payment of all outstanding fees. If you are not using a vehicle, it is worth maintaining the licence or formally deregistering it rather than letting it lapse.
Can I get a refund if I surrender my licence early?
Yes, but the refund is modest. You receive 1/12th of the annual fee for each remaining full month, minus a penalty of 101 fee units (K40). For a vehicle paying K660 per year with 6 months remaining, the refund would be K330 minus K40 = K290. For short remaining periods, the penalty may wipe out the refund entirely.