Good News for Motorists: Old Class 2 Licence Holders Can Still Drive Light Vehicles Without Retesting

By Southerton Business Times | Harare

Thousands of Zimbabwean motorists who obtained their Class 2 driver's licences before June 2023 will not be required to sit for fresh driving tests or apply for new licences to continue driving light motor vehicles.

The clarification from the Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID) follows widespread confusion and social media claims that changes introduced under Statutory Instrument (SI) 119 of 2023 had stripped long-time Class 2 licence holders of their driving privileges.

Existing Class 2 Licences Remain Valid

Speaking during a radio interview this week, VID Belvedere Depot Manager Caroline Tshuma said drivers who obtained their licences under the previous licensing framework retain the rights attached to those licences. She said motorists who passed their Class 2 driving test before SI 119 of 2023 came into effect remain legally entitled to drive Class 4 (light motor vehicles) and Class 5 vehicles without undergoing another driving test.

"In Zimbabwe, before SI 119, licensing was being done according to Government Notice 240 of 1977. This allowed for awarding of classes. If you go for your Class 2, you were awarded Class 4 and 5. So if you did your driving test before SI 119, that is before 2023, you are allowed to drive your Class 4 and 5 vehicles," Tshuma said.

She stressed that these rights remain valid as long as the driver's licence is current and has not expired.

Why the Rules Changed

VID National Training Manager Bridgette Chimawo said Statutory Instrument 119 of 2023, gazetted on 23 June 2023, modernised Zimbabwe's driver licensing system by replacing regulations that had been in force since the 1970s. According to Chimawo, the reforms were introduced to align Zimbabwe's licensing framework with Southern African Development Community (SADC) standards and improve cross-border recognition of driver's licences.

What SI 119 of 2023 Introduced

The updated regulations introduced several key changes, including:

• New driver's licence categories and vehicle codes aligned with SADC standards.

• Driving tests in both manual and automatic vehicles.

• Automatic-only licence endorsements marked "AT" for drivers tested in automatic vehicles.

• Mandatory medical and eyesight certificates for certain licence categories, including public service vehicle drivers.

• Revised minimum age requirements and progression rules for heavy vehicles and public transport licences.

The regulations apply primarily to new licence applicants and those seeking additional licence categories after the law came into effect.

Confusion Followed Social Media Reports

The clarification comes after reports circulated on social media claiming that traffic police officers were allegedly demanding that motorists holding Class 2 licences also produce Class 4 licences when driving light vehicles. Earlier this week, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development dismissed those claims, stating that the Government has not changed the rights of motorists who obtained their licences under the previous licensing system. The latest clarification from the VID confirms that motorists with valid pre-2023 Class 2 licences can continue driving the vehicle classes they were legally authorised to operate without any additional testing.

Class 2 driving licence Zimbabwe