Get a driver's licence
After you pass the VID road test, VID records your fingerprints and photo. The Central Vehicle Registry (CVR) then prints your licence card and sends it to the post office you choose.
Handled byCentral Vehicle Registry (CVR) and Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID), Ministry of TransportOfficial address: transcom.gov.zw
What you'll usually need
Tick things off as you gather them. Your ticks are saved on this phone only.
Steps
- Learn to drive on your learner's licence, then book a road test at a VID depot.
- Pass the road test. VID gives you a Certificate of Competency.
- VID records your fingerprints and photo for the licence.
- The Central Vehicle Registry prints your plastic licence card and sends it to the Zimpost office you choose. Collect it there.
Good to know
- The plastic licence card is valid for 5 years. To renew it, you update your photo and fingerprints and take an eye test. You don't take the road test again.
- Lost your licence? Apply in person for a duplicate. No one can apply for you. The 2023 regulations set the fee at US$15. Ask CVR (29 Robson Manyika Avenue, Harare) or your nearest VID depot where to apply and whether you need a police report. Take your national ID or passport. The new card goes to the Zimpost office you choose.
- Changing a foreign licence to a Zimbabwean one? Apply at CVR with the application form, your valid foreign licence and a copy, and two photos. Bring your passport and immigration permit, or your national ID if you are a returning resident. Also bring an English translation if needed, and a confirmation letter from the authority that issued the licence. The 2023 regulations set the fee at US$100.
- Public service vehicle (PSV) drivers need a Defensive Driving Certificate from the Traffic Safety Council. You don't need one for an ordinary licence. PSV drivers also need at least 5 years' driving experience and a government medical. The 5-yearly PSV retest was scrapped in January 2026 (Statutory Instrument 6 of 2026). It can no longer be enforced.
- The Ministry of Transport's website often doesn't load, so phone or visit the office instead.
Watch out
Never pay anyone to get a licence without passing the test, even someone who works at VID, CVR or a driving school. Such licences can be cancelled, and buyers can be prosecuted. VID clerks were arrested for selling them in 2026. Pay fees only at the official cashier and keep the official receipt.