Import a vehicle and pay customs duty

What you'll usually need

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• The invoice or agreement of sale, and proof that you paid for the vehicle
• The bill of lading if it was shipped, plus the freight and insurance statements
• The export documents from the country you bought it in (the export bill of entry)
• The foreign registration book, for a used vehicle
• A police clearance. For a vehicle from Southern Africa, this is a SARPCO certificate.
• A copy of your passport or national ID
• Your rebate or suspension letter from ZIMRA, if you qualify for one
• To register it: a police (Vehicle Theft Squad) clearance, an insurance cover note with a photocopy, proof of residence and a copy of your ID. A commissioner of oaths must stamp the proof of residence and the ID copy.
• Returning residents: your original passport, for registration

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Steps

1. Check the vehicle's age first. ZIMRA says you cannot import a second-hand vehicle that is 10 years old or more. The age is counted from the date of manufacture. Since 2026 the ban also covers double and twin cabs, minibuses and buses, and light trucks.
2. Gather your papers before you buy. Get the invoice, proof of payment, export papers and the registration book from the seller. You will need them to pre-clear the vehicle.
3. Pre-clear with ZIMRA before the vehicle leaves. Any private vehicle coming in by road, whether driven or on a car carrier, must be pre-cleared. Email scanned copies of your documents to ZIMRA at the border post you will use. ZIMRA's officers then tell you how much duty to pay.
4. Pay the duty before it travels. Pay the amount ZIMRA works out into ZIMRA's bank account. Only then should the vehicle be driven to Zimbabwe or loaded onto a carrier. Send the clearance details to the carrier.
5. Clear the vehicle at the border. Declare it on ZIMRA's Form 47, using the same value as on your invoice. ZIMRA checks the vehicle and may change the value. You get a Customs Clearance Certificate.
6. Decide whether you want a clearing agent. ZIMRA says you don't need a clearing agent for a private import that is not for sale. If you use one, check that they are on ZIMRA's list of registered clearing agents and carry a ZIMRA-stamped ID.
7. Get police clearance and insurance. The Vehicle Theft Squad clearance is valid for 14 days. At some border posts you can get the police clearance and third-party insurance on the spot.
8. Register the vehicle and get plates. Bring the original ZIMRA (ASYCUDA) duty receipt and the registration papers listed above. ZIMRA issues registration books and number plates at some border posts, such as Chirundu and Kariba. Otherwise go to the Central Vehicle Registry (CVR).
9. Get a licence disc from ZINARA. Once the vehicle is registered, get the disc before you drive it on the road.

Good to know

• How duty is worked out: ZIMRA adds the price, insurance and freight (CIF) to other costs such as port handling and storage. This total is the value for duty. Customs duty is a percentage of it, and the rate depends on the type of vehicle and its engine size.
• Passenger vehicles that are more than 5 years old when imported also pay surtax on the value for duty.
• VAT is charged on the value for duty plus the customs duty. The standard VAT rate has been 15.5% since 1 January 2026. If you look at ZIMRA's older worked example, it still shows 15%.
• You can look up tariff rates with ZIMRA's own E-Tariff tool. What you actually pay is the amount ZIMRA works out.
• If you drive your own vehicle in, ZIMRA takes US$200 off its value for duty. This is the traveller's rebate. Only one family member in the same vehicle can claim it.
• Think ZIMRA's value for your vehicle is too high? You can appeal to the Station Manager or the Regional Manager.
• Returning resident? If you lived abroad for at least two years, you can bring in one vehicle for personal use without paying customs duty. You still pay VAT. You must have owned it for six months before you arrive and have paid for it in full. If it is worth more than US$40,000, you pay duty on the amount over that. You can use this once every four years. To sell the vehicle within 24 months, you need ZIMRA's written permission, and you must pay the duty. For two years, tell ZIMRA within 14 days if you move house, and report to your nearest customs office once a year. If you don't, the full duty becomes payable. If you leave Zimbabwe for more than six months within the 24 months, take the vehicle with you, unless ZIMRA agrees in writing or you pay the duty.
• A few vehicles older than 10 years are allowed. These include inherited vehicles, those of diplomats coming home from a posting, and vintage vehicles. If you are a returning resident with an older vehicle, check with ZIMRA before you ship it.
• If you have a physical disability, you can ask ZIMRA in writing to suspend customs duty and surtax on one vehicle. It must be no more than 10 years old. You still pay VAT.
• Insurers and ZINARA can only issue cover or a licence disc if you have a ZBC radio licence. If the vehicle has no radio, you need a ZBC exemption.
• If your vehicle comes through Dar es Salaam and Zambia, it is pre-cleared once it reaches the port of Dar es Salaam. Attach a copy of the Zambian transit bill of entry.
• ZIMRA's 2023 notice lists these pre-clearance emails. Beitbridge, if you drive in yourself: Email Beitbridgeprivateimports@zimra.co.zw. Beitbridge, on a carrier to the transit shed: Email BeitbridgeMotorValuations@zimra.co.zw. Plumtree, if you drive in yourself: Email plumtreeprivateimports@zimra.co.zw. Chirundu: Email chirunduprivateimports@zimra.co.zw. Forbes: Email ForbesManagers@zimra.co.zw.
• For help, call ZIMRA's contact centre on toll-free Call 585, or Call 08010271 on NetOne. You can also WhatsApp WhatsApp 0717 585 585 or email Email contactcentre@zimra.co.zw.