Vehicle inspection fees set to triple in changes

Motor vehicle inspection fees have been increased by more than three times to Sh3,500 under the proposed regulations that demand all cars more than four years old undergo mandatory annual inspection.

The draft rules released by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) for public review require private vehicles to be inspected every two years and commercial vehicles annually.

Private car owners will pay between Sh2,000 and Sh3,500 for the checks depending on the vehicle engine capacity, up from Sh1,000.

“All private vehicles which are more than four-years-old from the recorded date of manufacture shall undergo a motor vehicle inspection test after every two years,” the regulations say.

“All commercial vehicles, public service vehicles and school buses shall undergo a pre-registration inspection and an annual periodic motor vehicle inspection thereafter.”

Cars whose lengths or widths have been modified, those involved in accidents or vehicles salvaged will require fresh inspection.

A schedule of fees in the regulations indicates that private vehicles with an engine capacity of 3,000cc and below will pay Sh2,000 while those above will pay Sh2,500.

The inspection will also cover motorcycles, three wheelers (tuk-tuks) and trailers. Motorcyclists and three-wheeler operators will part with Sh500 while heavy commercial vehicles above five tonnes will pay Sh3,500.

Inspection will be outsourced to private centres registered with NTSA which will pay Sh500,000 for a three-year licence.

This could provide a lucrative business given the high vehicle numbers in Kenya.

“The authority shall enter into a fee share arrangement with privately owned inspection centre owners at a ratio of 70:30 in favour of the privately owned inspection centre,” say the regulations.

Official data indicates that there were 2.2 million vehicles in Kenya by the end of 2017.

But owners of garages will be dealt a blow with the regulations specifying that they will not be allowed to double as inspection centres. Inspectors will also be barred from operating more than one centre.

The move to inspect vehicles is among stringent safety regulations, including the crackdown on drink-driving, meant to reduce road accidents and deaths on roads via removing unroadworthy cars.