Regulation change mandates garage letter to import four-wheelers

The new amendment to the regulation on the registration of motorized land vehicles has mandated garage registration letters to import automotives and other four-wheelers.

The amended regulation, which is slated to become effective in three months’ time requires seeking the permission of the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation to import all motorized land vehicles with the exemption of motorbikes.

While the owners of these land vehicles are required to submit garage letters to import said vehicles, it is also mandatory to ensure that the permit has been issued by the ministry for the designated vehicle.

The regulation further notes that vehicles manufactured from a set year would be allowed for registration, and highlighted the vehicles that cannot be registered for garages. These exclusions are:

Used motorcycles and autocycles below 250CC

Motorcycles and autocycles older than three years from the manufactured year

Cars, vans, buses, land rowers, and similar motorized vehicles older than five years from the manufactured year and vehicles with less than one ton in weightage

Vehicles older than seven years from the manufactured year and a carrying capacity between one to four tons

Vehicles older than 10 years from the manufactured year and a carrying capacity between four to 10 tons

Vehicles older than 15 years and above from the manufactured year and a carrying capacity of 10 or more tons

Additionally, vehicles imported for the use of diplomatic personnel can be registered under a different owner only after the import duty on such vehicles have been paid.

The vehicles can be registered only if the garage owner provides verification of no objection, which must be presented while submitting for garage letter. The garage owner must also be a Maldivian national and a copy of their national identity card along with the garage registration must be submitted when acquiring a garage letter.

The above changes have been emphasized owing to multiple complains previously regarding registration of vehicles to garages without the owner’s consent. The ministry had said that it is trying to verify dubious garage letters.

While the ministry placed more stringent vehicle registration measures to deter unlawful registrations, many have mounted complaints about the lengthy process.

Meanwhile, the Male’ City Council had earlier tasked the Islamic University of Maldives (IUM) to conduct a survey to determine the exact capacity of vehicles that can be allowed to operate in the Greater Male’ area.

The findings showed that the recommended capacity is 89,413 vehicles, however the current capacity is at 119,472 which is an excess of over 30,000 vehicles.