Senate slashes Number Plates Price to N8,400, Driver's Licence to N4000

Senate slashes cost of number plates to N8, 400 For those who haven’t gotten the new vehicle number plate and driver’s licence, here is good news. The Senate Committee on Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs has recommended the reduction of the cost of the new plates from N15,000 to N8,400. The committee also recommended that the cost of driver’s licence should be reduced from N6,000 to N4,000. It directed the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to recommence the issuance of the new number plates and licenses which was earlier suspended. The recommendations were contained in the committee’s report, following an investigation into the issue of new number plates. The committee also ordered that the cost of motorcycle number plates put at N3,000 should revert to the old price of N1,500; the licences are to remain at N750. It also directed the cessation of the collection of e-coding scheme and the collection of N2,000 per vehicle by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO). According to the report: “The FRSC should call for the replacement of Driver’s Licences only at the point of renewal upon expiration to avoid double payment.” The committee also observed that the August deadline for the change was no longer realistic, citing the exorbitant cost and the time lapse during the National Assembly’s intervention. It further recommended that the police should cease its Biometric Central Motor Registry (BCMR) which would also attract N3,500 from vehicle owners, to avoid duplication and additional burden on Nigerians.

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“The Police Force should synergise its idea of biometric data collection and collaborate with FRSC ,which has an existing data base,” the committee said. Other details of the recommendation showed that articulated vehicles will now pay N11, 200, instead of the N20,000 stipulated by the FRSC. Privileged, fancy or personalised numbers were left as recommended by the FRSC. However, dealer number plates which was cost N30,000 was slashed to N16,800, while government’s input at N15,000 was reduced to N10,000. The committee urged the FRSC to embark on a massive orientation and enlightenment of the people to highlight the advantages of the new plates. Although the production of the number plates cost N7,590, which is offered to the states at N7500, the states offer it to the public at N15,000. “The additional charge by the states on the cost of production of the two items is a tax levied on vehicle users to enable states raise revenue to render service in that regard, hence the disparity in the costs of license and plate number fees from state to state. “However, the committee found this unacceptable as it will create more hardship on the average Nigerian and vehicle users,” it added.