Every car on Kenyan roads must have a number plate, which serves as identification for the owner.
The number plates are issued by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) upon registration. Each car user gets a unique number depending on the group function of the vehicle.
This explains why Civilian Vehicle Number Plates, County Government Vehicles, Motorbikes, Tuktuk, and Diplomatic Number Plates have varying appearances.
However, some individuals have gone ahead and applied for customized number plates that read the preferred name of the owner as a status symbol.
Given the high cost of personalized number plates in Kenya, most individuals who own them are wealthy business people, politicians, and celebrities.
According to NTSA, to get a personalized number plate, one will part ways with a whooping Sh1 million and wait for five working days.
“The process is applicable to registered owners of motor vehicles with civilian registration numbers who want to be issued with personalised number plates.
Prominent Kenyans with customized car number plates
“The vehicle must have been registered with civilian numbers. The process does not apply to Public Service Vehicles (PSV) and Commercial Motor Vehicles,” NTSA explained.
Application Process:
- Go to www(dot)ntsa(dot)go(dot)ke.
- Select the preference service portal.
- Log in to access the TIMS account.
- Upload all the relevant documents (request letter and original logbook).
- Submit the application for NTSA verification and approval.
- After successful approval, log into your TIMS account and make payments.
- Once the application is complete, click ‘Submit‘.
NTSA notes that the names of political parties, derogatory names, and names that provoke ethnic or racial tensions are not allowed.
In addition, the issued customized number plate is not transferable to another party.
