What next after UAZ series?

What you need to know:

  • For more than eight years, the UA car registration plates have ruled Kampala streets.
  • There has been a lot of speculation given that the series, now at UAZ, are in the last leg and it is expected that by next year there will be a new plates series.

It appears like yesterday when the UAZ registration car number plates hit the road.

UAZ will definitely be the last in the UA series and as things look they will be phased out soon.

While many wonder where we shall be headed after the UAZ series, others such as Nazarius Tumusiime, a civil servant, speculate that our next destination will be the UB series.

However, this seems unlikely because, according to Pius Kabala, photographer at Studio SN, the registration plate plates in the UB series are currently used by motorcycles, which makes it an invalid option for motor vehicles.

Car registration plates have been changing since the 70s having started with six characters back then.

The plates would carry three upper case digits.

However, in all these changes U, which is synonymous with Uganda, has remained a constant.

The alphabetical letters would be separated from the digits by a blue square containing a white Crested Crane.
The plates described above cruised through the 70s and 80s but were modified with the blue square being replaced with the national flag.

The square, then positioned between the characters was repositioned to the top left hand corner where it still is today.

Later in 1999, a new series of plates carrying seven characters was introduced.

The plates, which are still running but about to be phased out, have three upper case letters, three digits and an upper cased alphabet.

They started with UAA 001A and are likely to end before the end of this year after running through the last eight years.

Government cars, military and diplomatic cars carry different registration plates. Those used by embassies (diplomatic plates) have eight characters and many are coded for easy identification. Government and military cars have six characters.

Important to note is that two letters “I” and “O” were omitted in the UA series because they would be mistaken for figures, one and zero.

Such a process must go through a number of phases before critical changes are introduced.

According to Kharim Kibuuka, the acting principal inspector of vehicles at the Transport Licensing Board, the phase out of the UAZ series means a new registration plates series probably of the UBA OO1A will be introduced.

The series will be followed by UBA 001B until when the alphabets are completed as guided by the Traffic and Road Safety Act

“If we check with Uganda Revenue Authority and find out that the UBA series was used by motorcycles, we will then skip UBA,” Kibuuka says, highlighting that they, as the licensing board are ready to roll on with new plates.
The Transport Licensing Board, under the Ministry of Works is the principal regulatory agency that sets and monitors standards.

However, the standards, according to Kibuuka, are implemented by Uganda Revenue Authority as a way of harmonising revenue generation and licensing.
“Ministry of Works comes in to ensure that the plates that are made are visible and have recognisable features to associate them with Uganda,” he says.

Uganda on average, according to Uganda Revenue Authority, imports more than 85,000 cars per annum, majority of which are licenced within two or three years of import.

In the last two years more cars, according to URA, have been licenced, explaining the increased issuance of licence plates.

Motorcycles
Motorcycle plates, according to a Ministry of Works September 1, 2016 notice, will also be remodeled.
The new plates, a recent notice signed by the permanent secretary for Ministry of Works, Alex Okello, said will differentiate between private and commercial motorcycles.
Commercial motorcycle plates will possess black characters embossed on a yellow reflective background for both the rear and the front number plates.

Motorcycles and motorised tricycles used for private purposes will be required to have two registration number plates with black characters embossed on reflective white background for both the rear and front number plates.

different types of motor vehicle registration plates

There are a number of different car registration plates below are some of them:
Duty-free number plates
This type of number plates has a red background with white characters. It applies to vehicles that were duty-free at the time they were imported.

Personalised number plates
Like ordinary number plates, personalised number plates are also issued by URA to people who apply for them.
Statutory corporations
Under this type, the number plates have a light blue background with white characters and are attached onto government owned parastatals such as NFA, NSSF, KCCA and UWA among others.

Country Diplomats
These are used by diplomats in Uganda. They have a white background with blue characters. They are issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

After URA receives communication from the Foreign Affairs Ministry, it issues a given number plate to a given diplomat.

Garage/dealers number plates
This type has a white background and red characters whose series is, for example, U10054D. It is issued by URA to people or organisations that import or repair cars.