Change is inevitable! The government currently launched digital number plates, and every motorist must pay Sh 3000 for the smart number plate. The new plates have built-in security elements that enable law enforcement officials to trace the ownership of motors, protect against fraud, and curb crime. It will also assist KRA to rid of tax evasion at the point of car entry at the port.
The government has ordered the phasing out of the old plate
within 18 months. The NTSA will provide motorists with an application form. The
application should include information on the vehicle.
What is a Digital Number plate?
It is an electronic device that emits signals for monitoring
and tracking processes. Additionally, it has the Kenyan flag affixed to the
plate. The plate has the NTSA serial number. The manufacture date, serial
numbers, and production unit number will be printed on the backside of the
plate.
Other anti-counterfeit characteristics include watermarks, laser markers, and holograms. These elements will provide the required checks to prevent cars from being registered twice.
Advantages of digital number plates
There are many significant benefits to adopting digital
license plates for motor vehicles. Security is undoubtedly the most crucial.
1. Security
The old car license plates don’t have enough security
elements, so it’s hard for law enforcement to spot plates that have been
switched or ones that came from shady businesses. Cabinet Secretary Matiang’i
has launched the new ones as a genius move that will make life difficult for
motor vehicle theft organizations that thrive on plate duplication and faking.
Digitization will improve car sales and transfers and
provide accurate records.
2. Reduce forgery
The digital plates will reduce the rates of forgery. Several
cases are associated with forging documents where some cars were issued with
tractors’ number plates. Currently, there are cases of such vehicles that used
the logbooks under those numbers to take a loan, and it’s now difficult for the
bank to trace the owners.
3. Tax Evasion
To help prevent tax fraud in the car-selling industry, the
Cabinet Secretary stated that the plates would be placed on imported vehicles
at the entry point and synchronized with KRA systems.By scanning the license
plates with a smart device, Kenya Revenue Authority can instantaneously learn a
car’s personal information, engine and serial numbers, and record of past
owners.
How other countries adopted digital number plates.
In California, the digital plates were legalized in 2019
only in two states, California and Arizona. They also display advertisements
and personal messages and send location information. In the United States,
after getting the digital plate and registering in the designated states, you
are completely legalized to drive throughout the U. S. through North American
borders into Mexico and Canada.
South Africa gives digital license plates to qualified
commercial fleet drivers. Currently, it is possible to buy fleet vehicles for
both the government and businesses. Vehicles must be registered with the state
government to be eligible for the specialty license plates. The new approach to
digital number plates will play a significant role in ensuring security and
reducing high theft cases.
There is a big challenge in the implementation phase as 18 months with 4.8million vehicles is quite a huge task as it would mean over 266,666 number plates per month.
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