What is a Taxi?

A taxi, also known as a cab or a taxicab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice.

Overview of Vehicle Permit in Namibia

The type of Permits provided for under the enabling legislation is Domestic Road Transportation Permits, Cross Border Road Transportation Permits and Abnormal Load Permits.

The Road Transportation Act and Regulations of 1977 (Act No 74 of 1977), provides for permits authorising the transportation of passengers for reward travelling on public roads within the borders of Namibia. (Domestic Road Transportation Permits)

The Road Traffic and Transport Act, 1999 (Act 22 of 1999) allow for Bi-lateral and Multi-Lateral Cross-Border Road Transport Agreements. These agreements are entered into between Namibia and any other country or countries whereby arrangements are made for the control and regulation of road transport between Namibia and such country or countries.

Bi-lateral Agreements exist between Namibia/Zambia and Namibia/Zimbabwe, whereas Multi-Lateral Agreements exist between SACU Member Countries being Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland.

The issuance of the Road Transportation Permits is performed by the Transport Regulation and Competent Authority Sub-division under the Division Transport Information and Regulatory Services of the Roads Authority.

All new applications, Transfer of Permits, Application for Additional Routes, and Changes to Routes will be published in the Government Gazette.

How To Register A Taxi In Namibia

Application Procedure for new Public/Private Road Carrier Permits

1. Complete Application Form. (Public/Private Road Carrier Permit)
2. Indicate type of Vehicle and Seating Capacity.
3. Indicate Taxi Rank number for Municipal areas or Detailed Route description for long distance transportation.
4. Attach a detailed Motivation on why the need for additional permit is needed to the already existing permits issued.
5. Attach Certified copy of Identity Document
6. Pay Application fee.
7. For transportation of Tourists, the Transport Company must attach a Founding Statement of registration from the Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development. The Principal
8. Business should be for Transfers & Tours or Tours & Safaris. The business should be registered with the Namibia Tourism Board
9. For the Transportation of Employees of a company/business a Copy of Contract between the transport company and the company/business must be submitted.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

How do I become a LEFA driver in Namibia?

Download the LEFA application from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Follow the quick registration process, and add a cashless payment option if you want. Then enter your pickup location, choose the vehicle class that you prefer and let the app suggest a driver that is closest to you. Your ride comes to you.

How do you get around Namibia?

The easiest way to get around Namibia is in your own car, and an excellent system of sealed roads runs the length of the country, from the South African border at Noordoewer to Ngoma Bridge on the Botswana border and Ruacana in the northwest.

Is there Uber in Namibia?

Popular international companies like Uber aren’t available in Namibia, but we have our own version called LEFA. Namibia is a safe country, but it always helps to practise caution and be alert when travelling in a new place.

How many NaTIS are there in Namibia?

NaTIS, a subdivision of Transport Information and Regulatory Services, manages 37 registering authorities (NaTIS offices) countrywide of which only some ​are managed by local authorities. Majority are managed by RA.

Is it expensive to visit Namibia?

Namibia is one of the cheapest countries in Africa. It uses the Namibian dollar (NAD), which is around 1:1 with the South African rand, and all prices are about on par with South Africa. Depending on your chosen method of transport and accommodation preference, Namibia can easily be done on a budget.

How do I register for driving school in Namibia?

In order to start driving classes, you must first register in a driving school of your choice in Namibia.

1. Obtain police clearance from the Namibian police regarding the motor vehicle.
2. Put motor vehicle through roadworthiness.
3. Apply at registering authority to register and license motor vehicle on your name.

How do I register with NaTIS?

Open a browser and go to https://online.natis.gov.za to access the home page. Click on “REGISTER” in the top MENU. You need to select your identity and then click on “Next” to proceed. Complete all the required information and click on “Register”.

Can you buy a car without a license in Namibia?

A few requirements to buy a new car (with bank financing) is essentially that you must have bank account. You must have a valid Namibian Driver’s license. You need to have good credit (not on some sort of blacklist) and you need to be employed permanently (at least for the last six months).

At what age can you get your license in Namibia?

The Namibian Road Traffic and Transport Laws requires a learner driver to be 17 years of age before such a person can get a learners licence.

How many driving lessons does it take to pass in Namibia?

You’ll always have that one person who swears they passed first time after three lessons, but that’s far from the average. According to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), it takes most people 45 hours of lessons to learn how to drive, plus 22 hours of practising.

How many driving lessons should you have before your test in Namibia?

According to the Driving Standards Agency (DSA), you’ll need around 44 hours of professional lessons to pass your driving test. This is just an average figure – it’s important to remember that everyone’s different.

How long does a learners license last in Namibia?

A Namibian learners license is valid for a period of 18 months from the date of issue.

What is the maximum permissible length of a motor vehicle in Namibia?

Any other combination of motor vehicles, if the overall length of such combination, including any drawbar or coupling, exceeds 22 metres.