What is the Civil Servants’ Vehicle Rebate Scheme
- The rebate allows eligible serving public servants to import one private motor vehicle duty-free (or with duty rebate) under certain conditions rather than paying standard import duty. Veritas Zim+2Bulawayo24 News+2
- The scheme is governed by statutes including Statutory Instrument 247 of 2023 and previously Statutory Instrument 52 of 2019 (and related regulations). Zimbabwe Treasury+2Veritas Zim+2
- Eligibility and conditions typically include:
- The civil servant must have served for a minimum of 10 years (for most public servants), except certain health-sector staff, where service requirements may differ. Zimbabwe Treasury+1
- The imported vehicle must be for private use only (not for commercial or trade purposes). Veritas Zim+2Bulawayo24 News+2
- Only one vehicle per five-year period can benefit from the rebate under the scheme. herald+2zimdutycalculator.co.zw+2
- The vehicle’s age (date of manufacture) must be under a specified threshold (commonly not more than 10 years for many cases). herald+2zimdutycalculator.co.zw+2
- The import must be funded either via a loan under the government’s transport purchase fund (managed through a firm such as CMED) or via the public servant’s own resources. herald+2Veritas Zim+2
- The applicant must provide documentation: application letter, recommendation letter from their ministry or Permanent Secretary (confirming their employment and eligibility), a valid driver’s licence, purchase invoice of the vehicle, and in case of loan funding, relevant CMED approval letters. herald+2Zimbabwe Treasury+2
- Once approved, the government (via the relevant Ministry, then the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority — ZIMRA) issues a letter authorising the duty-free (or duty-rebate) import of the vehicle. The civil servant then clears the vehicle under the rebate when it arrives. zimdutycalculator.co.zw+2Zimbabwe Treasury+2
Recent Regulatory Updates & Tightened Controls
- Under SI 247 of 2023, the rebate scheme continues to operate — but with more stringent conditions to curb abuse. Bulawayo24 News+2Veritas Zim+2
- The scheme explicitly excludes civil servants who already receive a “condition-of-service” vehicle (i.e., government-issued cars) — they are not eligible for the rebate. Bulawayo24 News+1
- For vehicles imported under the rebate, beneficiaries are prohibited from selling, leasing, hiring out, or otherwise disposing of said vehicle within five years from the date of importation — unless prior written permission is obtained from ZIMRA. Selling before expiry triggers payment of residual duty plus interest. allAfrica.com+2herald+2
- The tightening arises amid increasing reports of abuse/fraud: some civil servants reportedly importing vehicles on behalf of third parties (dealers or individuals) in exchange for “fees,” then transferring or allowing others to drive the duty-free vehicles — undermining the purpose of the rebate. NewsDay Zimbabwe+2herald+2
As a result, authorities including the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) and ZIMRA have begun investigations and seizures of vehicles imported under fraudulent rebate claims. Over 250 vehicles have reportedly been seized in one crackdown of 2024. herald+1
Why Conformity Inspection & Certification Matter: Role of EAA under the CBCA Programme
- Since 2022, under the nationwide Consignment Based Conformity Assessment (CBCA) programme, all imported used motor vehicles (and spare parts) must be accompanied by a valid Certificate of Conformity (CoC) before they are cleared at Zimbabwe’s ports/borders. StartupBiz+2herald+2
- The CBCA programme aims to ensure quality, safety, environmental compliance, and consumer protection by subjecting regulated goods (including used cars) to pre-export verification in the country of origin. National Competitiveness Commission+2Newziana+2
- Under this mandate, EAA Company Limited is among the approved inspection firms appointed to carry out pre-shipment / pre-export inspections for used cars destined for Zimbabwe (alongside other agencies). herald+2eaacheck.com+2
- EAA performs roadworthiness inspections; verifies that the vehicle meets safety, environmental, and regulatory standards; checks that odometer readings are not tampered with; and issues a Certificate of Conformity if the vehicle passes. eaa-s.jp+1
- The CoC from EAA (or other accredited CBCA inspectors) becomes a mandatory document for clearance with ZIMRA when the vehicle arrives in Zimbabwe. Without it, the car may be subjected to destination inspection or even rejected. StartupBiz+1
In effect, for civil servants using the rebate scheme — the CoC / inspection by EAA (or equivalent) becomes a crucial compliance requirement. It acts as an independent guarantee that the imported vehicle is roadworthy, not sub-standard or dangerous, and meets all regulatory norms.
EAA, in this sense, becomes “the eyes of the buyer” (and the government) when the buyer is abroad or not present — ensuring transparency, preventing fraud, and protecting both the consumer and the state’s interest.
How EAA (or Local Equivalent) Can Assist Civil Servants — Not Just for Normal Importers
- For civil servants planning to import under the rebate, engaging EAA for inspection ensures they meet CBCA obligations. This helps them avoid costly destination inspections, delays, or potential seizure when the car arrives.
- Because EAA is appointed under contract by the Zimbabwe government (via CBCA) to perform such inspections, their certification is formally recognised — helpful for clearance under rebate or regular import procedures. eaacheck.com+2Newziana+2
- If there are any issues (e.g., mechanical faults, tampered odometer), EAA can detect them before shipment — protecting the civil servant from unknowingly importing a sub-standard car, which could become a liability or regrets later.
- This contributes to the broader policy goal of curbing substandard imports, promoting road safety, environmental protection, and preserving state revenue (by reducing fraud or undervaluation). herald+2National Competitiveness Commission+2
Challenges & Risks: Why Some Civil Servants Worry, and Where EAA + CBCA Help
While the rebate scheme provides valuable benefit to qualifying civil servants, there have been major challenges:
- Abuse & Fraud: As noted, some civil servants have abused the duty-free benefit, importing cars for other people (dealers, relatives, third-parties) in exchange for payment — then allowing these cars to be used or sold. NewsDay Zimbabwe+2Pindula News+2
- Loss of State Revenue: These abuses undermine customs revenue, because cars that should attract duty are brought in duty-free. herald+1
- Reputation and Legal Risk for Genuine Beneficiaries: Because of the fraudulent cases, genuine civil servants using the rebate as intended have faced suspicion, investigations, arrests, or delays. NewsDay Zimbabwe+2herald+2
The CBCA and EAA-inspection requirement helps address some of these risks by strengthening transparency and standardisation: every rebate-imported car must also meet the same safety and conformity standards as all other imports. This discourages shady import schemes and ensures only legitimate personal-use cars benefit from rebates — aligning with broader government efforts to crack down on misuse.
Conclusion & Recommendations for Civil Servants Considering the Rebate + Import
For a serving public servant in Zimbabwe considering using the rebate to import a private car:
- Ensure you fully meet eligibility requirements (years served, not issued a government car, correct funding route, valid licence).
- Use a legitimate and recognised exporter with proper documentation (invoice, pro-forma, etc.) before purchase.
- Engage a government-approved conformity assessment body — such as EAA Company Limited — to conduct pre-export inspection and secure a valid Certificate of Conformity (CoC) under the CBCA programme. This protects you from compliance risk at port clearance.
- Once vehicle arrives, follow all clearance procedures with ZIMRA, using the rebate authorisation letter plus CoC; abstain from selling or leasing the vehicle for at least five years (unless you get written permission), to avoid penalty duties or seizure.
- Keep records of all paperwork (invoice, CoC, rebate letters) — in case of scrutiny or audit, especially given the heightened enforcement following past abuses.
The combination of the civil-servant rebate scheme + CBCA + EAA inspection provides a legitimate pathway to import cars duty-free (or duty-rebate) while ensuring safety, compliance and fairness. If used correctly, this offers a real benefit to eligible public servants — but misuse or ignoring the inspection/CoC requirement risks legal, financial, and reputational damage.
To renew an expired Certificate of Conformity (CoC) under the CBCA programme, a civil servant will need the following:
- ZIMRA Rebate Letter (on official ZIMRA letterhead) OR an Approval Letter from the Ministry of Finance
- Proof of payment of the application fee of US$30
- The expired CoC
To apply for CoC renewal or inspection services:
📧 Email: info@eaa.co.zw
🌐 Apply online: https://eaa.co.zw/apply/