S.L. 65.33 Art. 60Specifications of vehicles to be registered under Section 2 of Part IV of the Register.  

(1) No motor vehicle for hire may be registered under

Section 2 of Part IV of the Register unless it satisfies the following conditions:

(a) it is registered and licensed in terms of the

Registration and Licensing of Motor Vehicles Regulations;

(b) in the case of motor vehicles for hire used for the carriage of passengers:

(i) its maximum seating capacity is eight (8) passengers in addition to the driver; and

(ii) it is a new vehicle:

Provided that:

(i) vehicles of thirty-six (36) months of age or less, to be reckoned from the date of first registration, which are used for light passenger transport services having ‘LY’ registration plates may be converted to motor vehicles for hire with ‘QZ’ registration plates;

(ii) in any event, the licence of a motor vehicle for hire used for the carriage of passengers shall not be renewed beyond fifteen (15) years of age to be reckoned from the date of first registration of the vehicle:

Provided that, with regard to motor vehicles for hire which are already in use and licensed for the carriage of passengers and which are fifteen (15) years or older from the date of registration at the time of coming into force of these regulations, this provision shall only apply following the lapse of four (4) years from the date of coming into force of these regulations:

Provided further that the owners of motor vehicles for hire which are already in use and licensed for the carriage of passengers and which are fifteen (15) years or older at the time of coming into force of these regulations shall be allowed to replace such vehicles with other vehicles which are not new but which are not older than two (2) years to be reckoned from the date of first registration, and this by not later than forty eight (48) months from the date of coming into force of these regulations:

Provided further that the owners of motor vehicles for hire which are already in use and licensed VEHICLE HIRE SERVICES

for the carriage of passengers and which are fifteen (15) years or older from the date of registration at the time of coming into force of these regulations shall be permitted to continue using such vehicles for the provision of vehicle hire services up to the 31st December, 2025;

(iii) N1 motor vehicles for hire registered for the first time on the operator’s authorisation shall not be more than four (4) years of age to be reckoned from the date of first registration and their licence shall not be renewed beyond fifteen (15) years of age to be reckoned from the date of first registration of the vehicle;

(iv) N2 motor vehicles for hire registered for the first time on the operator’s authorisation shall not be more than six (6) years of age to be reckoned from the date of first registration and their licence shall not be renewed beyond twenty (20) years of age to be reckoned from the date of first registration of the vehicle;

(v) N3 motor vehicles for hire registered for the first time on the operator’s authorisation may be of any age and there shall be no age limit for their licence to be renewed; and

(vi) Special Purpose motor vehicles for hire and machinery without a chassis for hire registered for the first time on the operator’s authorization may be of any age and there shall be no age limit for their licence to be renewed:

Provided that, with regard to motor vehicles referred to in sub-paragraphs (iii) and (iv) which, on the date of coming into force of these regulations are already licensed as motor vehicles for hire, this provision shall only apply following the lapse of two (2) years from the date of coming into force of these regulations.

(2) All vehicles registered under Section 2 of Part IV of the Register shall bear a registration mark which shall include two letters followed by the letter ‘K’ and three numbers, or a letter followed by the letters ‘QZ’ and three numbers:

Provided that owners of vehicles bearing a registration mark which includes two letters followed by the letter ‘K’ shall be allowed to change the registration marks thereof to one which includes a letter followed by the letters ‘QZ’ on condition that such vehicles satisfy the requirements stipulated in sub-regulation (1), with the exception of the requirement stipulated in paragraph (b)(ii) thereof.