The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has confirmed delays in the production and issuance of vehicle number plates, following complaints from motorists and car dealers across the country.
NTSA Director General Nashon Kondiwa attributed the problem to a backlog of more than 30,000 plates that had already been paid for but were never printed.
Kondiwa said the NTSA has already begun clearing the backlog and is prioritising faster processing to reduce waiting times that have affected registration services since the start of the year.
“Since I became DG, I have tried to clean up the backlog of plates, which I found to be over 30,000 plates that Kenyans have paid for but have never been printed,” Kondiwa said during an interview with Citizen TV.
He added that progress has already been made in reducing the pending cases, noting that the backlog has had a direct impact on operations and cash flow within the Authority.
“As we speak, I have cleared 5,000 in three months, and this has impacted cash flows and caused the delays we are currently experiencing. We will sort it out within the next three days,” he added.
The Authority issued an apology to motorists affected by the delays, saying measures are in place to restore normal processing. Motorists have been urged to monitor the status of their applications through the official portal at servicestatus.ntsa.go.ke.
The delays, which have persisted since the beginning of 2026, have affected both new vehicle registrations and the replacement of lost plates. NTSA data shows that more than 30,000 plates remain pending despite payment, creating long waiting periods for applicants and disruptions in service delivery.
Motorists have raised concerns over delays lasting several weeks in some cases, as well as communication gaps from the Authority. The situation has also raised compliance concerns, since vehicles operating without valid number plates risk penalties under the Traffic Act Cap 403, including fines, imprisonment or impoundment.
On Monday, car dealers in Mombasa staged protests over stricter rules requiring full registration before vehicles leave ports or container freight stations, saying the measures have slowed operations and increased costs.
Association Chairman Mathew Katili said the new enforcement rules were affecting business operations and the movement of vehicles.
Kondiwa defended the regulations, saying KD plates are only issued to licensed dealers to prevent misuse. “Kenya is a transit point for many vehicles… there is always the risk of diverting them for local use, bypassing taxes,” he said.
Under the current framework, unregistered vehicles are not allowed on public roads except under authorised dealer movements such as test drives or delivery to showrooms.
The Independent Car Dealers Association called for consultations with NTSA to resolve the concerns raised by dealers affected by the enforcement changes.
The current challenges come after a similar disruption in April 2025 when a shortage of number plates affected registration services for nearly two weeks.
NTSA has, however, maintained that work to clear the backlog is ongoing as it seeks to stabilise operations.
Comments
Sign in with Google to comment, reply, and like comments.
Continue with Google