New Plates Arrive in Addis Abeba, Fee For Car Owners Remain Undisclosed

Addis Abeba’s long-awaited shift to a new vehicle license plate system has begun, opening with a limited rollout that will eventually require every vehicle in the capital to replace its existing plates.

Delayed by eight months, the Addis Abeba Driver & Vehicle Licensing & Control Authority (AADVLCA) announced the start of the issuance today, June 11, 2026, during a press briefing at its headquarters in the Meklit Building on Equatorial Guinea St., near Lem Hotel area.

The decision sets in motion a replacement process that could affect one of the largest concentrations of vehicles in the country. Addis Abeba is estimated to have more than 800,000 vehicles, while at least 1.6 million vehicles are currently operating across the country. For now, the rollout is selective, beginning in Bole, Yeka, and Kirkos districts.

The Authority is giving priority to new plate applicants, particularly buyers of newly bought cars. According to Zegeye Belayneh, general manager of the city’s Driver & Vehicle Licensing & Control Authority, the Bureau has begun serving new applicants first, who are buying unregistered cars only.

“Vehicle owners in use will change their plates step by step,” he said.

Yet the Authority has not set a timeframe for completing the change. Zegeye did not disclose when existing vehicle owners will be required to begin replacing their plates, how the process will be sequenced beyond the three districts, or when the full transition is expected to be completed.

The cost of the new plates also remains officially undisclosed. Zegeye declined to reveal the fee during the press briefing. However, users who visited the Bureau were charged about 56,000 Br for the new plates. Zegeye stated that the change is not targeting at collecting money, but “it comes as a response to shortcomings in the old system.”

“The license plates we’ve been using until now have had many shortcomings” he said. “They’re easily damaged, and similar plates could also be produced, which is why the change was necessary.”

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