Vehicle registration, road tax and roadworthiness test in Mali: steps, fees and timelines
Regional Transport Directorate (registration section)
Driving legally in Mali requires three documents: the registration card (carte grise), issued by the Transport Directorate; the roadworthiness test certificate, issued in Bamako by Mali Technic System; and the annual road tax disc (vignette), paid at the tax office. This page brings together the six sheets on the Government of Mali's official procedures portal.
Key points (checked on 17 October 2026)
- Registration card: at the registration section of the Regional Transport Directorate; provisional receipt in 2 days, final card in one month.
- Change of owner (used vehicle): registration card, sale certificate legalised by the mayor or a notary, legalised copy of the seller's ID card, valid roadworthiness certificate; 10,000 FCFA fee plus 1,500 FCFA in stamps per fiscal horsepower, among others.
- Roadworthiness test: Mali Technic System in Sogoniko; 5,000 FCFA for a light vehicle; yearly for a private car.
- Road tax: at the tax office from 1 January to 31 March; 7,000 to 75,000 FCFA depending on engine rating.
Registering an imported vehicle
An imported vehicle arrives under customs, usually with an inter-state road transit book (TRIE) and the foreign registration card of the used vehicle, or the purchase invoice if new. The process described by the sheet:
- At the Regional Transport Directorate, an expert inspects the vehicle and draws up an inspection report (procès-verbal de constatation).
- The National Directorate of Trade and Competition issues the import certificate and calculates the duties.
- The tax office collects duties and stamps; customs, at Bamako's one-stop shop for vehicle clearance, assesses the duties (using the Argus guide for a used vehicle) and issues the release-for-consumption certificate.
- The registration section issues a 24-hour roadworthiness test authorisation, then a provisional registration receipt within 2 days.
- The National Transport Directorate records the vehicle in the national file and issues the final registration card, collected at the registration section about one month later.
Documents: TRIE book, registration card of the used vehicle or invoice of the new vehicle, valid ID card, reference of the customs dispatch note and, where relevant, a power of attorney.
| Costs listed by the sheet | Amount |
|---|---|
| Customs duty | 10% or 20% of value |
| Statistical fee, community levies | 1% + 1% + 1% of value |
| VAT | 18% |
| Registration fee | 10,000 FCFA |
| Inspection report | 2,500 FCFA |
| Roadworthiness test | 5,000 FCFA |
| Number plates | 6,000 FCFA per plate (2 plates) |
| Road safety tax | 10,000 FCFA |
| IT fee, overtime, customs broker | 5,000, 10,000 and 15,000 FCFA |
On top of this come stamps and taxes based on the vehicle's fiscal horsepower.
Change of owner: buying a used vehicle
You go with the vehicle to the registration section. Documents: the registration card, the sale certificate legalised by the mayor or a notary, a legalised copy of the seller's valid ID card, a copy of the valid roadworthiness certificate and the declaration of entry into service. A provisional document is issued, then the new registration card, in one month (extendable once by 15 days).
| Change-of-owner fees | Amount |
|---|---|
| Registration card fee (National Transport Directorate) | 10,000 FCFA |
| Inspection report | 2,500 FCFA |
| Tax stamps | 1,500 FCFA per fiscal horsepower |
| Road safety fee | 10,000 FCFA + 500 FCFA per plate |
| Number plates | 6,000 FCFA per plate |
Legalising the sale certificate is done at the town hall: see our page on legalising documents.
Renewal and new plates
Renewal (expired, damaged or illegible card): the registration card, the inspection report, the declaration of entry into service and a valid roadworthiness certificate, at the registration section. Change of plate colour: the vehicle must be present, with the registration card, a valid roadworthiness certificate and the declaration of entry into service; 6,000 FCFA per plate and one month; the old plates are handed back.
The roadworthiness test
In Bamako, it takes place at Mali Technic System, in Sogoniko (or its regional offices), at the registration desk, on presentation of the registration card, the inspection report or the driving authorisation. The inspector checks brakes, lights, tyres, steering, alignment and compulsory accessories (wipers, fire extinguisher, spare wheel, warning triangle, first-aid kit), among other things. If there is no defect, a sticker is placed on the windscreen.
| Light vehicle | Public transport | Heavy vehicle | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test fee | 5,000 FCFA | 6,000 FCFA | 8,000 FCFA |
| Re-test | 1,750 FCFA (within 15 days) | 2,100 FCFA (within 30 days) | 2,800 FCFA (within 30 days) |
| Frequency | once a year | twice a year | twice a year |
ANASER charges an extra 2,500 FCFA. The first test comes 3 years after the vehicle first enters service. Late tests incur penalties: 25% of the base fee from 5 to 15 days, 50% from 15 to 31 days, 75% from 40 days.
The road tax disc
You pay it at the tax office from 1 January to 31 March, showing the registration card (for a first registration, from the date the card is issued). Paid from 1 October, it is half price; after the deadlines, the penalty is 100%.
| Fiscal horsepower | Road tax |
|---|---|
| 2 to 6 CV | 7,000 FCFA |
| 7 to 8 CV | 13,000 FCFA |
| 10 to 14 CV | 32,000 FCFA |
| 15 to 19 CV | 50,000 FCFA |
| 20 CV and above | 75,000 FCFA |
The sheet gives no rate for 9 CV: ask the tax office.
Contact given by the sheets: National Transport Directorate, Darsalam, Bamako; 20 22 41 12 or 20 22 64 63.
Frequently asked questions
How much is road tax in Mali?
From 7,000 FCFA (2 to 6 CV) to 75,000 FCFA (20 CV and above), according to the official portal.
Where is the roadworthiness test in Bamako?
At Mali Technic System, in Sogoniko.
How much does a change of owner cost?
A 10,000 FCFA fee, a 2,500 FCFA inspection report, 1,500 FCFA in stamps per fiscal horsepower, a 10,000 FCFA road safety fee plus 500 FCFA per plate, and 6,000 FCFA per plate.
How long does registration take?
A provisional receipt in 2 days, then the final card in about one month.
Official sources (checked on 17 October 2026)
- Government of Mali, procedures portal, Registration card (obtaining) (French): customs clearance, documents, costs, timelines, regulations.
- Government of Mali, procedures portal, Registration card (change of owner) (French), Registration card (renewal) (French) and Change of plate colour (French).
- Government of Mali, procedures portal, Roadworthiness test (French): place, checks, fees, penalties, frequency.
- Government of Mali, procedures portal, Road tax disc (French): period, rates, penalties.