Best practice on fleet border crossing in Sub-Saharan Africa

South Africans have so many options when it comes to cross border road trips, and we rarely need a visa. It’s therefore easy to forget about the documents needed to get your vehicle across – and when you’re running a fleet, that can lead to some costly delays. 

South Africans are so used to being able to travel between its sub-Saharan neighbours with little or no documentation, that many of us tend to forget that our vehicles actually need quite a bit of paperwork for fleet border crossing.

In an attempt to crack down on stolen vehicles, strict rules apply to vehicle documentation when taking your car across the border. Also remember that different countries have different requirements, so if you’re adding new cross border routes to your fleet operations, make sure you have the correct details. There are some websites that provide excellent information, but it’s always safer to check with the relevant embassy as well.

Keep in mind that some of the administration required can take time to be approved, so if you’re planning a cross border road trip, keep the following in mind so you don’t get stuck or run out of time to get everything together. As with everything else in fleet management, speak to an external fleet consultant to find out how they can help you streamline the process and keep all your vehicle documentation up to date.

• Passport & Driver’s Licence – this should be a no-brainer, but we’ve all forgotten our driver’s license at some point. Make sure it’s on the driver’s checklist for border crossings.

• Vehicle Registration or Vehicle Licence papers – you will need a certified copy of your vehicle registration or licence documentation.

• Permission from Finance – if a vehicle is not yet paid off, you will need the following:

• Letter from the bank or finance institution, authorising you to take the vehicle across the border. Dates of travel should be indicated on the letter.
• Then you need to get the above bank letters, and licence registration documents signed by a Commissioner of Oaths.
• If your vehicle is already paid off, you still need all of the above registration & licensing documentation.

• Not your car? – if you’re not the owner of the vehicle – many fleet vehicles are on lease -  you will need all of the above, a police affidavit giving you permission, as well as a letter of authority from the owner of the vehicle.

• Rental? – the rental company will usually help you prepare all documentation. This will include a letter of authority from the company that owns the vehicle. Some fleet vehicles may be a temporary rental or lease from the manufacturer - make sure you have all the details so you know which documents you’ll need.

• Insurance – some countries require international insurance on the vehicle. It may already be included with your regular insurance – especially if you run a fleet that regularly does border crossings -  but make sure to check and get the relevant documentation. If you don’t have international insurance, you may be required to purchase it at the border, and this can cause delays if drivers are unsure or not authorised to do so on behalf of the company.

• Vehicle ‘decorations’ – some countries require specific stickers or markings to be placed on vehicles when they cross the border. Often this can be purchased at the border, but play it safe and rather contact the AA to find out what you need, and where to get it from. Some countries require a ‘ZA’ sticker or reflective tape, and the AA website is a very handy tool to check exactly what you’ll need.

It’s also a good idea for fleet managers to do a regular check of which stickers adorn which vehicles on their fleet. Some may be outdated or so worn that they’re no longer valid (and just make your branded vehicles look untidy).

In order to avoid lots of frustration, unexpected fees, or even not being allowed to cross the border, make sure you get your vehicle documentation done far in advance. It may feel like a lot of admin just to get one vehicle across the border (especially when you don’t even need a visa), but it’s all in the interest of reducing the flow of stolen vehicles across borders, and the only way to do this is with a series of checks and balances.

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