NTSA rolls out digital logbooks, phases out paper records

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has launched an electronic vehicle registration certificate, marking a shift from paper logbooks to a fully digital system accessible through motorists' eCitizen accounts.

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has unveiled the e-logbook, a digital vehicle registration certificate that allows vehicle owners to access their records online without the need for physical documents.

In information released on Tuesday, the authority said the new system is designed to provide motorists with a paperless, queue-free and stress-free way of accessing vehicle ownership records.

The e-logbook will be available through individual eCitizen accounts, with NTSA urging motorists to check their profiles to access the service.

“ No paper. No queues. No stress,” the authority said in promotional material announcing the rollout.

The digital certificate contains vehicle registration details including the registration number, certificate number, duty status, chassis and engine number, make, model, body type, engine capacity, passenger capacity, number of axles and colour.

NTSA said the document is digitally signed and includes verification features that allow users to confirm its authenticity.

The authority directed motorists seeking more information on the new system to access an e-logbook information pack through its website.

The launch comes as NTSA continues efforts to strengthen the integrity of vehicle registration records and improve management of information relating to vehicles on Kenyan roads.

Speaking earlier on Tuesday during an interview on NTV, NTSA Director General Nashon Kondiwa said the authority had already stopped issuing physical paper logbooks as part of broader reforms aimed at improving vehicle records.

Kondiwa said the move was intended to address challenges associated with paper-based records and strengthen the accuracy of vehicle data held by the authority.

“You need to know that I stopped issuing physical paper logbooks,” he said.

He said physical logbooks had often been used in transactions where vehicle records were not adequately verified, creating gaps in the quality and integrity of information available to regulators.

According to Kondiwa, the digital system is expected to support efforts to maintain more accurate and complete vehicle records while enhancing interactions between vehicle owners and government systems.

He also noted that NTSA has been working to improve the completeness of vehicle registration data, saying some records, particularly for vehicles registered before 2017, lacked key information needed for planning and regulation.