Zimbabwe Merges Eleven Licences Into One, Slashes Regulatory Fees And Scraps Duplication In Major Business Overhaul

Zimbabwe Slashes Business Licence Fees In Historic Overhaul

In a sweeping move set to transform the country’s business landscape, the Government of Zimbabwe has merged eleven separate licences into a single document and drastically reduced a wide range of regulatory fees. The reforms, announced by the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, are designed to cut bureaucracy and boost the nation’s wholesale and retail sectors.

Detailed in a government statement dated 31 October 2025, the changes mark one of the boldest steps yet in the ongoing Ease of Doing Business programme.

The End Of The Licence Labyrinth

At the heart of the reform lies the consolidation of multiple permits into a single, unified licence. The overhaul will simplify operations for businesses with several functions — such as bakeries, butcheries, and restaurants — under one roof.

Among the most notable changes are:

Eleven licences merged into one unitary local authority licence.
Bottle store licences scrapped for outlets that form part of larger retail shops.
Factory and retail licences combined for integrated businesses on one premise.
Retail and wholesale licences unified into a single permit.
The Permit to Sale Veterinary Products by the Medical Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) abolished to eliminate duplication.

Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said the reforms respond directly to the practical burdens faced by entrepreneurs.

“Government has converged to remove the fragmentation of licences, consolidating several retail licences into one shop licence and reducing the number of authorities involved in the clearance process to one,” said Prof. Ncube.
“These measures are meant to aid in the creation of a conducive economic environment where jobs will be created and productivity improved across all sectors of the economy.”

Cash In Hand: Major Fee Reductions Revealed

The reforms bring significant financial relief, especially for small and medium enterprises. A series of new caps and reductions has been introduced to lower entry costs and compliance fees across the board.

Key changes include:

SME licence fees now capped at US$500 (approx. ZAR 9,200).
The Change of Property Use fee capped at US$1,000 (approx. ZAR 18,400) — down from US$3,500 (approx. ZAR 64,400).
Effluent waste management costs cut from US$575 (approx. ZAR 10,580) to US$200 (approx. ZAR 3,680) per year.
Hotel and lodge licences halved and capped at US$500.
The Local Authority Financial Services Licence, issued by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), now costs a flat US$20 (approx. ZAR 370).

Prof. Ncube noted that the new structure will particularly benefit smaller operators.

“Under these reforms, local authorities will differentiate licence fees for smaller businesses and work within a sliding scale licence fee structure capped at US$500 to promote SMEs,” he said.

Sweeping Simplification Across The Board

The drive for simplicity extends well beyond cost cutting. Regulatory overlaps have been removed, while several boards and agencies have consolidated their operations to ensure smoother compliance for business owners.

Highlights include:

The Liquor Licencing Board compressing all permits into a single annual licence, regardless of location.
PRAZ licence fees combined across categories into one licence costing between US$50 and US$120, valid for all branches of a business.
The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) removing supermarket licence requirements for all non-tourist shops.

Professor Ncube said the ultimate goal was to make Zimbabwe more competitive and attractive to investors.

“Government remains committed to improving the business environment to encourage domestic and foreign investment, in which Zimbabwe can become an upper middle-income society by 2030.”

The full schedule of the new framework was published on the Treasury website on 31 October 2025 and is accessible here.