Updated 12 November 2026
The COMESA yellow card is the regional motor insurance certificate that lets a Kenyan car, truck or bus drive into Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ethiopia and other member countries with the third-party cover each of those countries requires by law. You buy it from the insurer that already covers your vehicle in Kenya, and it saves you buying a separate local policy at every border. This guide explains where the COMESA yellow card is accepted, what it covers, the liability limits by country, how to verify it and what to do after an accident.
Updated 12 November 2026. Sources: the official COMESA Yellow Card scheme website (overview, FAQs, liability limit table, USSD verification, claims and the Kenya National Bureau page) and the scheme’s Operations Manual.
On this page
In this guide
What the COMESA yellow card covers
The scheme describes the card as an insurance certificate recognised by member countries that provides third-party motor vehicle liability cover in line with each member state’s laws. Its cover package has three parts:
- Bodily injury and death of third parties, at least to the compulsory minimum in the country where the accident happens;
- Third-party property damage, including in states where property damage is not part of the compulsory minimum, subject to the limit of indemnity; and
- Emergency medical treatment for the driver and passengers, as an optional extra.
It does not cover damage to your own vehicle or theft. Those remain under your Kenyan comprehensive policy, if it extends outside Kenya, so ask your insurer in writing before you travel. The card is valid for both private and commercial vehicles, though the scheme says premiums vary with vehicle type and use.
The 12 countries that accept the COMESA yellow card
On 12 November 2026 the scheme website listed these countries where the COMESA yellow card is accepted:
| Region | Countries |
|---|---|
| East Africa | Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi |
| Horn of Africa | Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan |
| Central and Southern Africa | DR Congo, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe |
Eritrea is listed as a country whose insurers issue the card. Under a business-to-business arrangement, insurers in South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia and South Sudan can also sell it, but the scheme’s FAQ says compensation applies only while the motorist is in a member country. A road trip from Nairobi to Johannesburg therefore needs separate cover for the non-member countries on the route.
COMESA yellow card liability limits by country
The card pays up to the third-party limits of the country where the accident happens, not Kenya’s limits. The scheme’s liability limit table shows how widely they differ:
| Country | Bodily injury | Death | Property damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya | KSh3 million | KSh3 million | KSh3 million per person; KSh20 million to KSh100 million aggregate |
| Uganda | UGX 10 million | UGX 10 million | UGX 175 million (private), UGX 350 million (commercial) |
| Tanzania | TZS 20 million per claim, TZS 60 million aggregate | Same | TZS 50 million |
| Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Djibouti | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| DR Congo | USD 6,000 | USD 8,000 | Unlimited |
| Zambia | ZMW 50,000 per claim, ZMW 100,000 aggregate | Same | ZMW 30,000 per claim |
| Malawi | MWK 5 million | MWK 5 million | MWK 1 million |
| Zimbabwe | USD 1,000 | USD 2,000 | USD 2,000 |
| Sudan | To be announced | ||
Where a court awards more than the local limit, the driver may be personally liable for the excess, so drivers on long routes through low-limit countries sometimes ask their insurer about extra liability cover.
How to get a COMESA yellow card in Kenya
The Operations Manual sets one firm condition: a yellow card can only be issued if the vehicle is insured under a current primary policy issued by a member insurer of the National Bureau. In practice:
- Check your Kenyan cover is valid. Use our guide to check motor insurance validity in Kenya.
- Ask the insurer that issued that policy for a yellow card, giving the countries on your route and travel dates. The primary policy is endorsed to show the yellow card was issued.
- Pay the full premium. Cover only attaches once 100% of the premium for the period and countries is paid. The scheme says the price depends on trip length, vehicle size and the issuing country, and directs motorists to their insurer for a quote; the Operations Manual sets a scheme minimum of USD 5 to USD 10 for one to seven days.
- Carry the certificate. A card can run for up to 12 months or until your primary policy expires, whichever is sooner.
Kenya’s National Bureau is Kenya Reinsurance Corporation (KenyaRe), phone +254 20 2202000, email kenyare@kenyare.co.ke, according to the scheme’s Kenya page. Visitors driving foreign-registered cars into Kenya, and owners of imported vehicles on temporary plates, can also obtain the card.
How to verify a COMESA yellow card
The scheme runs free USSD checks that work without internet. In Kenya, dial *384*254# on Safaricom. Other codes listed by the scheme: Uganda *284*8070# (Airtel and MTN), Tanzania *149*46*7# (Vodacom, Halotel, Yas and Airtel), Rwanda *801*50# (Airtel and MTN), Burundi *166# (Lumitel), Zambia *384*260#, Malawi *384*10# (Airtel) and Zimbabwe *591# (Econet). There is also a web verification page and a mobile app on the scheme site.
Verify the card before you leave. Lost or stolen cards are cancelled in the Digital Yellow Card system, and the scheme says claims on lost or stolen cards will not be paid. If your card expires mid-trip, the FAQ says you must get local third-party cover from the National Bureau of the country you are in, for up to 30 days. Driving without valid cover can lead to fines or the vehicle being impounded.
Accidents and claims abroad
After an accident in a member country, the scheme’s claims page says to notify the local police and that country’s Yellow Card National Bureau immediately; the bureaux are named on your certificate. The local bureau handles the claim under its own procedures and manages legal defence if you are sued. Keep the original card, the accident and police reports and any medical reports. Settlement time depends on the case and on documents.
Back home, claims on your own vehicle follow your Kenyan policy; see how to file an insurance claim with CIC, Madison or Britam. Traders moving goods by road should also read our page on Kenya exports to Uganda.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I buy a COMESA yellow card in Kenya?
From the insurer that issued your current Kenyan motor policy. The Operations Manual says a card can only be issued against a valid primary policy from a member insurer.
How much is a COMESA yellow card?
The scheme says the cost depends on trip length, vehicle size and the issuing country, and asks motorists to get a quote from their insurer. Its Operations Manual sets a minimum premium of USD 5 to USD 10 for one to seven days.
Which countries accept the COMESA yellow card?
Burundi, DR Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, according to the scheme website on 12 November 2026.
How do I check if a yellow card is genuine?
In Kenya, dial *384*254# on Safaricom. The check is free and works without internet. The scheme also has a web verification page and app.
Does the COMESA yellow card cover my own car?
No. It covers third-party injury, death and property damage, plus optional emergency medical cover for the driver and passengers. Damage to your own car depends on your Kenyan comprehensive policy.
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