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Check a motor insurance cover in Ethiopia

How to check vehicle insurance in Ethiopia: the sticker and the certificate

Reviewed on by the Tulinde editorial team · how we check facts

Short answerChecked 23 September 2026
In Ethiopia, proof of insurance is the certificate (valid at least one year) and the sticker displayed on the windscreen (Proclamation 799/2013, Arts. 10–12). There is no public online checker: police and hospitals ask the insurer, which must confirm a certificate within 24 hours (Art. 11(3)). A vehicle without a sticker is presumed uninsured and police may detain it (Art. 13).

The certificate and the sticker

Under Proclamation 799/2013 (English text):

  • Art. 10 — the certificate is valid for at least one year.
  • Art. 12 — the insurer issues a sticker with the certificate; it must be displayed in full on the windscreen (the driver keeps it for trailers and vehicles without a windscreen).
  • Art. 14 — the insurer replaces a lost or damaged certificate or sticker.
  • Art. 26 — a foreign-registered vehicle needs a local certificate and sticker, or a COMESA yellow card.

How a cover is checked

The Proclamation gives one verification route: when a law-enforcement body or a medical institution asks, the insurer must confirm the certificate within 24 hours (Art. 11(3)). We found no public online checker from the NBE, the Insurance Fund or insurers. If you buy from an agent, call the insurer to confirm the certificate number before you drive.

Check the insurer itself on our list of the 18 licensed insurers.

Police powers and penalties

RuleWhat it says
No stickerPrima facie evidence that the vehicle is uninsured; police may detain it until a valid certificate is shown (Art. 13)
Driving uninsuredFine of Birr 3,000–5,000 or 1–2 years' imprisonment (Art. 30)
After an accidentNotify your insurer immediately, and at the latest within 10 days (Art. 17)

Hit by an uninsured or unknown vehicle?

The Insurance Fund pays emergency medical treatment, compensation for bodily injury and compensation to the family of a deceased person when the vehicle was uninsured or untraced (Arts. 19–20). Hospitals claim emergency treatment from the Fund directly (Art. 27(4)). Its agency was set up by Regulation 300/2013 and today operates as the Road Safety and Insurance Fund Service (Kazanchis, Addis Ababa; +251 11 855 0783).

According to its FAQ, victims apply with the prescribed form at the designated office or online, with the police or accident report, medical records, ID and supporting evidence.

Frequently asked questions

How can I check if a vehicle is insured in Ethiopia?

Look for the insurance sticker on the windscreen and ask for the certificate. The insurer must confirm a certificate within 24 hours when police or a hospital ask (Proclamation 799/2013, Art. 11(3)). There is no public online checker.

What happens if my car has no insurance sticker in Ethiopia?

It is presumed uninsured and the police may detain the vehicle until a valid certificate is shown (Art. 13).

Who pays if the vehicle that hit me was not insured?

The Insurance Fund, run today by the Road Safety and Insurance Fund Service, pays emergency treatment and compensation (Arts. 19–20 of Proclamation 799/2013).

Sources

  1. Vehicle Insurance Against Third Party Risks Proclamation No. 799/2013 — Ministry of Justice
  2. Proclamation No. 799/2013 — English text (Federal Negarit Gazette No. 53)
  3. Council of Ministers Regulation No. 300/2013 — Insurance Fund Administration Agency
  4. Road Safety and Insurance Fund Service (RSIFS)
  5. RSIFS — frequently asked questions