How to Check a Car Insurance Certificate on DMVIC
Fake motor insurance certificates are common in Kenya — and driving on one leaves you completely uninsured. Here’s how to confirm any certificate is genuine on the DMVIC system, how to spot a fake, and what to do if yours doesn’t check out.
What is DMVIC?
DMVIC — the Digital Motor Vehicle Insurance Certificate system — is the electronic platform through which Kenyan insurers issue and record every genuine motor insurance certificate. It was introduced to stamp out fake certificates: because every real policy is logged centrally, anyone (including the police and NTSA) can verify a certificate instantly. If a certificate is legitimate, it exists on DMVIC. If it doesn’t, it isn’t real.
How to check your car insurance certificate on DMVIC
- 1. Find your certificate details — the certificate number and your vehicle registration number.
- 2. Scan the QR code — genuine DMVIC certificates carry a QR code that links to the verification record. Scan it with your phone camera.
- 3. Verify the record — confirm the insurer name, your vehicle registration, the cover type (third party or comprehensive) and the validity dates all match what is printed on your certificate.
- 4. Cross-check with the insurer — if anything looks off, call the underwriter directly using the number on their official website (not a number printed on a suspicious certificate) and ask them to confirm the policy.
If the certificate cannot be found, or the details don’t match, treat it as invalid.
How to spot a fake insurance certificate
Watch for these red flags:
- The certificate cannot be found on DMVIC, or the QR code doesn’t scan or leads nowhere.
- The details don’t match — wrong registration, misspelt name, or dates that don’t line up.
- The “insurer” is not a licensed Kenyan underwriter.
- You were offered cover at a price that seems too good to be true, paid in cash to an individual, and received no proper receipt.
Why this matters
A fake certificate is worthless. If you are stopped, you face the same penalties as driving with no insurance at all. Worse, if you cause an accident, there is no cover — you become personally liable for the other party’s injuries and property damage, which can run into millions of shillings. Verifying takes two minutes; the downside of not doing it is enormous.
What to do if your certificate isn’t valid
Don’t drive on it. Contact whoever sold you the cover and demand a valid certificate, and report a suspected fraud to the insurer named on it. If you can’t get genuine cover sorted quickly, buy a real policy straight away — we can issue a genuine third party or comprehensive certificate, recorded on DMVIC, in minutes.
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Frequently asked questions
What is DMVIC?
DMVIC stands for Digital Motor Vehicle Insurance Certificate — the industry system, run under the Association of Kenya Insurers, that issues and records every genuine motor insurance certificate electronically. If a certificate is real, it exists on DMVIC.
How do I check if my car insurance is valid in Kenya?
Verify the certificate through the DMVIC platform using the certificate number or vehicle registration. A genuine policy returns the insurer, cover type and validity dates that match your certificate. If nothing is found, treat the certificate as fake.
How can I tell if a car insurance certificate is fake?
Warning signs: the certificate cannot be found on DMVIC, the QR code does not scan or leads nowhere, details (name, registration, dates) do not match, or the “insurer” is not a licensed Kenyan underwriter. When in doubt, verify on DMVIC before you rely on it.
Is a DMVIC certificate the same as an insurance sticker?
The paper/PDF certificate is the legal proof of cover and is what is recorded on DMVIC. The old windscreen sticker has largely been replaced by the digital certificate, which police and NTSA can verify electronically.
What should I do if my certificate is not on DMVIC?
Do not drive on it. Contact whoever sold it to you, and if you cannot get a valid certificate, buy genuine cover immediately — driving on a fake certificate leaves you uninsured and liable. We can issue a genuine certificate for you in minutes.
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