Check a motor insurance cover in Tanzania

TIRAMIS (TIRA MIS): the complete guide to checking insurance in Tanzania

Motor & vehicles5 min read · Reviewed on 23 September 2026 by the Tulinde editorial team · how we check facts

Short answerChecked 23 September 2026

TIRAMIS is TIRA's insurance system: every cover note and electronic sticker is recorded in it, and anyone can check one at tiramis.tira.go.tz or in the TIRAMIS app. Choose *Verify Insurance Cover Note*, search by registration, sticker, cover note or chassis number, and read the status: ACTIVE, PENDING, CANCELLED or EXPIRED. Paper stickers have been replaced by e-stickers. Selling or holding a fake sticker or certificate is punishable by a fine of at least TZS 5 million, at least 2 years in prison, or both (Insurance Act s.158).

What TIRAMIS is

TIRA rolled out TIRAMIS — a digital registry and management system — in 2019 (TIRA strategy). Insurers, brokers and agents record cover notes and stickers in it, and it is linked with the Police, TRA, LATRA, NIDA, BRELA and others, so enforcement officers can check a cover in real time (TIRA; TIRA ICT).

According to the Commissioner of Insurance, TIRA-MIS replaced paper stickers with electronic stickers: motor customers receive a cover note, a policy and an EFD receipt instead of a paper sticker (TIRA). A cover note is the temporary document that proves you are insured until the policy is issued (TIRA glossary).

Verify a cover note, step by step

Open tiramis.tira.go.tz or install the TIRAMIS app (English and Swahili).
Choose Verify Insurance Cover Note.
Pick a search type: Cover Note Reference, Registration Number, Sticker Number or Chassis Number.
Type the number and press Verify.
Read the result, and use Print Details to download a PDF with a QR code if you need proof.

The app verifies motor and non-motor covers. TIRA officers urge travellers to check a vehicle's cover in TIRAMIS before boarding (TIRA). TIRA publishes no USSD code for checking covers.

What the result shows

Part of the result	What you see
Basic information	Cover note reference, sticker number, insurer, class of insurance, transacting company (agent or broker)
Motor information	Registration and chassis number (motor covers only)
Coverage	Type of cover and premium paid
Validity	Issue, start and end dates
Status	ACTIVE, PENDING, CANCELLED or EXPIRED — if a vehicle has several covers, ACTIVE is shown first

Status	Meaning
ACTIVE	Valid cover today — check the dates and the vehicle
PENDING	Cover not started yet
CANCELLED	No longer valid — you are not insured
EXPIRED	Renew before driving

Read from the TIRAMIS portal.

Check an insurer, broker or agent

The Verify Company tab searches by company name or registration number and shows the licence, its validity (or "Perpetual"), whether it is ACTIVE or NOT ACTIVE, and the company's contacts. Always check before paying someone you do not know — see also our list of licensed insurers.

File and track a complaint in TIRAMIS

Complain first to the company's complaints desk: it must resolve your complaint within 14 working days (extendable by up to 14 days by the Commissioner).
If there is no answer after 21 working days, or within 30 days of the company's decision, escalate to TIRA — free, in English or Kiswahili (TIRA guidelines, July 2025).
In TIRAMIS, open Complaints: your region and district, your details (with National Identity Number), the company, whether you are the policyholder, a third party or a registrant, the nature of the complaint, the cover note and claim numbers, and your documents (PDF or PNG, up to 2 MB).
Submit and keep the complaint number; use Track Complaint to follow its status.
Still unresolved? The Insurance Ombudsman (disputes up to TZS 40 million) — after trying with the company first (Insurance Act s.123). See how to complain.

TIRAMIS support: +255 737 825 020, support@tira.go.tz. TIRA head office: Bima House, Njedengwa, Dodoma — coi@tira.go.tz, +255 22 213 2537 (TIRA contacts).

Fake covers and the law

Unlawfully possessing, selling or distributing motor insurance stickers, certificates or other insurance documents is an offence; so is falsifying records in an insurer's, broker's or agent's electronic system — fine of at least TZS 5 million, at least 2 years in prison, or both (Insurance Act s.158).
Backdating cover notes and issuing cover without receiving the premium are malpractices for which an agent or broker can lose its registration (s.74(2)).
Driving without third-party cover is an offence under Cap. 169 s.4; police can ask for your certificate, with 5 days to produce it at a police station (s.9).
Motor premium must be paid at the start of cover; for other policies, cover is void if the premium is not paid within 7 days (Insurance Regulations 2009, reg. 35).

Sources: Insurance Act, Cap. 169, Regulations 2009.

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Frequently asked questions

What is TIRAMIS?

The Tanzania Insurance Regulatory Authority's management information system, rolled out in 2019, in which insurers record every cover note and e-sticker; the public uses it to verify covers, check companies and file complaints.

How do I check insurance on TIRAMIS?

On tiramis.tira.go.tz or the TIRAMIS app: Verify Insurance Cover Note, choose registration, sticker, cover note or chassis number, enter it and press Verify.

Is there a USSD code to check insurance in Tanzania?

TIRA publishes none: use the TIRAMIS portal or app.

What does PENDING mean on TIRAMIS?

The cover has been issued but has not started yet; you are not insured until the start date.

Are paper insurance stickers still used in Tanzania?

No. TIRA says TIRA-MIS replaced paper stickers with electronic stickers; you receive a cover note, a policy and an EFD receipt.

What is the penalty for a fake insurance sticker in Tanzania?

A fine of at least TZS 5 million, at least 2 years in prison, or both, under section 158 of the Insurance Act.

How do I track a complaint on TIRAMIS?

Use Track Complaint with your complaint number to see its status and download the details.