The eCMR is one of the newer entries in the Nigeria Police Force's fee-based services, and also one of the more confusing, thanks to a fee that changed and an enforcement date that came and went.
What the eCMR actually is
The eCMR is an electronic Central Motor Registry certificate, tied to a specific vehicle. It runs through cmris.npf.gov.ng, a portal separate from POSSAP, which handles the character certificate and other services covered in what is POSSAP.
When it launched
The eCMR launched in April 2023. A Fleet option, for registering several vehicles in one session, was added in May 2025, aimed at owners with more than one vehicle to cover.
What it costs, with and without VAT
Reporting from July 2024 puts the base fee at ₦5,000. A generated invoice for a saloon car showed ₦5,375 including VAT, which is consistent with the base fee plus 7.5% VAT.
Whether every vehicle type pays exactly the same amount has not been confirmed. Treat the saloon-car figure as an example, not a universal price, and expect your own invoice on cmris.npf.gov.ng to confirm the actual amount for your vehicle.
The 2024 enforcement story
The police announced in July 2024 that enforcement would begin on 29 July that year. Then enforcement was suspended by the Inspector-General of Police in July 2024. Officers were told not to demand eCMR certificates from drivers, and the police stated the eCMR is not a revenue platform.
This site found no later, confirmed date for enforcement resuming. That means this article cannot tell you that a fine applies for not holding an eCMR today, and it will not guess at one. If your own state or command has said otherwise more recently, that local statement would take priority over this general summary.
What you would need to get one
Registering a vehicle for an eCMR needs the plate number, chassis number and engine number, plus the owner's own details. Our guide to the CMRIS portal covers the registration steps in full.
What to tell an officer who asks for one
Given the suspended enforcement and the police's own statement that this is not a revenue platform, a demand for an eCMR at a checkpoint is worth treating carefully. This site cannot advise you on a specific roadside interaction, but knowing the enforcement history is useful context if the question comes up.
Common mix-ups
- Assuming the eCMR is the same as a vehicle licence. No source found here links the two directly.
- Quoting the pre-VAT fee as the final price. Your invoice will include VAT on top.
- Assuming enforcement is currently active. The clearest confirmed status is the 2024 suspension.
For reporting a vehicle as stolen, see reporting a stolen vehicle online, and for more on this cluster, browse our police certificate articles.