Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (Special Economic Zones) (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (No. 1)
Special Economic Zone fees are re-set: US$25,000 for a designation certificate, US$10,000 for an operator permit, US$4,000 for an investor licence — and US$2,500 penalties for every late renewal.
The First Schedule of the SEZ regulations has been replaced with a new fee table, and the headline number is the SEZ designation certificate at US$25,000, on top of a US$1,000 application fee.
Developers and operators both pay US$1,000 to apply and US$1,000 a year thereafter; an operator permit costs a further US$10,000. Investors pay US$1,000 to apply, US$4,000 for the licence itself, and US$3,000 to renew every three years. Resizing an existing SEZ costs US$5,000, while altering, amending or replacing a permit or licence is US$3,000. Licences and permits run for ten years, subject to their terms and conditions.
Late renewals now carry a flat US$2,500 penalty — for a developer permit, an operator permit, an investor licence, or a late annual fee. The penalty applies where the payment is made after the due date but still within the time limit, which is six months for permits and three months for licences.
The instrument does not say what happens once those six- and three-month windows close, and it states no commencement date beyond its gazetting on 6 February 2026.
What changed
- SEZ designation: US$1,000 application and US$25,000 certificate fee
- Developer and operator application fees US$1,000 each, plus US$1,000 annually
- Operator permit fee set at US$10,000
- Investor licence US$4,000, with a US$1,000 application fee and US$3,000 renewal every three years
- Resizing an existing SEZ costs US$5,000; alteration, amendment or replacement of a permit or licence US$3,000
- Licences and permits valid for ten years subject to conditions
- Late renewal penalties of US$2,500 for developers, operators, investors and late annual fees, within a six-month window for permits and three months for licences
Who this affects
- SEZ developers and operators
- investors licensed to operate inside a special economic zone
- companies applying for SEZ designation of a site
- advisers handling SEZ permit renewals
Plain-language summary — not legal advice. Always read the full instrument.