Mining Licence Renewal Tanzania: Filing Windows, Fees and Refusal Grounds for Every Mineral Right

Mining licence renewal in Tanzania is a deadline exercise first and a paperwork exercise second. Each of the four main mineral rights has its own filing window, and a late file can leave a holder with no right at all. The Mining Commission also uses renewal to test compliance: unpaid rent, missing reports or an unapproved local content plan can all stop a renewal.

This guide sets out the renewal rules for the prospecting licence (PL), primary mining licence (PML), mining licence (ML) and special mining licence (SML) on the Mainland. It covers the windows, the documents, the government fees with their register IDs, the refusal grounds and what happens while an application is pending. A worked example prices three renewals in Tanzanian shillings and US dollars.

What the law says

The parent law is the Mining Act, Cap. 123 R.E. 2023, on the Office of the Solicitor General e-Library. The 2023 Revised Edition renumbered the Act, so older guides and many press reports still cite the numbers of the TanzLII consolidated text as at 30 November 2019. This guide cites the 2023 number first and the 2019 number in brackets.

We read the renewal sections in the R.E. 2023 PDF on 13 November 2026. Where the 2023 text was not readable to us, we say so and rely on the 2019 text.

A trap sits in the numbering. Section 63 of the 2023 edition is the mining licence renewal section, but section 63 of the 2019 text is suspension and cancellation. Section 66 is PML renewal in 2023 and the royalty penalty in 2019. Always say which edition you are citing in a letter to the Commission.

The detail sits in the Mining (Mineral Rights) Regulations, 2018, GN No. 1 of 10 January 2018. Regulation 4 governs renewal of Division A rights on Form MRF.3 or MRF.4, with a plan of the area. Regulation 5(2) governs PML renewal on Form MRF.7, filed in duplicate. The First Schedule, as substituted and amended, sets the fees.

Who should read this

• Holders of a prospecting licence approaching the end of the initial four-year term or a renewal period.
• Primary mining licence holders, including cooperatives and citizen-owned companies, whose seven-year term is ending.
• Mining licence and special mining licence holders planning the next production phase.
• Investors and lenders whose deal depends on a licence surviving past its expiry date.
• Company secretaries and finance teams who keep the licence calendar and pay rent.

Mineral dealer, broker and processing licences have their own renewal rules under other regulations and are outside this guide.

How far ahead must you apply for each licence?

The Act sets a different window for each right. Two of them are "not later than" deadlines, which means an earlier filing is fine. The PL window is narrower: the application is made "within one month before the expiry date".

One point needs care. The R.E. 2023 text of section 42(1)(b) says the first renewal of a PL is "a period not exceeding two years". The 2019 TanzLII text we read gave three years, and Mayer Brown's Africa mining know-how page still describes a three-year first renewal. The official 2023 text governs, so plan on two years and confirm with the Commission before relying on a longer period.

How does prospecting licence renewal work?

A PL can be renewed twice. After the second renewal period it cannot be renewed again, and the area reverts to the Government to be dealt with under section 16. Section 42(1)(f) adds that a company wanting to prospect over an area later licensed to a local mining company must make an arrangement with that company after Cabinet approval.

The holder files the renewal within one month before expiry. Under section 43(5) the licensing authority must decide within six weeks of the application. In the 2023 text, three of the four alternatives in that subsection, (a) to (c), are marked "[Omitted]". Only paragraph (d) remains, which lets the authority serve a notice where the conditions for an extension are not met.

Relinquishment. The Mining Act, 2010 as enacted required a PL holder to give up half the area on each renewal. The African Mining Legislation Atlas copy of the 2010 Act shows section 32(4)(b): fifty per cent of the initial area on the first renewal and fifty per cent of the balance on the second, except for areas of 20 square kilometres or less. That rule no longer appears. Section 42 in the 2023 edition has no relinquishment subsection, and we found no relinquishment regulation in GN 1 of 2018. The cross-reference to relinquishment in the old section 33(5)(b) is now omitted.

In practice holders still shed ground at renewal, because rent and the minimum spend per square kilometre rise in each period. Our prospecting licence guide covers the grant and work programme. Treat any statement that compulsory relinquishment still applies as one to confirm with the Commission.

What does a mining licence or SML renewal file contain?

Mining licence. Section 63 requires the application on the prescribed form with the prescribed fee and a tax clearance certificate issued by the Tanzania Revenue Authority. The Commission renews for the period applied for, not exceeding ten years, unless a refusal ground applies. Our guide to the TRA tax clearance certificate explains how to obtain one.

Special mining licence. Section 55 asks for more. The 2019 text, section 45(2), lists the contents, and the 2023 text we read follows it:

• A statement on compliance with the licence conditions.
• The renewal period sought, not exceeding the estimated life of the remaining ore body.
• Current ore reserves, capital investment, production costs and revenue forecasts, and expected changes in mining methods.
• A proposed programme of mining operations for the renewal period.
• An environmental certificate covering the renewal period.
• A plan of the area, if renewal covers only part of the mining area.

Form MRF.4 in GN 1 of 2018 carries eight appendices for ML and SML renewals. They cover employment and training, mineral deposit data, the mining programme, infrastructure changes, further information, additional capital investment and an integrity pledge statement. The plan must sit on a 1:50,000 topographic map with Arc 1960 coordinates, under regulation 4(2).

How is a primary mining licence renewed?

PMLs are reserved for Tanzanian citizens and citizen-controlled entities under section 8. A PML runs for seven years, or one year for sand and other fast-depleting building materials. The holder applies not later than three months before expiry on Form MRF.7, filed in duplicate.

The 2023 text tightened the PML rule. In the 2019 text, section 56(2) said the Commission "shall renew" on an application with the prescribed fee. Section 66 of the 2023 edition now requires the prescribed form and fee, a Taxpayer Identification Number and a valid tax clearance certificate. On receipt, the Commission must "grant or refuse" the application. A PML holder without a TIN and a current tax clearance therefore has an incomplete file.

Since 2025, PML holders may work with a technical partner under the Mining (Technical Support to Small Scale Miners) Regulations, 2025, as Clyde & Co summarised. The partner does not hold the licence, so renewal stays the holder's duty. Our primary mining licence guide covers eligibility and the grant file.

What fees and rent are due on renewal?

Every fee below comes from the Zatra fee register, which traces each line to GN 1 of 2018 as substituted by GN 47 of 2018 and amended by GN 741 of 2019 and GN 419 of 2022. The Commission bills through the cadastre against a control number, and the amount on the control number governs on the day of payment.

Renewal does not wipe arrears. Under section 77, a holder who misses rent or royalty for 90 days pays a penalty of 25% for an individual or 50% for a body corporate, as our mining annual rent guide explains. Clear every arrear before you file. The Mining (Mineral Rights) (Amendment) Regulations, 2025, GN No. 562 of 12 September 2025 also added a PML rent for salt of TZS 20,000 per hectare.

What are the grounds for refusing renewal?

The refusal grounds are close to identical for the ML, SML and PML. The Commission may refuse renewal where:

• the applicant is in default, but only after a notice of the default and a chance to remedy it (or, for an SML, to offer compensation);
• development of the area has not proceeded with reasonable or due diligence;
• no minerals remain in workable quantities;
• operations have not strictly complied with safety and environmental regulations (ML and PML);
• the proposed programme would not ensure proper development and recovery, or the environmental certificate is missing (SML).

For an SML, section 55 also tells the Commission to consider any development agreement. For a PL, the eligibility rules in section 8 still apply. They bar a person in default on another mineral right, and its directors and shareholders, until the default is cured.

The default ground matters most in practice. In November 2025 the Minister for Minerals revoked 73 licences out of 205 that had received breach notices, as The Citizen reported and the Daily News confirmed. A holder with an open default notice should expect the same file to block renewal. Cancellation itself follows a separate procedure, covered in our mining licence cancellation guide.

What happens if renewal is not decided before expiry?

Section 78 of the 2023 edition is headed "Extension of mineral rights during applications". We could read only its heading in the 2023 PDF. In the 2019 text, section 67 says that where a holder applies during the currency of the licence, "the current licence shall remain in force until" the application is granted or refused.

Three practical rules follow:

• File before expiry. The protection depends on an application made while the licence is current. A file lodged the day after expiry has nothing to extend.
• File in the window. A late ML, SML or PML application may still be lodged before expiry, but it gives the Commission a ground to question diligence. File early.
• Keep paying. Rent continues to fall due on each anniversary while the licence is extended. Keep receipts on the file.

If the Commission refuses renewal, the right ends when the extension ends. A refusal can be challenged by judicial review in the High Court within 60 days under section 76 (2019 s.65), through an advocate.

Local content and integrity pledge prerequisites

Local content. The Mining (Local Content) Regulations, 2018, GN No. 3 of 10 January 2018 require a local content plan when applying to undertake mining activity. Regulation 10(2) asks for a five-year plan matching the work programme and an annual plan for each year. Regulation 8(2) requires an indigenous Tanzanian company to hold at least 5% equity for a mining licence. We found no regulation that names local content as a renewal condition. A missed plan or report is a breach of the regulations, though, and so a default under the Act.

The Mining (Local Content) (Amendment) Regulations, 2025, GN No. 563 added joint venture rules for non-indigenous suppliers. Renewal is a good moment to bring the plan up to date. See our guide to mining local content ownership checks.

Integrity pledge. Regulation 8(1) of the Mining (Integrity Pledge) Regulations, 2018, GN No. 304 of 13 July 2018 requires every holder carrying out prospecting or mining to sign the pledge in the First Schedule. Regulation 14 allows suspension or cancellation for breach. Form MRF.4 asks for an integrity pledge statement with every ML or SML renewal.

Renewing through the cadastre portal

Applications, renewals and payments run through the Online Mining Cadastre Transactional Portal. The portal generates the bill and the control number. TanzaniaInvest reported in December 2015 that the portal began issuing licences that month, with fees payable by bank, mobile money and card.

A sound portal routine looks like this:

• Check that the licence shows as active with no arrears.
• Upload the renewal form, plan and supporting documents in the formats the portal accepts.
• Pay the renewal fee against the control number and keep the receipt.
• Download the acknowledgement showing the date and time of lodging; regulation 3(3) requires the Commission to record both.

Our guide to online cadastre applications walks through account set-up and uploads.

Worked example: renewing three licences in 2027

Example: a Tanzanian group holds three Mainland rights for gold. It plans its 2027 renewals in November 2026.

1. Mining licence, 2 km², expiring 30 June 2027. The application must be lodged not later than six months before expiry, so by 30 December 2026. The renewal application fee is USD 2,000 (F0621). The next year's rent at the metallic rate is USD 3,000 per km², so USD 6,000 or TZS 13,600,000 (F0621). The file needs a current TRA tax clearance certificate.
2. Prospecting licence, 50 km², initial period ending 31 March 2027. The renewal goes in during March 2027. The fee is USD 300 or TZS 700,000 (F0617). Rent in the first renewal period is USD 150 per km², so USD 7,500 or TZS 17,000,000 a year (F0616). The minimum spend rises to USD 2,000 per km², so USD 100,000 a year (F0618).
3. Primary mining licence, 5 hectares, expiring 15 August 2027. The holder must apply not later than 15 May 2027. The renewal fee is TZS 100,000 (F0619). Rent for gold is TZS 90,000 per hectare, so TZS 450,000 (F0620). The holder needs a TIN and a valid tax clearance.

Government fees and rent payable to the Commission total USD 15,800 for the ML and PL plus TZS 550,000 for the PML. Totals stay in their own currency. The minimum spend is work money, not a fee. Zatra's professional fee for preparing the three files is quoted separately in writing.

Mainland and Zanzibar

The Mining Act, Cap. 123 and the Mining Commission apply to Mainland Tanzania. Every renewal rule above is a Mainland rule. Zanzibar has no Mining Commission licence regime. The Citizen reported on 28 November 2024 that Zanzibar was preparing its own mining law and that mining activity was then handled under the 2015 environmental law. The report described a proposed law, not an enacted one.

We found no enacted Zanzibar mining Act, number or regulator as at 13 November 2026. Anyone extracting minerals or building materials in Unguja or Pemba should confirm the current permit route with the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar before relying on a Mainland licence or this renewal calendar.

What to do now

1. Build the calendar. List every licence with its grant date, expiry date, renewal window and rent anniversary, and set reminders 90 days before each window opens.
2. Check the cadastre status. Confirm each licence is active and free of arrears, open default notices and missing reports.
3. Clear arrears first. Pay rent, royalty and any section 77 penalty against control numbers before you lodge the renewal.
4. Get tax clearance. Apply to TRA for a tax clearance certificate early enough to cover the renewal file, and confirm the TIN on a PML.
5. Update the programme. Refresh the mining programme, local content plan, environmental certificate and integrity pledge to match the renewal period.
6. Lodge in the window. File on the portal inside the statutory window, pay the renewal fee and keep the lodging acknowledgement.
7. Brief an advocate on refusal. If the Commission refuses, send the decision to an advocate at once, as the 60-day judicial review clock runs from the decision.

Key dates and deadlines

How Zatra helps

Zatra builds licence calendars, checks cadastre status, assembles renewal files, prepares the programme and local content updates, and coordinates the TRA tax clearance. Our sector permits service covers the licence file. For the wider picture see the Tanzania mining guide, our mining licence guide and our note on renewing or transferring a mining licence.

There are two cost buckets. Government fees and rent are paid to the Mining Commission at the official rate against a control number, with no mark-up. Zatra's professional fee is separate and quoted in writing before work starts. Zatra prepares and lodges the file. It does not decide or guarantee any authority's outcome. Refusals, disputes, judicial review and legal opinions go to an advocate. To start, contact Zatra with your licence numbers and expiry dates.

Sources and status

Accurate as at 13 November 2026.

• The Mining Act, Chapter 123 R.E. 2023. Office of the Solicitor General e-Library, Government Printer, item dated 1 July 2025. Accessed 13 Nov 2026.
• The Mining Act, Chapter 123 R.E. 2023, PDF text. Government Printer, 2023 edition, OSG e-Library. Accessed 13 Nov 2026.
• Mining Act, 2010, consolidated text as at 30 November 2019. TanzLII, 2019. Accessed 13 Nov 2026.
• The Mining Act No. 14 of 2010 as enacted. African Mining Legislation Atlas, 2010 text. Accessed 13 Nov 2026.
• Mining (Mineral Rights) Regulations, 2018, GN No. 1. Government Gazette, 10 January 2018, TanzLII copy. Accessed 13 Nov 2026.
• Mining (Mineral Rights) (Amendment) Regulations, 2025, GN No. 562. Government Gazette, 12 September 2025, FAOLEX copy. Accessed 13 Nov 2026.
• Mining (Local Content) Regulations, 2018, GN No. 3. Government Gazette, 10 January 2018, FB Attorneys copy. Accessed 13 Nov 2026.
• Mining (Local Content) (Amendment) Regulations, 2025, GN No. 563. Government Gazette, 12 September 2025, FB Attorneys copy. Accessed 13 Nov 2026.
• Mining (Integrity Pledge) Regulations, 2018, GN No. 304. Government Gazette, 13 July 2018, FB Attorneys copy. Accessed 13 Nov 2026.
• Online Mining Cadastre Transactional Portal. Ministry of Minerals and Mining Commission, 2026. Accessed 13 Nov 2026.
• Tanzania cancels 73 mining licences. Daily News, 25 November 2025. Accessed 13 Nov 2026.
• Tanzania revokes 73 mining licences in renewed crackdown on dormant operators. The Citizen, 25 November 2025. Accessed 13 Nov 2026.
• Africa Mining Know-How: Tanzania. Mayer Brown, undated page, 2026. Accessed 13 Nov 2026.
• Tanzania enacts the Mining (Technical Support to Small Scale Miners) Regulations, 2025. Clyde & Co, May 2025. Accessed 13 Nov 2026.
• Online Mining Cadaster Transactional Portal starts issuing mining licenses in Tanzania. TanzaniaInvest, 25 December 2015. Accessed 13 Nov 2026.
• How Zanzibar hopes to promote economic growth with mining law. The Citizen, 28 November 2024. Accessed 13 Nov 2026.

Figures to confirm before you act

• The length of the first PL renewal period: two years in the R.E. 2023 text, three years in the 2019 text and in secondary sources.
• The operative 2023 wording of section 78 on extension during applications; we read the heading only and the words in the 2019 text.
• Whether the Commission still asks for any reduction of PL area on renewal, given that the statutory relinquishment rule no longer appears.
• The renewal period for a PML, which the sections we read do not state.
• Whether an SML or PL renewal file must carry a tax clearance certificate and integrity pledge, and the current portal document list.
• The exchange rate the Commission applies when it bills USD fees in shillings.
• The enacted title, regulator and permit rules of any Zanzibar mining law.

This article is general information based on official sources available at the date of publication. It is not legal, tax or financial advice. Laws and notices change. Verify with the issuing authority or consult Zatra before acting.