According Section 33(1) of the Uganda Communications Act of 2013, a person shall not convey, deliver or distribute postal articles without a licence issued under this Act.
This requirement does apply to the following postal articles—
- articles for delivery to another person or persons to whom they are directed, without hire, reward or other profit or advantage for receiving, carrying or delivering them;
- articles solely concerning goods or other property sent by land, water or air, and delivered with the goods or property to which the letters relate without hire, reward, profit or advantage for receiving them, and the articles are open to inspection and have subscribed on them the words "consignee's articles" or other words to that effect
There are two main categories of licences:
- The National Postal Operator licence – this licence is held exclusively by Uganda Post Limited (UPL).
- Courier licence. This licence is further sub divided into three categories dependent on geographical reach as follows:
- Domestic courier services
- Regional services
- International courier services