Driving Licence system in South Africa

The driving licence system in South African went through an overhaul in 1998 from the old system to the new system. While there have been tweaks to the system over the years, for the majority it’s stayed the same. Here’s a quick summary of the current system, with equivalent codes from the old system.

When the new system was implemented, everyone who had an old licence of the form Code 8, Code 12 etc. was given an equivalent licence in the new letter format, eg. B, EC etc. To this day people still often refer to having a code 12 licence, although the system is not used in practice.

Learner’s Licence
There are three main categories of licences. Light Motor Vehicles, Heavy Motor Vehicles and Motor Cycles. Before you can get either one of these licences, you must first write a learner’s licence exam. This is a 1 hour theory exam, to test your knowledge of the rules of the road. There are three different learner’s licences available, each one applying to a different vehicle class. These licences are:

Code 1: Motorcycles
Code 2: Light Motor Vehicles
Code 3: Heavy Motor Vehicles

A Heavy motor vehicle is considered any vehicle with a GVM over 3,500kg (3.5 tons), and a light motor vehicle anything below. There was talk 2 years ago about combining learners licences so as not to require people who already have a licence to rewrite their learner’s licence, but this was never passed. Currently a Learner’s Licence is valid for 2 years. Once you have a learner’s licence for a vehicle, you are free to drive that vehicle as long as there is a driver licenced for that vehicle in the passenger seat with you. You may drive on freeways, and have additional passengers. If you want to get your Driver’s Licence, you must apply so that your test occurs before your learner’s licence expires. If you have a learner’s licence for a motorcycle, you may drive by yourself (I’ve also heard you’re not allowed passengers, unsure).

You may only apply for a Code 2 Learner’s Licence if you are over the age of 17. For a Code 1 licence you may apply when you are 16 (limited to 125cc). I have heard that you must be 18 before applying for a Code 3 learner’s licence.

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Driver’s Licence
For motorcycles there are two licences available. An A, and a A1 licence. An A1 licence you may hold from the age of 17, and is limited to motorcycles with an engine capacity of 125cc or less. You may only get an A licence once you turn 18, and permits you to drive any motorcycle.

Light motor vehicles have two classes. Either a B (old code 7) or an EB (old code 8). The B licence is the standard driver’s licence that most people get. It allows you to drive any Light Motor Vehicle and tow a trailer with a GVM less than 750kg. An EB licence is for the same class of vehicles, but allows you to tow trailers in excess of GVM 750kg. Most people who did their driver’s licence before 1998 were automatically upgraded to an EB licence, whereas most new drivers have only a B licence. This limits one from towing certain caravans and boats which can have GVMs higher than 750kg. You must be 18 years old before you take the test for an LMV licence.

Heavy Motor vehicles have four classes. A code C1 (former code 10) which is for vehicles with a GVM between 3.5 and 16 tons and a code C which is for vehicles with a GVM over 16 tons. Drivers with a code C1 licence are permitted to drive vehicles of class B. Drivers with a code C may drive vehicles covered by both the C1 and B codes.
A code EC1 licence holds the same rights as a C1 licence, but with the inclusion of trailers with a GVM in excess of 750 kg. Likewise an EC licence permits the driver to drive vehicles covered by a C licence with a trailer of GVM in excess of 750kg. The holder of an EC licence, in addition to vehicles covered by a C licence, may also drive EC1 vehicles.

In 2010 reports were issued that drivers who obtained a Heavy Duty Vehicle Licence after January 2011 would not be permitted to drive light motor vehicles. This law was never passed.

To obtain a driver’s licence, you must hold the appropriate learner’s licence and do a practical test for driving that vehicle. The test comprises of a yard test (inclined start and alley docking. Additional three point turn and parallel parking for LMV and additional straight reverse for HMVs). As well as an on the road test, generally along preset routes in general traffic. For each of these you must follow practices specified by the K53 defensive driving system, which has many critics. It is advised that anyone attempting to pass a driving test in South Africa first go for driving lessons with an accredited driving school.

A South African Driver’s Licence must be renewed every 5 years.

SA Driver's Licence

SA Driver’s Licence
Rear and Front

Professional Driver’s Licence
Anyone who wants to drive a motor vehicle for reward (taxi, deliveryman etc.) or anyone driving a Goods Vehicle, or Vehicle able to transport more than 11 people must hold a Professional Driver’s Permit. See my article here for more information. A standard PrDP licence is valid for 2 years.

Other things to note
It is possible to hold a licence which is valid for both an LMV or HMV as well as a motorcycle. You will be issued with one card which displays the separate restrictions, dates etc. for each.
Whatever vehicle you do your licence in will be the vehicle that you are given a licence for. If you drive an automatic vehicle, you will not be permitted to drive manual vehicles.
Whenever you renew your driver’s licence you will be required to do an eye test, this test will dictate whether you are required to drive a vehicle with or without glasses.
A South African Driver’s licence is in the shape of a credit card. Pre-1998, driver’s licences were included in your ID book.
Go here to view a table comparing the old and the current driver’s licence codes.

Most of the information here I posted from memory. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, if uncertain, please contact your local Traffic Department for assistance.
Source: General Knowledge and the National Road Traffic Act.

1,450 thoughts on “Driving Licence system in South Africa

  1. Good morning guys, I would like to have your opinion to get the South African PrDP.
    I am a 22-year-old Italian citizen with an Italian driving license and international driving permit, I wanted to know if I can request the conversion of my Italian driving license in South Africa and then submit the exams and documents to obtain the PrDP license.
    Do you have information on how I can do? Thanks a lot of Luca

    • Hi Luca
      If you are not able to convert your licence, you should still be able to follow procedures I mentioned last time.
      1. Traffic Register
      2. SA licence
      3. PrDP
      What do you require a PrDP for?

  2. Hello,
    Thank you for the information. I currently have a licence for automatic vehicle. If I want a licence for a manual vehicle, do I have to redo my learners?
    Or can I just go book with my current licence?

  3. Good day. I have a code 10 drivers license and would like to do my code 14 licence. Is it nessecary to re wright my learners again.

    • Unfortunately, you have to have a currently valid learner’s licence to take any driver’s licence test, regardless of previous tests completed.

  4. Hi there I have a driver’s license ec but don’t have PDP so I’m asking if someone can drive the truck with his learners ec but he have his PDP can he drive

    • Hi Andre, I don’t think so.
      The way I understand the law, if someone with a learner’s licence is driving a vehicle, the person in the passenger seat must be licenced to drive the vehicle. For an EC vehicle, that means the passenger must have both an EC licence and a PrDP. The understanding being, that at any time, the passenger is able to take over from the learner driver.
      So even though the learner driver has a PrDP, the licenced passenger must as well.

  5. Thank you for the informative post!

    Please advise if you have any testing stations that you recommend for doing the driver’s test?

  6. Good Day ,I have an EB License and wish to enquire if I am allowed to drive a vehicle with a TARE OF 2090 (kg) as this is stated on the vehicle license documents .Your soonest reply is appreciated

    • TARE is irrelavant. SA driver’s licences are based on Gross vehicle mass. Licence papers will state the GVM of the vehicle. Most vehicles with a TARE of 2090 should have a GVM less than 3500 kgs, which is the limit for an EB, but that is not guaranteed.

  7. Hi I booked for my learners license today and was told to do code 8 when I wanted to do code 10. Can I ask them to chanhe before my exam.

    • You can try phoning the department you booked at and asking, but usually you cannot as the paperwork, including vision test was performed for a code 8 vehicle, not a cod 10.

  8. I have an EB licence. My cars GVM is 2840kg. My boats GVM is 2776kg. It’s fitted with an electrical brake system over and above the overrun system. The car is approved to tow up to 3200kg. Is this legal. Wiki states with an EB the GCM may not exceed 3500kg.

    • Hi John, this is an excerpt from the National Road Traffic Act with reference to EB licences:

      (i) an articulated motor vehicle, of which the gross combination mass of the truck-tractor does not exceed 3 500 kilograms;
      (ii) a combination of-
      – (aa) a motor vehicle the tare of which does not exceed 3 500 kilograms; or
      – (bb) a minibus, midibus, bus or goods vehicle, the gross vehicle mass of which does not exceed 3 500 kilograms,
      with a trailer the gross vehicle mass of which exceeds 750 kilograms.

      My reading of this is that your situation falls under ii-aa, which would permit you to to drive your specific vehicle combination, assuming you are not driving an articulated vehicle

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