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.
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
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.
Hi Gareth,
My present licence expires in December 2014. I’m 69 years old and want to renew my licence. Are there any age (old) restrictions in this instance?
Thanks for the kind service you provide
As you’ve already discovered, there are no age restrictions relating to a driver’s licence.
http://www.acts.co.za/national-road-traffic-act-1996/index.html
Nothing in here disqualify me. Just need the eye test.
Correct, no age restrictions apply to a driver’s licence.
Thanks ☺
Hi there,
I never transferred my driving licence from the old ID Book to the card system. This was due to the fact that I was living in a commune and never really felt the need to bother! Silly I know. Question is this – should I just apply to resit my driving licence or would they accept my ID Book and issue from that?
You should be able to get your old licence converted to the current system without the need to do a driver’s test.
and get a code EB :) gosh im so jealous!
yup, old code 08 automatically gives you an EB
Kan jy ‘n motorfiets met ‘n enjin groter as 125cc ry as jy ouer as 18 is met ‘n A1 lisensie?
Ongellukig nie, jy moet jou lisensie weer doen met n motorfiets wat n enjin grooter as 125cc het.
Hi good morning
Is proof of residence part of the requirement for PrDP license application cos i have been turn down today in germiston licensing department.
Hi Andrew
Normally you shouldn’t need one, unless you’re not an SA citizen.
See “What you should do“
Hey Gareth, thanks for the blog about the old vs the new names of codes. We got someone asking about refreshing Code10 and 14 and you were the only one who had written about it!. We are going to add places where young people can be trained for all licences, on our website, so any advice how to evaluate training institutions would be appreciated.
Hi Lizanne
Glad I could help. Evaluating training institutions is rather difficult without actually experiencing them yourself. Ways you can categorise them, is by what different codes of driver’s licence training they offer, and also if they offer training for Dangerous Goods PrDP licences, which is related. Everyone who gives training for a driver’s licence requires a specific permit from the traffic department, I don’t know if it’s worth your while to request that information from the institutions you are going to list.
Regards
Gareth
Hi Gareth ,
Im busy doing my code 14 and in the yard test i failed on parallel reverse?!?
This test was going great but half way through he said i must stop cause i was looking out the drivers window to observe my positioning instead of using ONLY my mirrors. (The driving instructor said i could use any method ,including this one, as long as the truck went in and didn’t touch the lines). I then had to carry on this attempt but using ONLY the mirrors but , by this time i was confused and i could not get out of the position i had ended up in.
The traffic official said i failed cause this test you can ONLY use the mirrors?!?
Is this true? I cant find any mention of this in the K53 or in the instructions pertaining to any yard test.
very bummed!!
Mark
Hey Mark
Have a look at page 32 of the “Practical driving test for motor vehicle drivers” as distributed by the department of transport. No where does it specify that you may reverse using only the review mirrors. I do think it is easier to use just the mirrors, but if you were comfortable doing it looking out the rear window there shouldn’t be an issue with this.
Hi,want to know if I learn driving with an automatic car can I go for my test in automatic also an what licence must I have to drive automatic car
Hi Habibia.
A standard car licence is a B licence. If you learn in an automatic, book for a standard LMV licence and tell them it’s an automatic.
They will issue you a standard B licence, but on the list of restrictions it will specify automatic vehicles only.
Can a legally licenced 16 or 17 year old USA citizen drive legally in South Africa under their USA drivers license? Because it is legal to use a USA drivers license in SA. Not for car rentals as their legal age is usually 21.
Umm. A very interesting question. I don’t know for sure though.
I had a quick scan through the Road Traffic Act and couldn’t find any mention of such a situation. The act clearly states that you are allowed to drive in this country if you hold a driver’s licence of another country as long as a few criteria are met, but none of these are age related.
And no where could I find a statement that implies you must be 18 to drive in SA. Only that you must be 18 before you can get a SAfrican driver’s licence.
So I don’t know of a law which prohibits you from driving. But at the same time it’d be best to check with the Traffic Department, because it doesn’t seem right that you a 16 year old would be permitted to drive here.
Sorry I couldn’t help
Thank you for checking. I don’t see any difference between an 18 or 16 year old american with a valid drivers license who was tested and passed. Oh and I’m not 16, this topic came up for a discussion with similar results you found.
Yeah, it’s an odd situation :)
Good day,
I would like to know if you can drive for a long distance with just a learners while you have a person with the same licence code as your next to you plus passengers?
As far as I know there is no limit to how far you can travel, what roads you can travel on or having passengers with a learner’s licence. As long as the person next you is licensed for the vehicle you are driving