10-year driving licences officially coming to South Africa

South Africa’s cabinet has approved extending the validity period of driving licences for light motor vehicles from five to ten years.

This marks one of the biggest changes to South Africa’s driving licence regime in decades, with the licences’ short validity period having become a major point of contention.

On Thursday, 30 July, Minister in the Presidency Khumbidzo Ntshavheni confirmed that Cabinet has approved the validity period extension.

She said the 10-year renewal period will apply to South African driving license codes A, A1, B, and B1, which include motorcycles and light motor vehicles.

Licences for heavy commercial and public transport vehicles will still be subject to the existing two- or five-year renewal cycles. Professional driving permits will also remain on a two-year renewal cycle.

Ntshavheni said this change aligns with international best practice, enhances administrative efficiency, reduces the frequency of renewals for motorists, and eases pressure on service demand.

She said extending the validity period will require legislative amendments, “so motorists must therefore continue to renew expired driving licence cards until the new law takes effect”.

The change has been a long time coming in South Africa, as calls for extending the renewal period for passenger vehicles have grown in recent years.

For example, the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) has been a vocal proponent of extending the validity period, having called for the change since September 2020.

After the cabinet’s decision was announced, OUTA CEO Wayne Duvenage said in a press statement that it is six years overdue, “but it is a victory for motorists and for common sense”.

“Government has finally accepted that forcing motorists through an inefficient renewal system every five years wastes time and money without making our roads safer,” Duvenage said.

In September 2020, when OUTA began campaigning for the extension, COVID-19 restrictions severely disrupted licensing services and contributed to a growing backlog of expired driving licence cards.

“Although the pandemic brought the crisis into sharp focus, our work showed that the five-year renewal cycle placed unnecessary pressure on a system already struggling with inefficiency, corruption, and poor service delivery,” Duvenage said.

OUTA researched driving licence validity periods in 35 countries and found an average validity of 8.5 years, with periods ranging from 3 to 20 years.

In June 2021, the organisation also surveyed 3,685 motorists about their experiences with the renewal system.

OUTA found that 65% reported frustration with the ineffective online booking system, 60% complained about long queues, 45% referred to poor staff attitudes, and 10% said they had witnessed bribery.

“Government took far too long to act, despite having the evidence and the power to address this unnecessary administrative burden. We are nevertheless pleased that it has arrived at the right decision,” Duvenage said.