Community Empowerment

Licensed to Drive

By Super User 1260

Obtaining a valid Driving Licence is an important and necessary requirement if you want to drive a car in South Africa. Although the process of obtaining your licence requires time and money, it is a worthwhile investment that will allow a licence holder to navigate through all local and national road.

How to Do a Booking for a Learner’s Licence?

Go to https://online.natis.gov.za to make a booking:

  • Register your profile,
  • Make a booking to a Driving License Testing Centre (DLTC) stating area where you prefer to be tested,
  • You must pay for your booking at the testing station at which the pre-booking was made,
  • The payment must be made within three days from making the pre-booking,
  • You can do an eye test on the day of the payment at the DLTC or go to a recognised eye specialist where a certificate, accepted at the testing station, will be issued,
  • If the date and time that you prefer is not available, you can either defer your booking until the desired time slots become available or try a different testing station.

What Are The Minimum Age Requirements for Obtaining a Learner’s Licence?

  • Motorcycles 125 cc or less (without a sidecar): 16 years of age
  • Light motor vehicles not more than 3 500kg: 17 years of age
  • All other vehicles (including motorcycles over 125 cc): 18 years of age

How Do I Obtain a Learner’s Licence?

Before you can obtain a valid Driver’s Licence, you need to obtain a Learner’s Licence, which are issued by the City’s Driving License Testing Centres.

To obtain a licence visit your nearest DLTC with the following:

  • Proof of Identity, preferably a South African Identity Document (ID),
  • Two black and white ID photographs,
  • Booking fee,
  • Completed form, LL1, available from DLTC,
  • You will be need to complete an eye test,
  • You will also be required to pass a multiple choice theory examination. The test focuses on vehicle controls, rules of the road and traffic signs.
  • If you pass both the eye test and the theory examination, you will be issued with a Learner’s Licence,
  • A Learner’s Licence is valid for 24 months.

*Tip: Take your ID and booking receipt with you to the examination.

What Types Of Learner Licences Are There?

There are three types of Learner Licences:

Code 1 – motorcycles,

Code 2 – vehicles (except motorcycles) including minibuses, buses and goods vehicles, weighing less than 3 500kg,

Code 3 – all vehicles (except motorcycles) weighing more than 3 500kg,

*Tip: Code 2 and Code 3 learner drivers must be accompanied by a fully licenced driver at all times while driving.

How Do I Obtain a Driver’s Licence?

Once you have obtained your Learner’s Licence, you can apply for your Driving Licence at your nearest DLTC. Here’s what you need to do: Provide your Identity Document (ID),

  • Provide a valid Learner’s Licence,
  • Complete form DL1, available from DLTC,
  • Provide two black and white ID photographs,
  • Provide the prescribed fee,
  • Using the K53 method, you will be required to pass a driving test that incorporates a yard test (parking manoeuvres) and a road test,
  • If you pass the driving test, you will be issued with a temporary Driver’s Licence valid for six months which will subsequently be replaced by a permanent one.

In South Africa, your driving licence is valid for a period of five years from date of issue.