South Africa has taken a major step toward overhauling its driving licence system after Cabinet approved plans to extend the validity of driving licence cards for most light motor vehicles from five years to 10 years.
The decision, announced by Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni following Thursday’s Cabinet meeting, is expected to reduce the administrative burden on motorists while easing pressure on licensing centres across the country.
Although Cabinet has approved the policy, the new validity period has not yet taken legal effect. Legislative amendments must first be completed and published before motorists can benefit from the extended renewal cycle.
Until then, South Africans are still required to renew their driving licence cards every five years under the current regulations.
The Reform Targets Light Motor Vehicles
The extension applies only to licence codes A, A1, B and EB, covering motorcycles and most privately owned light motor vehicles.
Drivers operating heavy-duty, commercial and public transport vehicles will continue to renew their licences according to the existing two- to five-year cycles. Professional Driving Permits (PrDPs) also remain subject to renewal every two years.
Government said the reform aligns South Africa more closely with international practices, where longer licence validity periods are common. Officials believe the move will improve administrative efficiency, reduce queues at licensing centres and lower the frequency with which motorists need to renew their cards.
The change is expected to benefit millions of South African motorists once the legal process has been completed.
Years Of Policy Debate Finally Reach Cabinet Approval
The approval marks the culmination of a policy discussion that has stretched over several years.
In 2022, then Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula instructed the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) to investigate extending driving licence validity to 10 years. While the study was completed and submitted to Cabinet, its findings were only made public during the tenure of his successor, Sindisiwe Chikunga.
The RTMC recommended extending licence validity to eight years, but the proposal was ultimately rejected by the Transport Department in 2024. The decision drew criticism after officials cited health-related considerations as one of the reasons for maintaining the shorter renewal cycle.
Momentum returned after Barbara Creecy became Minister of Transport under the Government of National Unity. She publicly supported extending licence validity in late 2025, and senior departmental officials subsequently confirmed that work on the proposal was progressing.
Earlier this year, the Department of Transport indicated that a cost-benefit analysis was being finalised before presenting the proposal to Cabinet. The extension was later included among the department’s short- and medium-term strategic priorities, with Cabinet approval originally expected by March 2027.
That milestone has now been achieved significantly ahead of schedule.
The next phase will involve amendments to the relevant legislation before the proposal can be submitted to Parliament for final approval. If the legislative process proceeds smoothly, South African motorists could begin benefiting from the new 10-year validity period sooner than initially anticipated.
Source: South African Government Cabinet briefing; Department of Transport.