Obtaining your diver’s license
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 roads.
Obtaining a valid driving licence is an important and necessary requirement if you want to drive a car in South Africa.
The Ekurhuleni metro highlighted the following need to know information before obtaining one.
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 metro’s Driving License Testing Centres.
To obtain a licence visit your nearest DLTC with the following:
• Proof of identity, preferably a South African identidy 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 driver’s licence 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.
