Driver’s licence renewal: Don’t miss this final extension

The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RMTC) has urged motorists to renew their expired drivers’ licences before the grace period, which ends on 31 March 2022, is over.

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, motorists were given an extended time period to renew their expiring licence cards.

In November 2021, the Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula announced an extension for renewal licence card, and therefore reminded motorists in February 2022 about the 31 March deadline.

“Those whose cards expired between 26 March 2020 and 31 August 2021 are deemed to be valid until 31 March 2022,” Mbalula said.

“Motorists are warned not to be complacent as the March 2022 deadline is fast approaching and chances are that another extension will not be granted”, the South African government warned at the time.

“However, those whose licences expired after 31 August 2021 are required to apply for a temporary driving licence as the grace period does not cover them,” Mbalula added.

ALSO READ: Driver’s licence card printing machine returns from Germany as production resumes

Renewal

Fikile Mbalula confirmed that in August 2021, 1.2 million licences had not yet been renewed out of a total of 2.8 million licences that have expired since 26 March 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns commenced.

The total has been reduced to 2.1 million.

Backlog

Last year [2021] the South African government reported that the backlog of driving licence cards that expired between 26 March 2020 and 31 August 2021 is moving slowly.

The backlog stood at 1 476 853.

The Minister announced four months wait period to clear the current backlog of driving licences cards. This was after the breakdown of the driving licence card production machine in November 2021.

The machine was sent to and returned from Germany, as production resumed in January 2021.

According to the Minister of Transport the Driving Licence Card Authority (DLCA) is producing about 400,000 cards per month, with the facility operational 24 hours a day, to reduce the driving license card backlog.

Additional information by Molefe Seeletsa

ALSO READ: Will driver’s licence renewal grace period be extended beyond March deadline?