New vehicle plates for KZN
Phase 1 will cater for the registration of new motor vehicles, reregistration of vehicles to new owners, stolen vehicles that are recovered and relicensed in the owner’s name and government vehicles.
After vehicle registration plates such as NPS were exhausted, motorists in KZN are being given two years to migrate from the current number plate system to a new one.
This comes after the provincial Department of Transport said it was ready to launch a new licence numbering system that will come into effect from December 1.
KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport spokesperson Kwanele Ncalane said there will be two phases of the migration to the new system, saying that the first phase will commence from December 1 to February 28, 2024.
He said Phase 1 will cater for the registration of new motor vehicles, reregistration of vehicles to new owners, stolen vehicles that are recovered and relicensed in the owner’s name and government vehicles.
He added that the second phase commencing on March 1, 2024, will allow all vehicle owners to migrate from the current system to a new system.
Kwalane said motorists will be given 21 months to voluntarily migrate to the new system, after which it will be mandatory.
The new number plates will not reflect location or demarcation but instead, have a continuous numbering system.
The new configuration will consist of two letters, two numbers and then two letters followed by the KwaZulu-Natal coat of arms, then the ZN suffix.
The numbers for the general population will be blue on white, while public transport vehicles will be black on white and government vehicles will be red on white.
Motorists will still be able to buy personalised plates with up to seven characters followed by the ZN suffix.
He added that the Department of Transport tested the new system, saying that it can confirm that it’s able to activate the new numbering system, supported by the Road Traffic Management Corporation.
He said, as part of the process, the final gazette was expected to be published on November 30, with inputs and views from various stakeholders and the public since the issuing of the first gazette earlier this month.
Ncalane said provincial motor licensing bureaus are training their staff on changes brought about by the system.
He added that the decision to change the system came after the KZN Executive Council said plates with three alphabets, such as NPS, NPN and NRB, are exhausted.
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