The credit card style driving licence expires five years from the date on which it was issued. The expiry date appears on the card. Before the card expires you should apply for a new card.

• Applying for a Driving Licence
• Renewing your Driving Licence
• Replacing your Driving Licence

You are required to have your driving licence on you whenever you are driving a vehicle. Only people over the age of 18 can apply for a driving licence. However, you can apply for a licence to drive a motor cycle (up to 125 CC) if you are over the age of 16.

When applying for the licence you will have your fingerprints taken. You will also need to bring:

• completed form DL1
• your ID
• any existing driving licences
• four identical black and white photographs of yourself
• the required fee.

Your application will specify which type of vehicle you would like to drive (motor cycle, car, minibus etc.).

Once you have applied for the licence and have passed the eye test, a date will be set for your driving test.

The driving test uses the K53 method and the driving examiner will ensure that you:

• have a valid learner's licence
• know and understand the road traffic signs
• have a sound knowledge of the rules of the road and the different signals which a driver of a vehicle is required to give when driving on a public road
• are generally capable of driving the type of vehicle specified on the application.

Study materials are available to help you prepare for your driver's test and many people employ the services of a driving instructor.

Once you have passed the driveing test, you will be issued with a temporary driving licence while your credit card format driving licence is prepared.

Once the credit card format licence is ready for collection, you will be notified in the post. When you collect the licence, you need to produce your ID. Licences that are not collected in 120 days are destroyed.

If another person is to collect the driving licence, the person collecting the licence will need to have:

• a certified copy of their identity document
• a certified copy of the driver's identity document
• an affidavit stating why the driver cannot collect the licence themselves which also states the name and ID number of the person collecting the licence.

There is a R120 fee to book a driving test. Once you have passed the driving test, you will be required to pay R100 for your licence.

RENEWING YOUR DRIVING LICENCE

Your credit card driving licence is only valid for five years and needs to be renewed after this time. The expiry date appears on your licence. You will also be sent a renewal notification in the post.

You can renew your licence at any time before your licence expires. The new licence will be valid for five years from the date of the renewal.

To renew your licence, you need to complete the application form at your nearest Driving Licence Testing Centre. You will also need:

• your current driving licence
• your ID
• two black and white ID photographs if you're renewing your licence before the expiry date of your current licence or four photographs if you're renewing your licence after the expiry date

Before your licence can be renewed, you will need to have your fingerprints taken and you will have to undergo an eye test. If your sight has deteriorated since your licence was issued, new restrictions may be attached to your licence. For example, you may be required to wear glasses when driving. Should you fail the eye test completely, your driving licence will not be renewed.

You are not required to undergo the driving examination again.

South Africans who are overseas at the time that their driving licences expire can only renew their licences when they return to the country. At present there are no penalties for late renewal. However, once penalties are introduced, people who have been unable to renew their licences will be able to apply for exemptions from these penalties.

If your licence has already expired when you go to renew it, you will have to get a temporary licence while you wait for the credit card licence to be issued. In this case you will need an extra two black and white photographs.

There is R100 licence renewal fee. There is also a fee of R40 if you require a temporary licence.

REPLACING YOUR DRIVING LICENCE

If your driving licence is lost, stolen or destroyed, you can apply for a replacement licence.

You will be issued a temporary permit which is valid for six months or until the replacement driving licence is issued, whichever occurs first.

To apply for a replacement licence, you need to complete form TDL at any driving licence testing centre.

You must provide:

• your ID
• four black and white photographs.

The temporary permit costs R40, while the fee for a replacement licence is R100.

For more information contact: