Vehicle Registration

DESCRIPTION:

All vehicle title holders are required by law to register their vehicles when they finance the sale of the vehicle. The vehicle registration is recorded on the National Traffic Information System (NaTIS).

A vehicle's registration is terminated:

When the title holder of the vehicle changes.
When ownership of the vehicle changes (with the permission of the title holder).
When the vehicle is deregistered.
31 days after a vehicle is repossessed.
When the estate is wound up after the death of the vehicle's owner.

INSTRUCTIONS:

If you buy a vehicle, you need to register and licence it in your name within 21 days. If the title holder is another entity, that entity must register the vehicle before you, as the owner, may license it.

Registering a new vehicle
To register a new vehicle you need the following documents:

form RLV
your ID
the manufacturer's certificate containing all the relevant details of the vehicle
a roadworthy certificate - if the vehicle is a heavy load (or RTQS) vehicle

You need to complete and submit the RLV form, along with the required documents, to your nearest motor vehicle registration centre. There is a cost to register the vehicle.

Cost:

R69.00 registration fee
License fee. The license fee depends on the weight and tare of the vehicle and is determined at the motor vehicle registration centre

Registering a pre-owned (used) vehicle
To register and license a pre-owned (or used) vehicle, you need the following documents:

form RLV
your ID
the vehicle registration certificate (in the seller's name)
a roadworthy certificate, if the current certificate is 6 months old or older
proof of purchase of the vehicle
a valid motor vehicle license.

The buyer of the vehicle must ensure that the license fees for the vehicle are up to date. Complete and submit the RLV form to the nearest motor vehicle registration centre, along with required documents. There is a cost to register the vehicle.

A registration certificate will be issued to the title holder when the vehicle is registered.

Cost:

R69.00 registration fee
License fee. The license fee depends on the weight and tare of the vehicle and is determined at the motor vehicle registration centre
All arrear penalties and fees, if the license fee is not up to date.

Registering a built up vehicle
To register a built up vehicle you need the following documents:

form RLV
your ID
form SOA (an affadavit confirming where the parts came from and what was done to the car)
form RPC (a request for police clearance)
form RPI (a request for police identification)
a deregisteration certificate (if the vehicle was deregistered)
a weighbridge (mass measuring) certificate
proof of title ownership

You need to complete and submit the relevant forms to your nearest motor vehicle registration centre. There is a cost to register the vehicle.

Cost:

R69.00 registration fee
License fee. The license fee depends on the weight and tare of the vehicle and is determined at the traffic department
All arrear penalties and fees, if the license fee is not up to date.

Before you can register a vehicle that has been altered or rebuilt, you need to obtain:

a police clearance certificate
a weighbridge certificate
a roadworthy certificate

Note:
There are also additional requirements for vehicles that have been:

deregistered
acquired from the estate of a deceased person
repossessed
acquired outside the borders of South Africa
previously reported as stolen.

For more information contact the Cape Gateway call centre at 0860 142 142 or contact your nearest motor vehicle registering authority.

PROVIDED BY:

GOVERNMENT BODY:	Roads Infrastructure Branch (Department of Transport and Public Works, Provincial Government of the Western Cape)
PRICE:	Registration fee: R69.00 Additional costs as determined by the motor vehicle registration centre. If you do not register and license your vehicle within 21 days of acquiring it, you will be liable for penalties.

The content on this page was last updated on 28 March 2006

Cape Gateway is a government service aimed primarily at citizens of the Western Cape, providing information on local, provincial and national government