Cabinet approves 10-year driving licence cards for South African motorists

South African motorists could soon spend less time renewing their driving licence cards after Cabinet approved a proposal to extend their validity from five years to 10 years. The proposal is one of several amendments to the National Road Traffic Act. Parliament must now debate and approve the changes before they become law. Until then, motorists must continue renewing their driving licence cards every five years. If Parliament approves the amendment, drivers will only need to renew their licence cards once every decade. The change would halve the number of renewals and ease some of the pressure on licensing centres that continue to face long queues and printing delays.

Why government wants to change the system

Government has spent several years reviewing whether the five-year renewal period still serves a purpose. An independent review that the Department of Transport commissioned found no evidence that renewing licence cards every five years improves road safety. Instead, the panel recommended extending the validity period to 10 years, arguing that the expiry date applies to the card rather than a person’s ability to drive.

Printing delays remain a challenge

The recommendation also comes after repeated problems with the country’s driving licence card printing system. Breakdowns at the Driving Licence Card Account have left thousands of motorists waiting months for new cards, while licensing centres continue to deal with growing backlogs. A 10 year validity period would reduce the number of licence cards the department prints each year. While the change will not solve every problem in the licensing system, it could ease demand and reduce the impact of future production delays.

What happens next?

Cabinet’s approval moves the proposal forward, but Parliament still has the final say. Lawmakers must approve the amendments before they can take effect. After Parliament passes the legislation, the Department of Transport will announce when the new 10 year validity period will begin. Until then, motorists whose driving licence cards are nearing expiry must continue following the current five-year renewal process.