South African motorists could see the validity period of driver’s licences extended from five to 10 years sooner than expected after Cabinet approved the proposal ahead of schedule.
Driver’s licences currently need to be renewed every five years. The proposed extension is aimed at reducing pressure on licensing centres while making the renewal process more convenient for motorists.
The push to extend licence validity has been ongoing since 2022, when the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) conducted a study into the possibility of increasing the renewal period.
The study was commissioned under former Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula, although its findings were only released in 2024 during the tenure of his successor, Sindisiwe Chikunga.
The study supported extending the validity of driver’s licences. However, the proposal was not taken forward by Chikunga and her administration.
The issue gained renewed momentum after Barbara Creecy became Transport Minister and indicated that the proposal would be reconsidered.
On 31 July 2026, Cabinet approved the plan to extend driver’s licence validity to 10 years.
The approval came several months ahead of the timeline set out in the government’s medium-term goals. Those plans indicated that the proposal was expected to reach Cabinet by the end of the 2026/27 financial year in March 2027, before being taken to Parliament during the following financial year.
The earlier-than-expected Cabinet approval has raised hopes that motorists could benefit from the longer validity period sooner than initially anticipated.
However, the Department of Transport has not confirmed that the implementation timeline has been brought forward.
Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) CEO Wayne Duvenage said the 10-year licence could potentially be introduced within months, depending on the Presidency’s approach to the process.
Duvenage said the remaining steps largely involve the legal procedures required to bring the change into effect, although public consultation may also be necessary.
“If the minister and the Presidency really wanted to, it could be fast-tracked into the next couple of months,” he said.
Despite the progress, Duvenage warned that the proposal could face further delays if the Department of Transport decides to link the 10-year validity period to the introduction of a new South African driver’s licence card.
The government has been working on replacing the existing driving licence card with a more secure version. However, the procurement process has been affected by delays and controversy.
South Africa currently relies on a single machine to print driver’s licence cards, with frequent breakdowns contributing to delays in issuing cards.
Duvenage warned that if the 10-year validity period is implemented only alongside the new licence card, motorists could face a longer wait before the change takes effect.
For now, motorists will still need to renew their licences under the existing five-year system until the necessary legislative and administrative processes are completed.