South Africa’s cabinet has approved an extension of driving licence validity to 10 years for most licence codes, according to businesstech.co.za. The change means motorists will no longer need to renew their licences every five years.
Multiple South African news outlets, including eNCA, iol.co.za, News24, and EWN, reported that cabinet formally approved the measure. The decision applies to the majority of licence categories, though specific exceptions were not detailed in the reports.
The extension is expected to reduce the administrative burden on both drivers and licensing authorities. South Africa has faced persistent backlogs at driving licence testing centres, with long wait times for renewals becoming a common complaint. The move to a 10-year validity period follows years of discussion and advocacy from motoring groups.
Businesstech.co.za noted that the approval marks a significant policy shift, though implementation timelines and exact start dates have not yet been announced. Motorists should continue using their current licences until official rollout details are published.
Watch for the publication of a government gazette or transport department statement that will specify when the 10-year licences become available and how existing five-year licences will be handled during the transition.
