The Department of Transport told Parliament that the change to a 10-year validity period for most driving licence cards is now two steps away from implementation. The Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, gazetted the proposal on 17 August 2026, meaning the amendment was officially published for public consideration.
Under the proposal, a licence card for code A, A1, B or EB, the categories that cover most private cars and light trucks, will be valid for ten years from the date it is ordered from the Card Production Facility. For heavier vehicle licences, code C1, C, EC1 or EC, the card will remain valid for five years. Professional Driving Permits, which are required for commercial drivers, will still be limited to two years.
What the change means for drivers
For most South Africans who hold a private-car licence, the new rule means they will only need to visit a licensing centre once every decade instead of every five years. The card itself is not the licence; the licence is permanent. The card is the physical proof that the holder has passed the required eye test and declared they are not disqualified. Extending the card’s life therefore reduces the frequency of renewal appointments, cuts waiting times at licensing offices and eases the backlog that has built up in recent years.
Heavy-vehicle drivers and professional licence holders will not see the same benefit. Their cards will continue to be renewed every five or two years respectively, preserving the stricter checks that the department says are needed for safety-critical roles.
The department also said the longer validity will bring South Africa in line with international best practice, where many countries issue ten-year cards for private drivers. Aligning with that standard could simplify cross-border travel and reduce the administrative burden for South Africans who drive abroad.
There are financial implications for the state-run Card Production Facility, which prints the cards. Fewer renewals mean less revenue from card fees. The department noted that the Minister has asked the facility to develop a pricing model that will cover the extra costs associated with the longer cards. In practice, this could lead to higher fees when a driver finally does need a new card, although the exact figures have not yet been disclosed.
Another practical change is the switch from the current laminated paper card to a polycarbonate card. Polycarbonate is more durable and can hold security features that support a ten-year lifespan. The department expects the new material to reduce wear and tear, further lowering the need for frequent replacements.
Before the amendment can become law, the revised regulations must be resubmitted to Cabinet for approval and then published in the National Road Traffic Regulations. The department is currently incorporating feedback received during the public comment period that closed in September.
Feedback gathered during the public comment window, which closed in September, is now being woven into the draft regulations, according to the department’s briefing. Contributors raised concerns about the affordability of the new polycarbonate cards and the need for clear communication on the eye-test requirement, prompting the department to adjust the wording of the application form. By embedding these suggestions before the next Cabinet submission, officials hope to pre-empt objections and smooth the path to final approval. The revised draft also clarifies that the declaration of non-disqualification must be signed by the applicant each time a new card is ordered.
The Card Production Facility has been tasked with creating a pricing model that will offset the reduced fee income caused by the longer renewal cycle. The department indicated that the model will examine “acceptable costing modalities for future adjustment considerations” and will be presented to the Minister before the regulations return to Cabinet. While exact fee structures remain undisclosed, the approach suggests that drivers may face higher one-off charges when they eventually replace a ten-year card, balancing the loss of recurring revenue with the cost of more durable polycarbonate material.
Switching to polycarbonate cards introduces a suite of security features designed to last a decade, a shift from the current laminated paper format. The new substrate can embed holographic elements and tamper-evident markers, reducing the risk of fraud and the need for frequent re-issuance due to wear. Because polycarbonate resists bending and moisture, the department expects a measurable decline in cards being returned for damage, which historically contributed to the backlog at licensing centres.
The procedural timeline outlined by the department shows that after the Cabinet’s sign-off, the Minister will publish the amendment in the National Road Traffic Regulations, at which point the ten-year validity becomes legally binding. Once gazetted, licensing offices will update their processing systems to calculate expiry dates based on the order date from the Card Production Facility rather than the previous five-year schedule. Drivers will then receive automated reminders well before the ten-year mark, ensuring compliance with the mandatory eye test and declaration requirements.
Although the permanent driving licence itself never expires, the card’s validity remains a key control mechanism for safety. The department reiterated that each card application triggers an eye test to confirm the holder is not disqualified, and the applicant must affirm on the form that they remain fit to drive. By extending the interval between these checks for private-car categories, the policy aims to maintain safety standards while alleviating administrative pressure, a balance that the department believes aligns with international best practice.
