Driving licence validity extension moves closer as proposals go out for public comment

The Department of Transport has gazetted its proposed extension of driving licence card validity for public comment, marking a significant step towards the long-awaited change.

Under the gazette, licence cards for codes A, A1, B and EB would be valid for 10 years from the date they are ordered from the Card Production Facility, while cards for codes C1, C, EC1 and EC would be valid for five years.

BusinessTech reports that existing five-year cards for A, A1, B and EB licences will remain valid until a new card is issued, but will lapse three months after their original expiry date if they are not renewed.

The public comment period runs for 30 days from the notice's publication date. The changes are not yet in effect and still require legislative amendments, which the department can pursue once the comment period closes.

The gazette follows Cabinet's approval of the extension, confirmed by Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni at the end of July.

The process has significantly outpaced the department's own targets. The extension was only added to its short- and medium-term goals in April 2026, with Cabinet approval originally targeted for March 2027 – a deadline met eight months early.

The approved 10-year validity period is also longer than the eight-year extension initially proposed and comes well ahead of an earlier plan to implement the changes only by 2028.

Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) CEO Wayne Duvenage said the 10-year validity period could be implemented within months if the Presidency chose to fast-track the process, although this would likely still require the public consultation now under way.

He cautioned that obstacles remained, but said the swift move to public consultation suggested the department was accelerating rather than slowing the process.