Motor vehicle licenses must be renewed before every single expiry date, as indicated on the license card. If you miss the deadline for license renewal, you will have to take responsibility and pay a penalty and arrears for late licensing. However, it is your human right to receive a 21-day grace period, from the expiry date of the license disk on your windscreen. It is then your responsibility to ensure that you renew your license at your registered authority or post office.

Bus licensing occurs bi-annually. Heavy load motor vehicles or any vehicle used for public transport requires a road worthiness certificate, which must be renewed every six months. You are therefore obliged to go to a registering license authority or post office, along with the following documents.

If the vehicle is registered in your name:

1. Identity document

2. Proof of residence and postal address

3. Informal settlement: Official-stamped letter from the ward councillor

4. Fill in a change of address notification, or the details of the person/organisation form (NCP)

5. Motor vehicle license renewal notice (MVL2)

6. Do not have the notice: Fill in an Application for Licensing of Motor Vehicle (ALV)

If the vehicle is registered in an organization/company name:

1. Business certificate

2. Proxy identity document

3. Letter of proxy

4. Motor vehicle license renewal notice (MVL2)

5. Do not have the notice: Fill in an Application for Licensing of Motor Vehicle (ALV)

Do not forget to pay the license fee detailed on the provided renewal notice. The process for renewing your motor vehicle license takes place on the same day. When at the relevant registering authority or post office, the form to be completed is the ‘Application for Motor Vehicle License (MVL1)’.

To make life easier, motorists can now apply to renew their motor vehicle license online through an ‘e-services portal’. All you need is an e-mail address, electronic copies of your ID/Passport and proof of address, and all vehicle registration information. CarZar shows you how to renew your car license online:

1. Go to www.capetown.gov.za, click on ‘e-services’ and register.

2. Under ‘Motor Vehicle Licensing’, click on ‘register’ and complete the online form.

3. Log in to the e-services site, using your emailed login details, and click on the service activation tab.

4. Complete the online form, upload a copy of your ID/Passport and proof of address, and submit.

5. Click on ‘Motor Vehicle License’, complete the vehicle owner and registration details, and submit.

6. Make payment using EFT or bank deposit, using your vehicle license renewal registration number.

7. Your license will be posted within 14-days minimum.

With nearby registering authorities situated at almost every corner of South Africa’s cities and the web offering readily available renewal services, motorists have no excuse but to take responsibility to renew their license or accept any penalty for missing their license renewal cutoff.

The above information, as retrieved from gov.za, is simply a guide and does not change any laws, rules and regulations, as stipulated in the South African National Road Traffic Act or National Road Traffic Regulations.

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