Motorists can breathe a sigh of relief as licences which expired between 26 March and 31 August will be valid until January 2021.

“As the champion of South African motorists we are elated at this move. It’s great news for motorists who have been worried about being legal on the road in the face of mounting backlogs with renewals. We applaud the government and the RTMC for making this decision which, ultimately, is the right way forward. We also want to thank the Minister for being responsive to motorists’ needs during this difficult time and for taking this pragmatic step,” says Mr Willem Groenewald, CEO of the AA.

The AA had launched a petition at the beginning of July 2020 to try persuade government to extend the validity of licences. With Covid-19 compounding thegeneral ineffeciency andruining the Driving Licence Testing Centres, many motorists were at risk of driving with expired documentation.

A tweet from the officialRoad Traffic Management Corporation account said, "All learner’s licences, driving licence cards, temporary driving licences and professional driving permits that expire during the period that commenced from 26 March 2020 up to an including 31 August 2020 are deemed to be valid and their validity period is extended for a further grace period ending 31 January 2021”

“We believe much can be done between now and the end of January to clear backlogs but if there are still issues with renewals at that time, government will need to consider a further extension beyond the end of January to ensure everyone is accommodated fairly,” Mr Groenewald says.

Further Reading

Licensing Centres to Reopen from 1 June

Vehicle Warranty / Servicing Extensions Due to Covid-19

Petrol Price Increase Forecast For August 2020