Licensed to ride
The call of the open road, the freedom that two-wheel travel offers and the obvious commuter savings are many reasons you should ride a bike. Before you can climb on and begin the best time of your life, you will need to acquire legal licensing to hit the road.
Related: How much does a motorcycle license cost in South Africa?
Obtaining a license is a relatively simple procedure: get your learners up to speed on riding technique, do the full test, and hey presto, you will be ready to ride. No matter your opinion of our current legislation and whether it is overly harsh or not harsh enough, you will need that little piece of paper that says you can legally ride, and it's easier than you think!
License codes
Knowing the different license codes will make knowing which test to write and for which vehicle you should be studying.
A - Motorcycle up to a maximum 125cc engine size (from 16 years of age)
A1 - All Motorcycles, All engine sizes (from 17 years of age)
B - Car or car towing a trailer not exceeding 750kgs
EB - Car or car towing trailer not exceeding 3500kgs
C - Small truck not exceeding 10 tonnes
C1 - Small bus not exceeding 10 tonnes
EC - large goods trucks over 10 tonnes or passenger buses with trailer
EC1 - small goods truck with a trailer
Learners Permit
You must obtain a learner's license before you can start riding or driving. This is a multiple-choice exam for your chosen code taken at the traffic department. The system will require you to answer a series of questions about road signs, road markings, and road rules, and you will need to get 85% correct to pass.
Once you pass, you will receive a paper permit with your photo attached that will allow you to take to the roads. As a bike rider, you will not be allowed to pillion a passenger, and in a car, a licensed driver in the passenger seat must accompany you at all times.
How to get your learner’s license?
Full License
Once you have obtained your learner's permit, you can apply for your full license test. This will involve a yard test conducted by a traffic official that will test your handling skills and knowledge of the rules of the road. The yard test for bikes and cars is completely different with a car; there is a road driving element.
The motorcycle yard test involves a rider manoeuvring inside a demarcated area, where the rider is required to make tight turns, perform braking tests, perform direction change tests, and perform stability tests. Any number of infractions during this test, such as leaving the demarcated area, falling, putting down a foot, or failing to follow instructions, will result in a fail, and the test will need to be retaken.
How much will it cost?
Your learners should cost you roughly R350, depending on the province in which you live. This will include the booking fee and test fee, as well as photos and admin costs.
Your full license test, depending on location, can run anywhere between R 1000 and R2500. This will once again include booking fees, the test fee, photos, admin, and if you used a riding school and/or hired a bike.
