You won't be arrested or fined
The Department of Transport has put many worried motorists' troubled minds at rest by extending the validity of licenses that expired between 26 March and 31 May for 90 days, starting from 1 June.
If you are the holder of a learner's license, driving license, temporary driver's license, temporary permit, roadworthy certificate and/or a professional driver permit, this extension applies to you. It also applies to motor vehicle license discs.
Furthermore, expired motor trade number licenses (used for the operation of unregistered/unlicensed vehicles by registered manufacturers, builders or importers, motor transport contractors, car dealerships or financial institutions) will enjoy a six-month extension from the 1st of June, but only if the license expired during the above-mentioned lockdown.
Related: How to replace a lost, stolen, or damaged driver's license.
Driver's license testing centres are opening this Monday
The first day of June will also see driving schools, driver license testing centres and registering authorities re-opening their doors, as the whole of South Africa moves down from a draconian level 4 lockdown to a more lenient and easy-to-live-with level 3. These institutions will adhere to rigorous hygiene and sanitation regulations such as the wearing of masks, social distancing, and ensuring anyone who enters the building has received the obligatory spritz of hand sanitiser.
Planning on visiting a Driver's License Testing Centre soon? Here's a list of DLCTs in each province, including contact details:
- City of Johannesburg
- City of Tshwane
- City of Cape Town
- Nelson Mandela Bay
- Eastern Cape municipalities
- Free State municipalities
- Gauteng municipalities
- KwaZulu-Natal municipalities
- Limpopo municipalities
- Mpumalanga municipalities
- North West municipalities
- Northern Cape municipalities
- Western Cape municipalities
Related: How much are car license renewal fees?
Driving during level 3 lockdown - stay alert!
Now that people will be allowed to consume alcohol, do more shopping, resume (some forms of) work and to exercise at any time of the day, you can expect to see many people out on the streets, such as pedestrians and cyclists who are sure
Make sure that your vehicle is visible at all times by switching on your headlights (if your car doesn't have daytime running lamps), and don't exceed the national speed limit. During this difficult time, road rage is likely to be more prevalent and making a point of keeping calm will help you and all the road users around you. If you run over a pedestrian or cyclist you can be sent to jail for manslaughter and ruin many lives in the process, including your own.
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