Quick fix for driving licence card backlog in South Africa

South Africa’s Department of Transport is scrambling to clear the country’s driving licence card production backlog, and it says it will take four to six months to work through it.

However, Wayne Duvenage, CEO at the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa), says extending the driving licence validity period will provide immediate relief.

“We’ve been saying to Barbara Creecy for some time, and the previous ministers: start by extending the validity period of the driver’s licences from five to ten years,” Duvenage said in an interview with eNCA.

“It’s a norm around the world, and that takes a lot of pressure off the department straight away.”

He also highlighted two other recommendations for Creecy to provide relief to motorists and the Department of Transport.

Duvenage recommended that transport minister Creecy instruct law enforcement agencies that anybody who can prove they have applied for their licence doesn’t require a temporary one.

“It is a result of the inefficiencies of the department. Just put that regulation out there. She’s got the power to do that because it is not the public’s fault,” he said.

Duvenage said another key department priority should be finalising the tender to procure new driving licence card printers.

“Have this tender done now properly and transparently. Involve civil society so we don’t make the mistakes again,” he said.

In the Department of Transport’s latest update, spokesperson Collen Msibi revealed that the current backlog is around 690,000 cards, down roughly 43,000 since 15 May 2025.

Given that there were 18 working days between 15 May and Msibi’s update, the Driving Licence Card Account has cleared an average of just under 2,400 cards per day.

At this tempo, it will take just over 13 months to clear the 690,000-card backlog.

Despite this, Msibi said it will take four to six months to clear. He explained that motorists usually receive new cards within 14 days of applying.

“Now, with this backlog, things are obviously changing. So you’re looking at about four to six weeks to be able to get your driver’s licence card,” he said.

“In terms of reducing the backlog as a whole, we try to do monthly updates, but we’re looking at about four to six months.”

South Africa’s five-year driving licence versus the rest of the world

South Africa’s driving licence regulations stipulate that driving licence cards are only valid for five years, requiring motorists to renew them regularly.

MyBroadband recently compared South Africa’s driving licence validity period to 32 other countries and found that Duvenage’s claim that validity periods longer than five years are the norm worldwide is fairly accurate.

Only two countries had shorter validity periods, while seven, including Argentina, Mexico, and Nigeria, matched South Africa’s validity period.

However, it should be noted that although countries like Argentina, Mexico, and Nigeria have driving licence validity periods of up to five years, motorists could receive a licence only valid for three years.

Countries like Canada, Botswana, Japan, and Portugal have validity periods similar to those in South Africa. However, they tend to shorten once the motorist reaches a certain age.

For example, Canada’s driving licences are valid for five years until the motorist reaches 70. Motorists aged 70 to 80 can still get a five-year licence, provided the results of their mandatory medical exam are satisfactory.

Those aged 80 and over can get a driving licence valid for up to three years, depending on the outcomes of a medical exam.

The remaining 23 countries’ driving licence cards are valid for longer than South Africa’s.

Countries like Denmark, France, Germany, and Norway have 15-year validity periods, while Indian motorists can get licences that are valid for five to 20 years.

Singapore and Switzerland don’t place a validity period on their driver’s licences until a motorist reaches a certain age.

This age is 65 in Singapore and 70 in Switzerland. After that, Singapore limits driving licence validity to three years, while Swiss motorists aged 70 and above can still qualify for a five-year licence.

The table below compares South Africa’s driving licence validity period to those in 32 other countries, including several African countries.