The grace period allowed for renewing your licence disc when you fail to do so before it expires, and what the extended grace period applies to.
Overview
In order to drive on South African roads, you need to be a fully legal licenced driver with a valid vehicle licence and disc. Licences and discs have expiration dates and it is important for all drivers to ensure that they renew both of these.
Driving with an expired licence disc in South Africa is an offence, thus you need to ensure that you always have it renewed on time. In the case that you forget to renew, you will have to pay penalties.
Licence disc grace period
As a driver, you have the responsibility to ensure that you keep up with the expiration of your vehicle’s licence disc. The law in South Africa requires that your car be licenced annually for it to be on the road legally.
You have to ensure that your licence disc is renewed before it expires, because should you not do this, you will be given licensing penalties and arrears. For cases where you forget, is there a grace period for renewals?
What is the grace period for an expired licence disc?
It is very possible for you to forget that your licence disc is going to expire, and this may result in you not renewing it on time.
This can become problematic for you as a driver, as it is mandatory for your disc to be valid so that you can be on the road lawfully.
Should you have forgotten and missed your deadline, you will get a 21-day grace period in which you can still renew your licence disc.
This grace period will be calculated from the day your licence disc expires, and should you not make it within this grace period, you will be liable for the penalty fees and arrears issued to you.
The renewal of your licence disc can be done at your relevant registering authority or at a post office close to you.
Does the extended grace period apply for all licence discs?
The Minister of Transport extended the grace period for all learner’s licences, driving licence cards, temporary driving licences, and professional driving permits that were to expire during the period that started on 26 March 2020, up to and including 31 August 2021.
These are all still deemed as valid and are extended for a period of up to 31 March 2022. Although, this extension does not apply to vehicle licence discs and drivers who were advised not to wait till this date to renew their motor vehicle licence discs.
What should you do if your vehicle is for public transport or is a heavy load?
You will need to obtain a roadworthy certificate for this type of vehicle. To do this you need to go to your nearest registering authority or post office, and take the following documents with you: your identity document and your proof of residential address, such as a utility bill.
If the vehicle is not in your name, the owner must write an affidavit explaining that you live at the given address.
Lastly, a motor vehicle renewal notice (MVL2) or an Application for Licencing Motor Vehicle (ALV) must be brought with and filled in, if necessary.
What about vehicles registered to organisations or company names?
If a vehicle is registered to an organisation or company name, you will need to bring the following with you to renew the licence disc; a business certificate from the organisation or company, an identity document of the proxy, a letter of the proxy, and a motor vehicle licence renewal notice (MVL2).
If you did not get a renewal notice, you will need to complete an Application for Licencing of the Motor Vehicle form (ALV) form.
You will also need to pay the licence fee that is stated on the notification for renewals to be processed.
Final thoughts
To drive a car in South Africa, the law requires that you ensure your car is licenced legally every year. This means that you need to have a valid licence and disc and as these expire, you need to make sure that you renew them timeously.
A licence disc needs to be renewed annually, but in the case that you forget to do this, there is a 21-day grace period after it has expired for you to renew it. Failure to renew within the grace period will result in penalties and arrears.
