“Extend Them for Life”: SA Reacts as Government Plans To Extend Driver’s Licence Validity to 8 Years

• South Africa’s driver’s licence card validity period will increase from five to eight years, according to new government plans
• The Department of Transport’s 2026/27 performance plan lays out a roadmap extending into 2028 for the change
• Mzansi has reacted strongly online, with many South Africans calling for licences to be valid for life instead

South Africa’s driver’s licence card validity will jump from five to eight years soon. The Department of Transport confirmed the change in its newest performance plan. Motorists and civil groups have pushed for this shift for several years now. A longer validity period means fewer renewals and shorter queues nationwide.

A change years in the making

According to reports, AfriForum raised the issue after the country’s sole card printer broke down last year. That breakdown caused a backlog of around 750,000 licence renewals. AfriForum’s Louis Boshoff warned that no replacement printer had been bought since then. He said a longer validity period would ease pressure while systems get upgraded.

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The Department of Transport has now started rolling out its plan properly. Officials submitted the licence validity proposal to the minister in June 2026. The next step involves submitting it to the Shareholders’ Committee by September 2026. After that, it moves to government cluster discussions by December 2026.

Cabinet approval is expected by March 2027, according to the road map. Parliament would then need to approve the extension during the 2027/28 period. This means South Africans could wait years before the change takes effect. The process has already faced repeated delays since talks began back in 2022.

Former minister Fikile Mbalula first raised extending licences to ten years in 2022. A later study supported the idea, but the next minister blocked it. Officials cited health concerns tied to eye tests and road safety. Many South Africans believed money, not safety, drove that earlier decision instead.

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy approved the eight-year extension plan in November 2025. The department still flagged concerns about losing renewal fee revenue. Fewer renewals could hurt the Driving Licence Card Account’s long-term funding. Officials say they are still assessing the financial impact of the switch.

Online reaction has been swift, with many South Africans wanting even longer validity. Several commenters argued that licences should never expire once issued at all. Others pointed out that PrDP renewals also need addressing in this plan. Many recalled that licences never expired decades ago under the old system.

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Source: Briefly News