Vehicle Registration In South Africa

What is a Vehicle?

A thing used for transporting people or goods, especially on land, such as a car, lorry, or cart.

Vehicle Registration In South Africa

Register a new vehicle:

  1. To register a new vehicle, go to your appropriate registering authority and submit the following:
    • your identity document (ID)
    • proof of residential address e.g. utility account. If the utility bill is not in your name, the owner of the bill must make an affidavit declaring that you live at the address and the utility bill must be attached to the affidavit. 
    • if you stay at an informal settlement, you must bring a letter with an official date stamp from the ward councilor confirming your address
    • the manufacturer’s certificate containing all the relevant details of the vehicle 
    • a roadworthy certificate, if the vehicle is a heavy load [or Road Transport Quality System (RTQS)] vehicle.
  2. Complete the Application for Registration and Licensing of Motor Vehicle (RLV) form.

Register a used vehicle:

  1. To register a pre-owned (used) vehicle, the seller must first complete and submit a Notification of change of ownership (NCO) form, which gives notification of change of ownership
  2. Go to your relevant motor vehicle registration authority and submit the following:
    • your identity document (ID)
    • proof of residential address e.g. utility account. If the utility bill is not in your name, the owner of the bill must make an affidavit declaring that you live at the address and the utility bill must be attached to the affidavit. 
    • if you stay at an informal settlement, you must bring a letter with an official date stamp from the ward councilor confirming your address
    • the vehicle registration certificate (in the seller’s name) 
    • a certificate of roadworthiness if the current certificate is older than 60 days 
    • proof of purchase of the vehicle 
    • a valid motor vehicle license (ensure that the license fees for the vehicle are up to date).
  3. Complete the Application for Registration and Licensing of Motor Vehicle (RLV) form.

Register a vehicle built up from parts:

  1. To register a vehicle built up from parts, go to your nearest motor vehicle registration authority and submit the following:
    • your identity document (ID)
    • proof of residential address e.g. utility account. If the utility bill is not in your name, the owner of the bill must make an affidavit declaring that you live at the address and the utility bill must be attached to the affidavit. 
    • if you stay at an informal settlement, you must bring a letter with an official date stamp from the ward councilor confirming your residential address
    • an affidavit confirming where the parts came from and what was done to the car (from SOA)
    • request for police clearance (form RPC) 
    • request for police identification (form RPI) 
    • de-registration certificate (if the vehicle was deregistered) 
    • a weighbridge (mass measuring) certificate 
    • proof of title ownership
    • letter of authority (if applicable).
  2. The provincial helpdesk will then introduce the vehicle record on eNaTIS
    • request for police clearance (form RPC) must then be submitted
    • a roadworthy test must be performed on the vehicle.
  3. Complete the Application for Registration and Licensing of Motor Vehicle form (RLV).

Register a modified vehicle:

  1. To register a modified vehicle, go to your nearest motor vehicle registration authority and submit:
    • your identity document (ID)
    • proof of residential address e.g. utility account. If the utility bill is not in your name, the owner of the bill must make an affidavit declaring that you live at the address and the utility bill must be attached to the affidavit. 
    • if you stay at an informal settlement, you must bring a letter with an official date stamp from the ward councilor confirming your address
    • an affidavit confirming where the parts came from and what was done to the car (form SOA) 
    • request for police clearance (form RPC) 
    • request for police identification (form RPI) 
    • de-registration certificate (if the vehicle was deregistered) 
    • a weighbridge (mass measuring) certificate 
    • proof of title of ownership 
    • roadworthy certificate 
    • letter of authority (if applicable).
    • manufacturer’s certificate or previous registration certificate or affidavit if the registration certificate cannot be provided.

How much is vehicle registration in South Africa?

The changes in question relate to the service fees for the online application, issuing and delivering a registration certificate for motor vehicles, and the online notification of change of ownership.

In the January 2022 gazette, these fees were set at R530. 00 each. The department has now corrected this to R330.