To drive on a public road in South Africa and transport fare-paying passengers or tourists for an income you must have a professional driving permit (PrDP).
In South Africa, the requirement for drivers who transport tourists to be in possession of a PrDP does not only apply to tour operators, tourist guides, and hotel or guesthouse airport shuttle services but to Uber drivers as well. Here’s all the info you’ll need on how to get a professional driving permit.
Note: For a list of driving licence codes applicable to southern Africa, see ‘SA Driving Licence Codes Guide‘.
About the professional driving permit
The permit is issued in addition to an ordinary driving licence. A PrDP applies to the following motor vehicle categories:
- a goods vehicle with a gross vehicle mass exceeding 3 500kg
- a breakdown vehicle or a bus
- a minibus weighing more than 3 500kg or designed to carry 12 or more people (the driver included)
- light motor vehicles, indicated in the economic sector for carrying passengers for reward (taxi-cab)
- a motor vehicle designed to carry 12 or more people
- any vehicle for which an operating licence is issued
- dangerous goods vehicle (e.g. fuel tanker).
Age restrictions for the motor vehicle categories are as follows:
- You must:
- be 18 years or older to hold a PrDP for a goods vehicle
- be 21 years or older to hold a PrDP for a passenger vehicle
- be 25 years or older to hold a PrDP for a dangerous goods vehicle.
You can only obtain a PrDP if you:
- have a valid driving licence for the type of vehicle in question
- have been certified as medically fit by a doctor
- have been certified by an approved training body [only required for category D (dangerous goods) vehicles]
- do not have a criminal record for (in the past five years):
- do not drive a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a drug having a narcotic effect
- do not drive a motor vehicle while the concentration of alcohol in your blood or breath exceeded a statutory limitation
- in the case of an application for a category P and D permit, an offence of which violence was an element.
- have never had your driving licence suspended
- have never been convicted of a criminal offence or paid an admission-of-guilt fine.
As the operator or owner of the motor vehicle for which a PrDP is required, you may not let another person drive the vehicle on a public road unless they have a valid PrDP for the appropriate category.
What you should do
- Go to your nearest driving licence testing centre (DLTC) and complete the Application for professional driving permit form (PD1).
- Complete the notification of change of address or particulars of person or organisation (NCP) form.
Take the following with you:
- Identity document (ID), driving licence card, or valid South African passport
- Four identical black-and-white photographs. You must first confirm with the DLTC how many photos they require before you have photos taken.
- A valid driving licence (same code of vehicle for which you are applying)
- Training certificate (if applicable)
- Medical certificate (only valid if not older than two months)
- Other professional driving permit or public driving permit that you hold
- Proof of postal and residential address e.g. utility account. If the utility bill is not in your name, the
of 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 councillor confirming your postal and residential address
The prescribed fee.
- You will do an eye test at the testing centre. Alternatively, you may have an eye test performed by a qualified optometrist and submit the form.
- After payment, you will be referred to the nearest police station to request a conviction report. If the DLTC has a live capturing unit (LCU), the conviction report will be sent electronically to the police station.
- You must deposit the application fee in the account below before the application is processed.
- Bank details for depositing application fee:
- Account name: Ideco AFISwitch (Pty) LtdBank: ABSABranch: Business Banking Johannesburg NorthAccount Type: ChequeAccount number: 4074078548Branch code: 630256
- Reference: Fill in the ID number of the applicant as the reference.
- You will be informed once the PrDP card is ready for collection. Take identification such as an ID with you when you collect the card. Any cards not collected within 120 days will be destroyed.
How long does it take?
- Your permit may be ready within a maximum of 12 weeks.
How much does it cost?
- Contact your local licensing office to find out the cost.
Forms to complete
- Application for professional driving permit form (PD1)
- Medical certificate application form (MC)
- These forms are available at your nearest driving licence testing centre and on the eNatis website.
Who to contact
- City of Johannesburg
- City of Tshwane (Pretoria)
- City of Cape Town
- Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth)
- Eastern Cape municipalities
- Free State municipalities
- Gauteng municipalities
- KwaZulu-Natal municipalities
- Limpopo municipalities
- Mpumalanga municipalities
- North West municipalities
- Northern Cape municipalities
- Western Cape municipalities
Note: Information verified as at 31 October 2018. Source: www.gov.za
