Alright, so you wanna get yourself a driver’s license in South Africa, huh? And you wanna do it online, like them fancy city folks? Well, listen up, ’cause I’m gonna tell you how it is, no fancy talk, just straight to the point.
First off, you gotta understand, doing everything online ain’t always possible. Some things you just gotta go in person for, you know? Like when you gotta go to the market to pick out the best tomatoes, can’t do that online, can ya?
But some parts, they say you can start online, so let’s see. They got this thing, the eNATS, they say it’s for renewing your car thingy, the license disc. Maybe they got other stuff too, gotta poke around. They talk about it being the “easiest way,” but easy for them city slickers might not be easy for us, you know? But worth a look see.
Now, from what I hear, you need to go to this place, the Driving License Testing Centre, or DLTC. Sounds official, doesn’t it? They’re the ones who give you the tests and all that. Gotta find the one closest to you. Maybe ask your neighbor’s kid, they’re always on them phones, they know everything, or so they think.
- You gotta get yourself a learner’s license first. That’s like the practice one, you know? Gotta learn the rules of the road, all that stop and go stuff. Seems like they have some online something for folks in Gauteng, something called Natis, but that might not help everyone. Sounds like a website,
online dot natis dot gov dot za
. But don’t ask me how to use it, I ain’t no computer whiz! If you’re in Gauteng you probably should get that young neighbor to help you. He says he knows all about the “interwebs.”
- Then, you fill out some forms. They got a form for everything these days! One is called DL1, that’s for the real driver’s license, the one that lets you drive all by yourself. And if you just want to get started there’s another one called LL1, that’s the one for the learner’s thingy. Gotta fill it out good and proper, no scribbling like you’re a chicken scratching in the dirt.
- And they want proof of who you are, so bring that green book, the identity document, or your passport if you got one of them fancy things. And a copy too, ’cause they always want a copy. And something to show where you live, they call it proof of residence. A bill or something, I guess.
- You gotta pay too. Nothing’s free in this world, not even driving! They got fees, they call them. Gotta find out how much and pay it, or they won’t give you nothing.
- Then, you take a test. A driving test, to show them you can actually drive without crashing into everything. And a eye test too, I heard, gotta make sure you can see where you’re going!
If you lose your stuff, like your license, they got another form for that too, DCT. Seems like they got a form for everything. And you gotta bring all your stuff again, the ID and the copy and all that. It’s a whole lot of running around, I tell ya.
Now, they say some things can be done online, like checking the status of your application. You go to that Natis website, make an account, log in, all that jazz. Then you can see if they’re done with your license yet. They say it takes four to six weeks, but who knows? Things always take longer than they say. They might give you a temporary license right away, so you can drive while you wait. But that’s just what I hear. Can’t vouch for it myself, you know?
They also talk about a professional driving permit, whatever that is. And a temporary driving license, if you need one quick. And if you got a license from some other country, you gotta convert it, they say. More forms, more running around, I bet.
If you wanna drive one of them big trucks or something, I hear you need to do something extra, some special test or something for that “professional” license, gotta ask about that at the testing place if that’s what you need to do.
And remember, if your license is getting old, you gotta renew it. They say if it expires in 2024, you better get on it. Don’t wait till the last minute, or you’ll be stuck walking everywhere! Seems like that eNATS thing might be good for that, but like I said, have that neighbor look and help.
So, that’s the long and short of it. Can you do it all online? Probably not. You gotta go to that DLTC place, fill out them forms, pay your money, and take your tests. But maybe you can start online, check your status online, and maybe even renew online. Gotta try and see, I guess. Just don’t get your hopes up too high, and be prepared to do some running around.
And one more thing, if you’re from another country coming here, there are different rules. So go ask, don’t just assume you can drive here with that foreign license of yours. They got rules for everything. And don’t forget, get someone to help you if you aren’t good with the “interwebs” like me. Good luck, and drive safe!