Good news for anyone who owes over R3,000 in licence fees in South Africa’s richest province

The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport (GDRT) is giving motorists who owe more than R3,000 in motor vehicle licence penalties and arrears the chance to settle these over time.

The department’s debt management arrangements are in place to help individuals or businesses clear their debt over time instead of in a single payment.

That said, individuals and entities can only agree to pay off the balance of their debts if they meet certain requirements.

A motorist who owes more than R3,000 in penalties and arrears combined, excluding infringements and the licensing fees, qualifies for the department’s debt management arrangement.

To take advantage of this, they will need to pay a minimum deposit of 30% of the total debt, comply with a maximum monthly instalment period of 10 months, and provide reliable contact details.

This includes an original South African ID document (green ID book or smart card, or a foreign ID), and a Traffic Register Number, but not a passport.

Individuals will also need to provide original proof of address, including a municipal bill statement, telephone statement, or bank statement, no more than three months old.

The agreement with businesses is similar, including the debt of R3,000, not including infringements and licensing fees.

Businesses can also pay a 30% deposit and repay the outstanding amounts over a maximum period of 10 months, while also providing reliable contact details.

That said, business details include more than individual details, including all directors’ original ID documents if all are present, or a letter signed by all to authorise one director to make the debt arrangement.

Once again, identification like foreign ID documents and Traffic Register Numbers (TRNs) will be accepted, but not passports.

Companies will also need to provide original CIPC or CIPRO certificates, as well as an original proof of residence for the business, again not older than three months.

Gauteng’s licensing fees are the highest in South Africa

According to an analysis by TopAuto, motorists in Gauteng pay more for vehicle licence disc renewals than any other province.

No matter the licence disc renewal method, whether through the National Traffic Information System (NaTIS), banking apps, or third-party services, South Africans pay a R72 fee to the RTMC.

The licensing fee is calculated based on the vehicle’s tare weight and varies depending on the province it is registered in.

The tare weight is measured by adding the weight of the car with no passengers, including fluids like the coolant, oil, and 10 litres of fuel.

The higher a vehicle’s tare weight, the more expensive the licence disc renewal will be, since the cost reflects how much damage a vehicle does to the road.

Heavier vehicles tend to damage the road surface, causing it to deteriorate faster and warranting a higher licence disc renewal fee to pay for road maintenance.

Because anything heavier than 3,500kg is classified as a medium or heavy commercial vehicle, TopAuto looked at licence disc fees for vehicles weighing 250kg up to 3,500kg in Gauteng, listed below:

Because a B-segment hatchback like the VW Polo or Hyundai i20 typically weighs around 1,000 to 1,250kg, you’ll pay R528 to renew the licence disc, whereas in other provinces it would be as little as R450.

While some provinces are slightly more expensive than Gauteng in specific categories, South Africa’s smallest province has the highest average fees overall.