PayCity has shut down its car licence disc renewals, which was one of the more affordable services available in South Africa.
The online provider recently notified customers that it would be ending the service at the end of June 2024, but that any renewals submitted before this time would still be processed.
“We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your continued support,” it said.
One less option for motorists
PayCity officially closed its licence disc renewals on 30 June 2024, but stated that any credits linked to customers’ profiles will remain valid and can still be used for other services on its platform, as reported by MyBroadband.
Alternatively, customers can reach out to the PayCity help desk at [email protected] to request a refund.
The company did not provide a reason for the licence renewal shutdown, but it is likely that lower prices from competing services could be to blame.
Prior to its discontinuation, PayCity charged a combined rate of R166.75 for both the service and delivery fee of a new car licence disc, making it the fourth-cheapest option in South Africa.
In comparison, the best price is currently offered by FNB, which charges as little as R69, though it must be noted that this is a promotional fee that the bank is running for an undisclosed period.
Even without the promotion, FNB is still the cheapest provider that bundles the service fee with the delivery cost for a total of just R99.
Another important factor is that PayCity’s licence service was not available nationwide, as it was limited to the provinces of Gauteng, Free State, Northern Cape, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and North West, as well as the City of Cape Town metro, meaning that the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and the rest of the Western Cape could not use it.
In contrast, nearly every other provider in South Africa offers nationwide coverage.
You can compare the rates and coverage of the various licence disc renewal services in the table below:
| Service | Availability | Admin fee | Delivery fee | Total cost |
| FNB | Nationwide | Included | Included | R99 (R69 promo) |
| Natis Online | Nationwide | Included | R99.00 | R99 |
| South African Post Office | Nationwide | R72.00 | R75.00 | R147 |
| PayCity (Discontinued) | City of Cape Town, Free State, Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West | Included | Included | R166.75 |
| Shoprite Money Market | Nationwide | R110.25 | R74.75 | R185 |
| Spar | Select stores | R199.00 | Included | R199 |
| Renewonline | Gauteng, Limpopo | R100.00 | R115.00 | R215 |
| Disky | Nationwide | R169.00 | R70.00 | R239 |
Both Natis and the South African Post Office offer better rates than PayCity, which may explain the latter’s closure.
These two options have also launched online platforms in the last two years, widening their appeal even further.
Those who use these services can either pick up their new discs at a driver’s licence testing centre (DLTC) or post office branch, or have it delivered directly to their doors.
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