# Drivers Licence conversion



## IamT (Aug 4, 2014)

Hi Guys,

My experience in converting my Drivers Licence to SA licence below:

I received my PR in April 2016, applied to convert my foreign drivers licence at Rossbrough Durban on 1 June 2016. I filled in the forms, gave copies of my PR Cert, SA ID, my foreign passport copy, affidavit allowing the SA authorities to issue me with an SA licence (u can do this at police station or Post Office), did the eye tests. 

About a 2 months later after heavy follow-ups, they told me to come in and pay R240 for the issuance of the licence. I went in and paid the amount, signed some forms and immediately received the paper temporary SA Licence. 
A month later, I went in and collected the card licence.

The licensing center did NOT request me to surrender my foreign licence...the issue was not even brought up. I only surrendered my paper temporary licence when I collected the card licence.

So I now have 2 licenses...one from my home country and one from SA.

Hope this gives insight into the process.

My journey into collecting the required South Africa Papers seems to have now come to an end. My process was as follows:

April 2015 - Applied for the PR under skills. I had a Quota Work Permit before this application.
February 2016 - Received the PR Certificate...One for me and one to use to apply for ID which had a Home Affairs Verified stamp on it.
February 2016 - Applied for my SA ID.
April 2016 - I received my ID.
June 2016 - I applied for and SA Drivers Licence.
October 2016 - Received the SA drivers licence card.

Im not sure if I will apply for citizenship...will cross that bridge when I get to it.


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## DumisaniBYO (Sep 12, 2014)

IamT said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> My experience in converting my Drivers Licence to SA licence below:
> 
> ...



Congrats , lets hope this is a general practice all around SA lol


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## DumisaniBYO (Sep 12, 2014)

DumisaniBYO said:


> Congrats , lets hope this is a general practice all around SA lol





IamT said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> My experience in converting my Drivers Licence to SA licence below:
> 
> ...


I went to the Midrand Traffic Office with the belief that the above would be the standard but not to my suprise the requirements are not the same again specifically for Midrand :
1. Copy of PRP
2. SA ID
3. Foreign Passport
4. Home Country Drivers License
5. Confirmation Letter Stating Validity ( i. From Consulate Original & Original Letter from CVR
6. Proof of Res ( lease or Municipal Bill noting else )
7. APPLICANT HAS 2 CHANCES FOR EVALUATION AFTER 2nd TIME MUST BOOK FOR LEARNERS

So I also have to re take the driving test , if anyone has done this recent please also update


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## 1395193 (Jan 17, 2017)

WOW! What a straight ordeal, i hope to be doing that soon. Please do you live in Durban?





IamT said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> My experience in converting my Drivers Licence to SA licence below:
> 
> ...


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## joe117 (Sep 10, 2012)

IamT said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> My experience in converting my Drivers Licence to SA licence below:
> 
> ...


You were very lucky. In Johannesburg they force you to go for a driving test (K53 test).


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## MNZ (Feb 20, 2017)

Hey Guys

I am also trying to convert my Zim license in Johannesburg and have been told to go through K53. They advised that i go to a driving school to be taught the basics. So my question is on the day of the Test does the Licensing Department provide you a car that you are gonna be tested on or you need to arrange your own with your driving school?


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## joe117 (Sep 10, 2012)

MNZ said:


> Hey Guys
> 
> I am also trying to convert my Zim license in Johannesburg and have been told to go through K53. They advised that i go to a driving school to be taught the basics. So my question is on the day of the Test does the Licensing Department provide you a car that you are gonna be tested on or you need to arrange your own with your driving school?


Hi,

Arrange your own car


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## jingleson (May 26, 2016)

Have to convert with 12 months of getting SA ID.
DL must have been obtained before getting PR.
Letter from Consulate has to be dated less than 3 months.
Road and Yard test: 4 chances on separate dates. Watch out for rolling back (automatic fail).
Use own car or rent one.
If you own car(s) and use Traffic Register, merge records under Traffic register and ID number so that only ID is used.
And they take your foreign DL when you successfully convert, YES they do.
For driving outside SA get IDP.
Have to push and follow up otherwise nothing happens.


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## joe117 (Sep 10, 2012)

jingleson said:


> Have to convert with 12 months of getting SA ID.
> DL must have been obtained before getting PR.
> Letter from Consulate has to be dated less than 3 months.
> Road and Yard test: 4 chances on separate dates. Watch out for rolling back (automatic fail).
> ...


Hi Jingleson,

Which centre is this which does this? Please confirm.
Remember some centres give you two chances only, some do not even request for a K53 test, and most do not take your original foreign Drivers Licence.


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## jingleson (May 26, 2016)

joe117 said:


> Hi Jingleson,
> 
> Which centre is this which does this? Please confirm.
> Remember some centres give you two chances only, some do not even request for a K53 test, and most do not take your original foreign Drivers Licence.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Langlaagte traffic dept johannesburg, south africa.
Assessments are done only on Wednesdays
Could not get any joy from Randburg, was advised to get learner's and do test or try Langlaagte. 
1 person handles these conversions, and sometimes its hard to find them in the office. So be prepared for a couple of visits.


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## papermania (Feb 3, 2017)

My experience for Drivers conversion is as follows -

1) July 2017 Received PR.
2) Next day applied for ID.
3) Day after that went to Cape Town's regional transport administration and licencing department to get authorization letter of converting foreign drivers licence.
Took following docs - Passport , PR Certificate , Traffic Register ( Since ID just applied yesterday), Letter from Home Country consulate certifying Authenticity of the Drivers Licence, Address proof.

They issued me a letter instructing issuance of Drivers licence. 

4) Took this letter with all above docs and 4 black and white photos to nearest Traffic Department ( Driving Licence Testing center). They gave me a Green form to Fill with Section A , B , D to be completed. After completing the form they did Eye Test and Fingerprints. Once done they handed my file to Traffic Inspector. He then saw all docs and entered my details into eNatis system online. He then asked me to go to counter for payment. Paid 140 rands and got issued a temporary licence immediately. Today after 3 weeks I collected my Original Drivers licence. All above procedure was completed in ONE DAY and Drivers Licence came in 3 weeks.


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## joe117 (Sep 10, 2012)

papermania said:


> My experience for Drivers conversion is as follows -
> 
> 1) July 2017 Received PR.
> 2) Next day applied for ID.
> ...


It seems like this is the procedure in all provinces with the exception of Gauteng.
In Gauteng you are forced to go for a road test even if you already have a valid drivers' licence from your original country. Very unfair!


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## Bondnote (Dec 10, 2016)

Papermania - thanks for the detailed post. Where is the Cape Town office where you got the authorization letter? Do they have a section that deals with licence conversions? I thought the driver's licence has a section for the ID number, it will they just put the traffic register number if you are still waiting for your ID?


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## papermania (Feb 3, 2017)

Bondnote said:


> Papermania - thanks for the detailed post. Where is the Cape Town office where you got the authorization letter? Do they have a section that deals with licence conversions? I thought the driver's licence has a section for the ID number, it will they just put the traffic register number if you are still waiting for your ID?


Bondnote - Yes they will put your traffic register in the place for ID. Go to 9 dorp street in Cape Town with all the docs which I mentioned. Visit counter 5. They are very friendly and would assist you. Remember to take drivers licence authenticity letter from your country's embassy/consulate. 

I heard they convert most of the nationalities driver's licence except one or two if they suspect anything. Good Luck You will get it.


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## ravi0917 (May 22, 2015)

Hi Guys,
If you need to get the licence contact KD driving school. They got good contacts and will make sure everything works in favour to you during the process and pass the Test. Complete process takes about a month.
contact: KD driving school
Danny - 0845520071

Best wishes


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## punkypete77 (Jan 28, 2013)

For those converting a UK licence, where do you get your current UK licence verified? I understand that the British High Commission doesn't do this anymore.


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## teegombaz (Jul 19, 2017)

papermania said:


> My experience for Drivers conversion is as follows -
> 
> 1) July 2017 Received PR.
> 2) Next day applied for ID.
> ...


Thanks Papermania for this post - I can confidently report that the process works exactly as explained, the only challenge is that if you don't reside in Western Cape you may need to be creative in providing proof of residence which is now a new requirement.

They refused my Johannesburg address at 9 Dorp Street and so I had to provide a short-term lease agreement with a Capetown address when I went to the Gallows Hill testing station, not sure what the fuss is about maybe to reduce an influx on their services I'm told they process an average of 10 conversions a day.


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## kasia_durban (May 17, 2016)

did you have to surrender your foreign license in the process, i am under the impression you have to but came across very conflicting info when researching( not bothered if i have to , will probably have to re-convert again when i move to the Uk in few years ) . Also please can you tell me which country was your foreign licence issued by?
thank you


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## Bondnote (Dec 10, 2016)

kasia_durban said:


> did you have to surrender your foreign license in the process, i am under the impression you have to but came across very conflicting info when researching( not bothered if i have to , will probably have to re-convert again when i move to the Uk in few years ) . Also please can you tell me which country was your foreign licence issued by?
> thank you


You do not have to surrender your foreign driver's license.


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## Neha_J (May 8, 2021)

I also want to convert and live in jhb (but want to do the conversion in CT to avoid the driving test
I also want to convert and live in jhb (but want to do the conversion in CT to avoid the driving test).

i just want to double check,was your PR issued in jhb? And u managed to succesfully convert it in CT?

thanks,
Neha



teegombaz said:


> Thanks Papermania for this post - I can confidently report that the process works exactly as explained, the only challenge is that if you don't reside in Western Cape you may need to be creative in providing proof of residence which is now a new requirement.
> 
> They refused my Johannesburg address at 9 Dorp Street and so I had to provide a short-term lease agreement with a Capetown address when I went to the Gallows Hill testing station, not sure what the fuss is about maybe to reduce an influx on their services I'm told they process an average of 10 conversions a day.


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## Neha_J (May 8, 2021)

I also want to convert and live in jhb (but want to do the conversion in CT to avoid the driving test).

i just want to double check,was your PR issued in jhb? And u managed to succesfully convert it in CT?

thanks,


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