# Driving in South Africa



## expatlora1 (Jul 30, 2014)

Hi!

If we are living in South Africa, can an EU citizen with a valid EU licence (from The Netherlands), use an International driver's licence as well to drive for maybe up to a year (the validity of the International Licence)?

Also, I understand that once you change to a South African licence, your other licence is to be handed over or can you still keep it? 

Thanks!


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## joe117 (Sep 10, 2012)

Yes you can use your international license.
No, you do not hand in your original license on conversion to a local license.


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## Klipspringer (Feb 21, 2015)

expatlora1 said:


> Also, I understand that once you change to a South African licence, your other licence is to be handed over or can you still keep it?


If you have permanent residence in SA then you need to apply for an SA driver's license. It is only in this case that officials ask people to hand over their local licenses, but this is actually not legally correct and you can insist on handing in only a certified copy of your license.

If you don't have permanent residence then you can't apply for an SA license and you'll have to keep both your foreign driver's license and the international driver's license with you at all times.


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