Need to get your license renewed? Here are some tips on how to beat the queues
We take a look at some tips on how to be prepared when going to renew your driver's license.
The list of things that the pandemic has impacted on is endless, from job losses, to the economic crises, to people fearing for their lives, to transitioning into a lockdown lifestyle, to the delays in renewing your driver's license...
The impact has definitely snowballed when it comes to affecting almost all the nooks and crannies of our lives. But there are several ways to look at it, we can choose to let it be the 'be all and end all' of our lives, or adapt and look at this as an opportunity as approaching challenges in a more diverse and open minded manner.
In the news last week, "South Africans were relieved to hear that the deadline of renewals of all license licences – learner’s licences, driving licences, professional driving permits, and temporary licences – which expired between 26 March 2020 and 31 August 2021 – has been extended." (MSN)
The process has been extended to 31 March 2022, allowing drivers enough time to get their affairs in order and also allowing for licensing centres to cope with the backlog and approach the influx in a more efficient way.
It is often the case that when you arrive at the licensing office there are new or updated operating procedures in place that you were not made aware of. Or it could just be that you have forgotten since the last time you were there.
The thing is that we are first to admit that when it comes to many governmental institutions, they are generally overwhelmed with the influx of queries that they sometimes don't have the best ways of dealing with customer queries.
So in order for you to make it a day affair, or less, then we have some information for you that we believe will equip you in making the renewal process less stressful. Firstly, make sure that you masked and have all the necessary documentation.
Your license renewal booking should be done four weeks before the date of expiration, so if your license expires in Ocotober, 2021, you should ideally be booking now, August 2021 to be safe. "This will help you avoid paying an additional cost for a temporary one after it expires while you wait for your permanent one." (MSN)
Due to COVID-19 the teams at the licensing centres are no longer doing eye tests, so you need to go to an optometrist and do an eye test and take the results with you to the testing centre.
The documents that you should remember to take are (MSN):
- Identity document (ID) and a copy of your ID, old driving licence card, or valid South African passport
- Four black-and-white ID photographs (before you have photographs taken, confirm with the DLTC how many photos they require) - Check for their contact details online or you can use a directory.
- Proof of residential address e.g. utility account. If the utility bill is not in your name, the owner of the bill must make an affidavit declaring that you live at the address, and the utility bill must be attached to the affidavit. This needs to be under 3 months old.
- If you stay at an informal settlement, you must bring a letter with an official date stamp from the ward councillor confirming your residential address
- Prescribed application fee. (This may vary according to the type of license you hold, the code of license)
It takes around four to six weeks for your license to be ready. There isn't a notification process, so you will have to make a note of the day and go back for collection in due time.
Our advice would be to wait for the full six weeks to avoid it not being ready when you go there for collection. Alternatively you could call the centre to ask if your license is ready for collection, which is a more efficient way.
We hope that this helps in some way. If you are unable to go do your driver's license due to work then perhaps you can check in with you local driver's license centre as to what they will accept in your absence.
Image Courtesy of Twitter