The most expensive province for car licences in South Africa

KwaZulu-Natal has the highest fees for standard passenger vehicle license discs in South Africa, which charges up to 46% more than the cheapest province, the Northern Cape.

Every province charges slightly different prices, depending on the unladen weight of your car (tare) and type. The higher the vehicle tare, the more expensive the licence disc fee.

Passenger cars in South Africa generally weigh between 750 kg and 2,500kg.

The smaller hatchbacks weigh around 750kg, while the bigger luxury SUVs and bakkies can weigh up to 2,500kg.

Compact and medium-sized cars such as SUVs, crossovers, and sedans fall in the weight range of 1,250kg to 2,000kg.

Motorists in South Africa are allowed a 21-day grace period to renew their expired motor vehicle licence. This grace period starts from the expiration date of the current licence disc.

After the grace period, a penalty fee is charged for late renewal. The penalty fee is calculated as 10% of the annual licensing fee for each month the licence remains lapsed.

For instance, if your annual licensing fee is R408 (which applies in Gauteng for vehicles weighing more than 750kg but not exceeding 1,000kg), the penalty for failing to renew your licence would be R40.80 per month.

When comparing the provinces, KwaZulu Natal has the highest renewal fees for almost every weight class.

For an average hatchback, it costs R474 and for heavy SUVs like a Toyota Land Cruiser, it can cost up to R1,350.

This is considerably more expensive than the Northern Cape, which is the cheapest province for all types of vehicles.

Gauteng is the second most expensive province, followed by the Eastern Cape. On the other hand, Limpopo is the second cheapest, which is then followed by the Western Cape in third.

When exploring the reasons behind the price differences for car license renewals in different provinces, one important factor to consider is the financial state of the province.

For instance, KZN has a reputation for struggling with revenue collections, and it has also announced the steepest expected rates and tax hikes for 2024, which will come into effect on 1 July.

In contrast, the Western Cape has some of the lowest rates and tax hikes across all nine provinces.

This could be an indication that the cost of a car license renewal in any given province is partly dependent on that province’s revenue requirements and fiscal position.

South Africa’s provincial governments revise their vehicle licence disc fees from time to time. There is no set term between these changes.

Adjustments are published in a provincial gazette.

the costs below are according to Foresight Publications keeps track of roads and transport legislation and numerous fees in the industry, including toll charges and vehicle licence disc renewal fees.

The table below shows the car licence renewal fees for passenger vehicles in all nine provinces, depending on the relevant weight of the car.

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