South Africa’s Driving Licence Card Account, commonly referred to as the DLCA, has unveiled a comprehensive plan to reduce the average production time for driving licence cards to just seven working days over the course of the next three years. This ambitious target forms a central part of the entity’s Annual Performance Plan for the 2026/27 financial year and represents a dramatic shift from the sluggish processing times that have frustrated South African motorists for years.
Key Takeaways
- Processing times are improving, but slowly: Production has dropped from 23 days to 19, with the ultimate seven-day target only arriving by end of 2028/29.
- An eight-year licence validity is coming – eventually: The extension from five to eight years still needs Cabinet approval by March 2027 and parliamentary sign-off in 2028 before it takes effect.
- Modernisation is finally back on track: A court ruling had stalled the new card rollout, but with that resolved, the DLCA can now move ahead with new equipment and updated production systems.
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How Production Times Have Changed Over the Years
As part of its performance monitoring framework, the DLCA has established the average number of working days required to produce a driving licence card as one of its primary output indicators. This metric allows both the entity and the public to track tangible improvements over time.
The recorded production time in the 2022/23 fiscal year stood at an average of 23 working days per card. This figure improved marginally to 22 days during the 2023/24 period, and then dropped more noticeably to 19 days in 2024/25, suggesting that the operational improvements already undertaken are beginning to yield measurable results.
While waiting for your driving licence card, you are permitted to drive using your temporary driving licence (TDL), which is issued at the testing centre. However, a TDL is only valid for a limited period – typically three months – so it is advisable to apply for your card renewal well in advance of your current card’s expiry date.
Looking ahead, the DLCA has set a target of 21 days for the 2026/27 financial year – a slight step back from the 2024/25 figure – which is expected to reflect a transitional phase as new systems and equipment are brought online. The target then drops sharply to 14 days by 2027/28, before reaching the ultimate objective of seven working days by the close of the 2028/29 financial year.
Annual Card Production Targets for the Next Three Years
Alongside the processing time goals, the DLCA has also published its production volume targets for the coming financial years:
- 2026/27 – 2.6 million driving licence cards
- 2027/28 – 2.7 million driving licence cards
- 2028/29 – 2.7 million driving licence cards
It is worth noting that these targets are considerably lower than the volumes achieved in previous years. In 2022/23, the DLCA produced over 3.4 million cards, and in 2023/24, more than 2.8 million cards were printed. The lower targets are likely a reflection of the disruptions caused by the legal dispute over the new card tender, as well as the period of system stabilisation that followed.
Legal Dispute Over the New Driving Licence Card Design Is Now Resolved
Plans to introduce a redesigned driving licence card were previously delayed after the High Court ruled that the original tender process used to appoint a supplier was invalid. This legal uncertainty created a period of operational instability for the DLCA, as it was unable to proceed with the card modernisation project while the matter remained unresolved.
That situation has since been resolved, and the DLCA is now able to refocus its attention on stabilising and upgrading its production environment. As part of this effort, the entity has confirmed that it will be initiating the acquisition of new production equipment to replace the current machinery, with the broader objective of modernising the entire card production process from the ground up.
If you are unsure whether your application is being processed, you can check the status of your driving licence card online via the eNaTIS (National Traffic Information System) website, or by visiting your nearest traffic department. Always keep your receipt from the application as proof of submission.
South Africa’s Department of Transport Plans to Extend Licence Card Validity
In a separate but equally significant development for South African motorists, the Department of Transport has confirmed plans to extend the validity period of driving licence cards from the current five years to eight years. This change, if approved through the necessary legislative processes, would reduce the frequency with which South Africans are required to renew their licences and would ease some of the administrative burden on both the public and the DLCA.
South Africa’s current five-year driving licence validity period is one of the shorter renewal cycles when compared to many other countries. For example, the United Kingdom issues driving licences that remain valid until the holder turns 70, while Australia generally operates on a five-to-ten-year cycle depending on the state or territory.
The proposal is outlined in the Department of Transport’s Annual Performance Plan for the 2026/27 financial year, which also maps out the procedural steps required to bring the change into effect.
The Legislative Roadmap – Step by Step
The approval process for this extension is a multi-stage one that will involve both the Cabinet and Parliament. The following milestones have been established:
| Timeline | Legislative Milestone |
|---|---|
| June 2026 | The validity extension proposal is submitted to the Minister of Transport |
| September 2026 | The proposal is submitted to the Shareholders’ Committee |
| December 2026 | Submission to the relevant Forum of South African Directors-General (FOSAD) Clusters |
| March 2027 | Cabinet approval for the extension of the validity period to eight years is expected to be obtained |
| 2027/28 | The extension is submitted to Parliament for approval |
It is important to understand that even once Cabinet approves the extension in principle, the change will not come into immediate effect for all current cardholders. It is expected to apply to cards renewed or issued after the new legislation comes into force. Motorists whose cards expire before that point will still need to renew under the existing five-year rules.
For the medium-term period spanning 2026/27 through to 2028/29, the department has listed securing Cabinet approval as the primary milestone for the first year, with parliamentary approval following in the second year. No specific targets have been published for the 2028/29 period in this regard.
Why This Process Has Taken So Long
It is notable that the proposed extension of driving licence validity has been discussed for a considerable number of years, yet concrete legislative progress has remained elusive. The updated timeline published in the 2026/27 Annual Performance Plan represents the most structured and detailed roadmap yet produced for this change, though it also highlights just how lengthy the South African government’s policy approval process can be when measured against what the public might reasonably expect.
The idea of extending South Africa’s driving licence validity period first gained public traction in the early 2010s, when concerns about the administrative backlog at the DLCA were already well documented. More than a decade later, the formal legislative process is only now beginning in earnest, reflecting broader challenges around policy implementation within the transport sector.
Together, both the DLCA’s production improvement targets and the Department of Transport’s validity extension proposal represent meaningful steps forward for the millions of South Africans who hold a driving licence card – a document that is widely used not only for driving but also as a primary form of identification in everyday life.
Conclusion
South Africa’s driving licence system is undergoing a meaningful but gradual transformation, with the DLCA working to cut production times to seven days by 2028/29 and the Department of Transport pushing to extend card validity from five to eight years. Progress is being made, though the timelines are long and the legislative process for the validity extension in particular has been slow-moving. What is encouraging is that key obstacles – namely the legal dispute over the new card tender and longstanding production backlogs – are now being actively addressed, giving motorists reason to expect a noticeably more efficient and less burdensome licensing experience in the years ahead.
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