Vehicle Registration

When a vehicle is purchased or sold it must be registered in its new owner's name ('transfer of ownership'). After a vehicle is registered, it must be licensed within 21 days to avoid penalty fees. The owner should not wait until the vehicle's current license disc expires.

A vehicle can be registered anywhere in the country but can only be licensed in the city/town where the owner permanently resides.

Vehicle Licensing

Licensing must either be done after a vehicle is registered in a new owner's name (the first licensing) or if a vehicle owner moved from one province to another.

A license disc will not print if there are other unlicensed vehicles on the owner's name or if the vehicle does not have a valid roadworthy certificate.

Yearly Renewals

A vehicle's license must be rewened every year. There is a grace period of 21 days before late fees become applicable. If a license, for example, expires at the end of March, late fees will only be calculated from April 21st.

If there are expired vehicle licenses on your name, the eNatis will automatically block the license discs of all your vehicles - even those that have been paid up to date.

Notice of Change of Ownership

When selling a vehicle it is recommended to 'give notice' to the new owner as soon as possible as the seller remains responsible for the yearly licence fees until the vehicle is registered in the new owner's name.

Sellers usually only find out a vehicle they have sold is still registered in their name when they try to renew their own vehicle licenses and all the license discs are blocked.

Change of Titleholder

When a vehicle is financed, the registration certificate will show the financial institution (lessor) as the "Titleholder" and the buyer (lessee) as the "Owner". Once the vehicle is paid off, the owner will receive the original registration certificate, the paid up letter, a completed NCO form and the proxy's ID from the financial institution that financed the vehicle. The vehicle must then be re-registered in the name of the owner who will then become the 'Titleholder' as well.

Vehicle De-registration (Scrap)

A vehicle can only be de-registered if all outstanding license fees are paid up to date.

The original registration certificate (not a copy) is needed to do a de-registration.

FS Number Plates

A vehicle is issued with an FS number at the time it is licensed (unless it already has FS number plates).

Available sizes: 440x120mm; 520x113mm; 250x205mm; 250x165mm (Aluminium or Perspex).

We can also assist with personal numbers (eg. PROTEA FS) and special numbers (eg. 123JVN FS).

Roadworthy Tests

When a vehicle is to be registered in the name of a new owner it must first undergo a roadworthy test. If the vehicle does not have a valid roadworthy certificate, no license disc will print at the time the vehicle is licensed in the new owner's name. A roadworthy certificate is valid for 60 days.

Heavy-load vehicles must be tested for roadworthiness every year and buses every six months.