It is illegal to drive without a driver’s licence or drive a vehicle that is not listed on your driving permit in South Africa. Each licence has a code indicating what vehicle type the drivers are allowed to drive. Learning about the meaning of the South African drivers license codes will help you decide which licence you should apply for.
Types of South Africa Drivers Licence
The classification of driver’s licence in South Africa is consistent with the European Unified Driving Licence system. It could be divided into the following types according to engine capacity.
- A: Motorcycles
- B: Light motor vehicles weighing up to 3,500kg Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM)
- C: Heavy motor vehicles
- D: Combinations and articulated vehicles.
Code A Driver’s License – Motorcycles
It includes 2 sub-categories for motorcycles with different engine sizes.
- Code A1
It is designed for motorcycles with an engine size of up to 125cc whether a sidecar is attached to it. Individuals reaching 16 years old are eligible for this driving licence type in South Africa.
- Code A
It refers to motorcycles with an engine size exceeding 125cc (with or without a sidecar, moped, or scooter) and electronically powered vehicles. In South Africa, to apply for a code A learner’s licence, applicants must be at least 18 years old.
Code B Driver’s License – Light Motor Vehicles
Code B drivers license, previously called code 8 drivers licence, is issued to applicants aged at least 18. It applies to most vehicle types with a GVM of less than 3,500kg, not including motorcycles and agricultural vehicles. It is divided into 3 sub-categories.
- Cobe b
It allows the licence holders to drive light motor vehicles weighing up to 3500 kg, such as minibusses, buses, goods vehicles, ambulances, fire-fighting trucks, garbage trucks, and so on. The vehicles under this category are permitted to pull a small trailer with a GVM of no more than 750kg.
- Cobe b5
It is issued to operate tractors with or without trailers and there is no limitation on mass weight.
- Cobe b7
It is designed for mobile machinery, such as construction equipment, excavators, earth movers, and forklifts without mass limit.
Code C Driver’s License – Heavy Motor Vehicles
Code C driver’s licence is issued to applicants aged at least 18 to drive heavy motor automobiles with a GVM of more than 3,500kg. It consists of 3 sub-categories.
- Code C1 (Old Code 10 Licence)
It allows a driver to drive heavy motor vehicles with a GVM between 3,500kg and 16,000 kg, including minibusses, buses, goods vehicles, ambulances, and fire-fighting vehicles. If a trailer is attached, it must not exceed 750 kg.
- Code C1-4
It is an extra annotation on the code C1 licence. Owners of this license type can drive extra heavy buses with a GVM of more than 16,000 kg.
- Code C
It can be used to drive motor vehicles with a GVM of over 16,000 kg, including goods vehicles, passenger cars, and special cars. A trailer weighing less than 750kg is permitted to be attached to these vehicles. Moreover, code C drivers can also drive automobiles listed under code B and code C1.
Code 10 Driver’s Licence
The code 10 drivers licence currently falls under the C1 category but it is no longer available in South Africa. Those who owned a code 10 licence could drive vehicles listed under driving licence codes C1 and code C1-4 licences. C1 driver’s licence holders can operate goods vehicles, mini-buses, buses, or special cars with a GVM of 3,500 to 16,000 kg with or without a maximum 750kg trailer. C1-4 driver’s licence owners can drive buses with a GVM exceeding 16,000kg.
Code D Driver’s License – Combinations And Articulated Vehicles
An articulated vehicle refers to a vehicle with a permanent or detachable pivot joint that helps smooth turning, including heavy equipment, buses, trams, and trains. The driving licence code D, also known as code E, is classified into the following 3 categories.
- Code EB
It authorizes an individual to drive an articulated vehicle with a gross combination mass (GCM) of less than 3,500 kg or a rigid vehicle up to GVM of 3,500kg pulling a heavy trailer above GVM 750kg.
- Code EC1
It covers articulated vehicles with a GCM of less than 16,000 kg or a rigid vehicle between 3,500kg – 16,000kg GVM with a heavy trailer above GVM 750kg, which means it applies to vehicles listed under the code B, C1, EB.
- Code EC
It is designed for articulated vehicles with a GCM of more than 16,000 kg or a rigid vehicle above 16,000kg GVM pulling a heavy trailer above GVM 750kg, which includes code B, C1, C, EB, and EC1 vehicles.
SA Professional Driving Permit (PRDP) Categories
The Professional Driving Permit (PrDP), previously called the public driver’s permit (PDP), is issued to those who drive for a living. It is a required document to apply to work as a truck driver, passenger car driver, taxi driver, courier, valet parking person, or chauffeur. A PrDP is divided into the following categories.
- Group G
It applies to common goods vehicles and malfunctioning vehicles.
- Group P
It includes Group G vehicles and other commercial vehicles with up to 12 passengers, for example, buses and taxis.
- Group D
It allows a driver to operate Group G and Group P automobiles as well as vehicles transporting dangerous goods.
🔎To learn the difference between PRDP and PDP, you can head over to SA PDP Requirements, Application & Online Booking and apply for your driving permit smoothly.
SA Learner Driving Licence Categories
A learner’s licence is a mandatory pathway to a full driving licence in South Africa. It proves that an individual has learned about the basic knowledge of a vehicle and traffic rules. Like a full licence, a learner’s licence is issued under the following categories according to different vehicle types.
- Code 1: for a motorcycle with or without a sidecar, motor tricycle, or quadricycle.
- Code 2: for light motor vehicles with a GVM of 3,500kg or lower.
- Code 3: for heavy motor vehicles with a GVM higher than 3,500kg.
📢Read Also: How to Book Learner’s License Online in South Africa
SA Drivers Licence Age Limit
Individuals aged 16 years old and in good health are eligible to apply for a South African driver’s licence, but each specific type of vehicle has different age limits.
| Type of driver’s licence | SA Drivers licence codes | Minimum age requirement |
| Motorcycle under 125 cc | Code A1 | 16 |
| Motorcycle above 125 cc | Code A | 18 |
| Learner’s license for light vehicles | code 2 | 17 |
| Learner’s license for heavy motor vehicles | code 3 | 18 |
| PrDp for goods transportation | G | 18 |
| PrDp for passenger transportation | P | 21 |
| PrDp for dangerous goods transportation | D | 18 |
| Other driver’s licence | / | 18 |
How Long Does It Take to Get South Africa Driver’s Licence
The waiting time for a driver’s licence application in South Africa depends on automobile type, performance in driving tests and exams, etc. Generally, it takes 4-6 weeks for light vehicles with South African drivers license codes A and B. As for heavy vehicles with driving licence codes C and D, the processing time might be prolonged to 12 weeks. Please note that a learner’s licence is valid for 24 months and cannot be extended, so it is suggested to continue obtaining a full licence as soon as possible.
How Much Does It Cost to Get SA Driver’s Licence
The total cost of obtaining a driver’s license in South Africa varies according to the driving school you choose, the province you apply from, and licence type, so it is advised to check the exact cost with the local licensing authority. Here is a list of fees that are involved.
| Type of fees | Description | Fees |
| Application fee | It includes administrative costs to deal with the application. | About R240 |
| Driving school fees | It includes registration fees and tuition for professional training and guidance. | Vary from institution to institution |
| Learner’s license fee | It covers dealing with and issuing a learner’s license. | About R108 |
| Driving test fee | It is charged while taking the practical driving test, which is used for test administration and evaluation. | About R228 |
| License issuing fee | It is used to make the physical license card after all tests are passed. | About R140 |
Bonus: Create Photo for SA Driver’s Licence
One to two ID photographs should be submitted along with other supporting documents to apply for a South African driver’s licence. Supposing that you are are troubled with the high cost and long waiting time at a physical photo store and studio, AiPassportPhotos has provided a perfect solution to DIY SA driver’s licence photo at home. Here is how to use it.
- Visit the the South African Driving Licence Photo Editor.
- Follow the instructions to take a South African ID picture at home.
- Upload the photo on the same page and it will automatically process the image until a 100% compliant photo is generated.
- Download the image and print it out.
FAQ
Q: How much is code 10 drivers licence?
A: The total cost ranges from R3,000 to R10,000 according to where you apply from.
Q: Is code 10 C or C1?
A: It belongs to code C1 and is split into code C1 and code C1-4.
Q: What is code 8 licence in South Africa?
A: It refers to Code B driver’s license for light motor vehicles.
Q: What is code 14 drivers licence?
A: It refers to the code C1-4 licence which allows you to drive vehicles with a GVM over 16,000kg.
Q: Is code 3 code 10?
A: No. Code 3 currently refers to learner’s licence for heavy motor vehicles while code 10 was used in the old coding system to indicate heavy articulated vehicles.
Conclusion
The drivers licence codes in South Africa represent different types of vehicles that a driver can drive with a valid driving permit. We hope this passage will help you learn about the SA drivers licence codes and decide a proper one to obtain, so you don’t waste time applying for a licence that you are not qualified for and being rejected.