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Transport department plans to end driving licences as ID

Published

Draft changes to the National Road Traffic Regulations would stop traffic register number (TRN) certificates, learner's licences and driving licences being accepted as general identification. The department will publish the draft for public comment, with 30 days for written submissions.

The department said a major investigation in 2023, done with the Department of Home Affairs, found widespread abuse of TRNs and other road traffic documents as identity documents. Some institutions accepted TRNs and driving licences as general identification. The department said this goes against the Identification Act, 1997.

Department spokesperson Collen Msibi said the TRN was created only so people without a South African identity number could transact on NaTIS while they finalised their legal status. He said: "It was never intended to serve as general identification."

The draft changes Regulations 1 and 335. The 30 days run from publication in the Government Gazette. A TRN holder would have 21 days to tell the registering authority after getting other acceptable identification. People holding TRN certificates with no validity period would have three months to apply for a new certificate once the rules take effect.

Key facts

Who
Department of Transport (Department proposing the regulation amendments); Department of Home Affairs (Department assisted in the 2023 investigation; sole authority for national…); Collen Msibi (department of transport spokesperson); Airports Company South Africa (institution that would have to review policies under the proposed rules)
What
The Department of Transport proposes amendments to Regulations 1 and 335 of the National Road Traffic Regulations to remove TRNs and other road traffic documents from the definition of acceptable identification, following a 2023 investigation with Home Affairs into their misuse. The amendments will be published for public comment, with 30 days from Government Gazette publication for written…
When
11 October 2026
Where
South Africa
Status
Reported

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