SA motorists are now able to apply for or book motor vehicle licences and driving licences online instead of queuing at driving licence testing centres (DLTCs).

The department of transport has launched a bouquet of online services on the RTMC’s online platform here which has been rolled out nationally after initially being available in Gauteng and the Eastern Cape.

The services include:

• online application, issuing and delivery of a motor vehicle licence and disc to the owner of the motor vehicle;
• online application, issuing and delivery of a registration certificate of a motor vehicle to the title holder of the vehicle for financial institutions, large fleet operators and motor dealers;
• online application and payment for a booking for renewal, in person, of a driving licence card at a driving licence testing centre;
• online application and payment for a driving licence card delivery to the holder;
• provision of an electronic copy of an accident report.
• The online notification of change of ownership of a motor vehicle by the title holder or owner will be implemented later.

Paying a R99 fee will get the driving licence card or vehicle licence disc delivered to your doorstep.

You still need to visit a DLTC to have your fingerprints taken and your eye test done, though the department plans to introduce online eye testing, where the test result will be automatically uploaded and linked to the user application.

While the online services do not eliminate the need for queuing, they have been introduced to improve service delivery and minimise the need for a motorist to visit a DLTC a number of times, said transport minister Fikile Mbalula.

“Motorists will be able to access most of the services they had to travel and queue for at a DLTC in the past from their homes and offices. The end goal is to eliminate queues once the full bouquet of online services has been implemented.”

These measures signal a break from the lethargic customer service, long queues and corruption with which South Africans have associated traffic-related services.

“The online system has been enhanced to allow financial institutions, insurance companies and vehicle dealerships to register vehicles directly on the NaTIS system.

“This will improve convenience and help to combat crime associated with the change of ownership of vehicles. The benefit of these services is that motorists and private companies will be transacting directly on the NaTIS, eliminating middlemen who fuelled corruption”.

Online vehicle licence renewals will enable the 2.4-million motorists renewing vehicle licence discs annually to avoid queues, fines and penalties for late renewal.

There is a huge backlog in the renewal of expired driving licence cards caused by the closure of DLTCs due to Covid-19, faulty equipment and systems and corruption where officials sold online block bookings for bribes. The backlog was worsened by the breakdown of the only machine able to print driver’s licence cards, which is back in action after being sent overseas for repairs.

In August, Mbalula extended the grace period for the renewal of expired driver’s licence cards to March 31 2022 due to the backlog. All learner’s licences, driving licence cards, temporary driving licences and professional driving permits that expired between March 26 2020 and August 31 2021 are deemed to be valid until the end of March.

TimesLIVE