South Africans might sometimes be required to submit their driver’s licence confirmation letters. More often than not, you might have to produce this certificate when you apply to convert your SA licence into an international driver’s licence.
These certificates are issued by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) after the National Traffic Information System verifies that the applicant does have a valid South African driver’s licence. The certificate serves as proof that the individual has a valid licence and will allow them to convert to a foreign driving licence in the country of current residence.
The importance of Driver’s Licence Confirmation Certificates
As mentioned, a verification certificate of your driver’s licence will be required when you wish to convert your South African licence into a foreign driver’s licence. It might also be difficult to rent a car abroad because the South African driver’s licence card only indicates the date of issue for a specific licence, not the date on which you first qualified as a driver.
This is why it is advisable to apply for a Confirmation Letter of your driver’s licence from the Road Traffic Management Corporation before travelling abroad if you plan to hire a vehicle. Some countries may also not accept South African driver’s licences as valid licence and it might be necessary to apply for an international driver’s licence from the Automobile Association before departing, in which case you will also need to produce a Verification Certificate.
Applying for Driver’s Licence Confirmation Certificates
Unfortunately, the process of obtaining your verification certificate can be complicated, and even though the steps to applying for such certificates might seem straightforward, the waiting times involved in the process can be a major burden.
Applicants will have to lodge a request with the Road Traffic Management Corporation for a Confirmation or Verification Certificate of their driver’s licence. Once the RTMC has received the request, they will investigate and print a copy of the licence required along with a Verification Certificate of the licence. This certificate reflects the date on which the licence was first issued.
One important step that has been introduced during 2022 is the completion of a form: Driver’s Licence Confirmation Letter Application Form.
What does the driver’s licence confirmation certificate look like?
The document states that a person (name and Identity Number) has obtained and holds a driver’s licence in South Africa, which type, where it was issued, and when it was earned. It also shows the expiry date and the restrictions (if any) that the driver has. Finally, the bulk of it explains to a reader what the driving licence code means (e.g. in the above example, the code is EB).
Important aspects to remember about your South African Driver’s Licence
Your South African drivers’ licence never expires. HOWEVER, your licence card expires every five years. In some countries, like Spain, it is impossible to convert your SA driver’s licence, as mentioned earlier.
The problem, however, is that the new licence will not be indicative of your actual years of driving experience since it only counts from the day it was issued. This can be burdensome for obtaining insurance for your car and other processes like renting a vehicle abroad.
To ensure your years of driving experience gets added to your new licence card abroad, it is essential to obtain a driver’s licence verification letter from South Africa so the foreign authorities can edit your details and capture the years of experience on your new licence card.
The timeline for obtaining Driver’s Licence Confirmation Letters
Applying for Driver’s Licence Confirmation Certificates without the help of documentation specialists generally takes many months.
Apostil.co.za can assist you in obtaining your Verification Certificate within weeks of applying (excluding courier time – see Pricing page). We can also have it apostilled as fast as possible. If you need to have it authenticated and attested, we can also assist with that. See our pricing and contact us now.
