The Department of Transport says it is well on track to clear backlogs of outstanding driving licence cards.

In a statement on Thursday, the department said the bottleneck experienced between November 2021 and January 2022 will be cleared by April.

The renewal backlog that was experienced due to the Covid-19 pandemic grace period will be cleared by September.

The following regulation will apply in due course: motorists who apply to renew their driving licence cards before March 31 will have their driving licences valid for a further three months on condition that they are in possession of their old driving licence cards. They must also have proof of fees paid for the application to renew in the form of a receipt.

The department says “The regulation is also applicable to those who have applied to renew their driving licence cards since February 25 and before the end of the grace period of March 31 .

“If you apply after the expiry date, please note that you will be required to apply for a temporary driving licence,” the department said.

Motorists are therefore encouraged to apply to renew their driving licence cards before the expiry date to avoid incurring any possible additional costs.

Meanwhile, with the recent dispute by the driving schools having been resolved, the department said it is happy to report that Driver Licensing and Testing Centres are now in full operation to assist the public. – SAnews.gov.za