POLOKWANE – South Africans still using the green bar-coded identity book will have until March 31 2028, to replace it with a Smart ID card, according to Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber.

The department will stop producing the green books a year earlier, on March 31 2027, after which the remaining holders will have 12 months to transition to the newer identification system.

Schreiber said the production machinery for the green books will be shut down and permanently decommissioned in March 2027.

14.7m people still use green books

The announcement provides a firm deadline for a process Home Affairs has been working towards for years. The department has been expanding access to Smart IDs through participating bank branches, with the aim of making the transition easier for people who still use the old document.

Home Affairs previously said about 16 million people still relied on green ID books; Schreiber has now put the remaining number at approximately 14.7 million.

Why the change?

The department has cited security and identity-fraud concerns as reasons for moving away from the green book.

Home Affairs has described the document as particularly vulnerable to fraud, while the Smart ID uses biometric and other security features.

Who is covered?

The transition will also cover groups that previously faced difficulties obtaining Smart ID cards.

Schreiber said Home Affairs will ensure that naturalised citizens, permanent residents and South African citizens living abroad can access Smart ID cards before the green book becomes invalid.

Naturalised citizens and lawful permanent residents became eligible to apply for Smart IDs in 2025 after changes to Home Affairs’ systems.

How much will it cost?

The department’s existing policy means first-time ID applicants and people aged 60 and older are exempt from the Smart ID fee.

For other eligible green-book holders, Home Affairs previously listed the replacement fee at R140.

Bank branches expanding access

The transition is being supported by an expanding network of participating banks.

In August, Home Affairs said Smart ID services were available at 372 bank branches, with more than half a million applications processed through the banking partnership since its launch in March 2026.

The department has set a target of 750 participating branches by the end of 2026.

Click here to find your nearest participating bank branch.

For now, the important dates are:

• March 31 2027: production of green ID books ends.
• March 31 2028: green ID books cease to be valid identification documents.
• Between these dates: existing green-book holders will have a year to obtain a Smart ID.

The change will mark the end of the green bar-coded ID book as South Africa’s recognised identity document after decades of use.