Motorists rushing to renew their licences discs by August 31 are in luck as the deadline has been extended to September 22.
This is largely due to high customer volumes both in office and online. The extension aims to help alleviate the pressure at customer offices across the metro and in South Africa, and to assist more motorists with their renewals.
“The City has confirmed this extension with officials from the Western Cape Government and the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC). No interest or penalties will be charged if motor vehicle licences are renewed on or before 22 September 2020. The City first needed to confirm that traffic officials would not fine motorists from 1 September to 22 September for licences that have expired on 31 March 2020, 30 April and 31 May 2020, part of the original three-month lockdown grace period,” said the City in a statement.
RTMC officials confirmed that no penalties or interest will apply throughout the country. The City has advised drivers to opt for online renewal where possible and to expect a backlog due to high volumes of customers.
Those who would prefer to go into the office should do so early in the day and be prepared for reduced staff due to the COVID-19 regulations that must be adhered to.
“The City’s cash and motor vehicle licensing offices have allocated more dedicated staff to assist customers with motor vehicle registration and licensing (MVRL) enquiries and City staff are assisting with online motor licensing enquiries and technical difficulties. We remind customers that as a result of the influx of online MVRL renewal applications, postal service delays may occur. The South African Post Office (SAPO) has however assured the City that it will deliver to customers as soon as possible,” continues the statement.
Customers are asked to keep the following (regulations as per the National Department of Transport) in mind:
– Licence discs that expired on March 31, 2020, on April 30, 2020, and on May 31, 2020, should now be renewed by September 22, 2020
– Discs that expired on June 30, 2020: payment and renewal had to be renewed by July 21, 2020
– Discs that expired on July 31, 2020: payment and renewal had to be renewed by August 21, 2020
– Discs that will expire on August 31, 2020: renew by September 22, 2020
– Motor trade vehicle numbers/trade plate for motor vehicle dealers: renew by November 31, 2020
– Driver licences, learner’s licences, and roadworthy certificates: renew by January 31, 2021
Motorists who failed to renew their licences before March 26 when lockdown was implemented will still pay penalties. Online applications done over March, April and May will need to be redone because of the passage of time.
The City has also advised that they are not responsible for dealing with current fines that have not been written off.
“Fines cannot be written off as it is not a decision the City can make. This falls within the ambit of the National Department of Transport and the City follows the prescripts of the applicable regulations and legislation. The City continues to engage the Western Cape Government, the National Department of Transport and the RTMC on this issue. The City is only an agent of the other government spheres when it comes to vehicle licensing, they hold the authority. The Ministry did not include this scenario for penalties to be written off for vehicle licences that have expired before the lockdown.
To check customer office operating hours, please visit the Operations and Service Notifications document on the City’s website or the City’s social media pages ahead of time if unsure,” the statement reads.
What to expect when visiting an office:
– COVID-19 screening at the entrances
– Limited number of customers allowed in at a time
– Social distancing is required and must be adhered to
– Visit early in the day. There are longer queues due to reduced staff at some offices as required by COVID-19 regulations and high volumes of transactions are being experienced.
– You only need your ID for motor vehicle licensing and registration renewals
Register on e-Services:
– Renew vehicle licences
– Submit water/electricity readings
– Pay accounts online
– View current account and account history
– Apply to receive accounts via email
– Log service requests
To register for e-Services visit: online e-services portal
For motor vehicle registration and licensing assistance, please email [email protected]
For customers who have experienced difficulties with the MVRL online transactions, please email [email protected]
Picture: Pexels
