How To Secure Vehicle Registration Plates Of South Africa

South Africa has a very unique system for vehicle registration. There are different types of plates for different types of vehicles in terms of appearance and format, and these plates also vary in cost.

This article explains the steps to perform successful vehicle registration, complete with getting vehicle registration plates of South Africa.

How Does The South African Car Registration System Work?

When registering an imported vehicle in South Africa, you need to contact the motor vehicle registration facility located in the city where you live.

Vehicle registrations in South Africa are orchestrated by NATIS, which stands for National Traffic Information System.

Here is a list of the documents that are necessary to register your vehicle in South Africa when visiting your local vehicle registration facility:

• A means of identification:

Generally, the South African identity document is preferred, but if you do not have it, you can submit an official identity document belonging to your country.

Another means of identification that is accepted is the traffic register number certificate, which you can apply for at a Registering Authority (RA) close to you.

• Letter Of Authority (LOA) for imported vehicles; new, used, or modified.

The Letter Of Authority is necessary because it helps maintain a fixed standard for vehicles being used in South Africa in accordance with the National Road Traffic Act of 1996.

The application form for the LOA will be filled out by the person whose name the vehicle will be registered in.

• Proof of address, such as a utility bill.

If the utility bill is not in the applicant’s name, the utility bill’s owner must provide an affidavit stating that the owner of the car being registered lives at the address. The utility bill will be attached to the affidavit.

• If the owner lives in an informal residence, they must get an official dated letter from their local authority verifying their resident address.
• The manufacturer’s certificate that consisting of all important data about the vehicle.

If the vehicle is used, you will need to submit:

• Registration and licensing documents from outside South Africa.
• A change of ownership form.
• A certificate of roadworthiness.

If you are importing your vehicle from an EU country, it is possible for a European Certificate of Conformity to be accepted when registering your vehicle in South Africa.

However, it is advisable to double-check with the transport authorities in South Africa to be certain.

EUROCOC can assist you by ordering and sending it to you.

After submitting these, the applicant will have to finish filling out the Application for Registration and Licensing of Motor Vehicle (RLV) form. The necessary forms can be gotten from the motor vehicle registering authority or the eNaTIS.

How To Apply For South African Number Plates?

After registering your vehicle by providing the necessary documents and filling out the forms, the application will be dispatched to the province centre.

It may take several days for the vehicle registration to be established, but the applicant will be contacted as soon as the data record is registered in the system.

Thereafter, the South African license plate will be given.

Cost Of South African Plates

Standard fees for vehicle registration plates of South Africa range from R250 to R600 depending on the province in which the vehicle is registered and the features of the automobile.

However, people often pay a lot more to get personalized South African licence plates, ranging from R600 to R10,000.

What Do South African Car Number Plates Look Like?

The standard material for a South African licence plate is plastic, while metal is used less often. The most popular size is 520 mm x 110 mm (20.5 inches x 4.3 inches). Another type of South African number plate – 440 mm x 120 mm (17.3 inches x 4.7 inches) – is also popular.

Format Of South African Number Plates

Verification registration plates of South Africa are distinct in each province. Each province has its own South African number colour combination, plate structure, and character system. Check the different formats here.

What Types Of South African Licence Plates Exist?

In South Africa, licence plates are distinct based on province. Also, there is a difference between the standard plates and the customized plates.

South African Custom Number Plates

In South Africa, you are allowed to customize the characters contained in your vehicle’s registration number. The fewer the number of characters, the more expensive the South African plate is.