Vehicle licences
If you drive in Cape Town and own the vehicle you are driving, the City requires you to register this vehicle. You wil be issued with a licence disc which must be visible at all times. You only need to register your vehicle once, but you will need to renew your licence every year.
Registering your vehicle
Registering your vehicle with the City proves you are the owner. You must register any vehicle within 21 days of ownership, no matter where you have bought it or received it from. You will be given a licence disc once you have registered your vehicle unless there is an issue with your registration application, such as an expired roadworthy certificate.
See our step by step instructions on how to apply to license and register your vehicle.
Remember, when you register you car, you will need to identify yourself. See below for what we consider acceptable forms of identification.
What is acceptable identification?
- RSA identity document or RSA passport (only if valid)
- Temporary identity document (only if not expired)
- Traffic Register Number certificate
- RSA driving licence card (only if not expired)
Where to register your vehicle over the counter
You can register your motor vehicle at any of the City’s motor vehicle registration (MVR) centres. Be sure to check the current tariff (see the document downloads section below) and bring enough cash along to pay the applicable fee.
See our
City Boundaries Map to make sure you live within the City’s boundaries and should be using one of the City’s MVR offices. If you don’t, please contact your own municipality for your vehicle licensing and registration needs.
Make an online appointment
You can avoid queues by booking a slot to register or renew your motor vehicle licence, pay your municipal account, make enquiries or make account payment arrangements.
This is only available at a few selected branches, however we are implementing the
booking facility at more of our facilities in a phased approach.
Vehicle licence renewals
The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) posts renewal notices around six weeks before your vehicle licence is due for renewal. However, it is your responsibility as the owner of the vehicle to check if your licence is up to date and to renew your own licence on time, as we cannot always guarantee the delivery of the renewal notice. You can renew your vehicle over the counter or online.
NB: The date when your vehicle licence expires is printed on the licence disc. If you fail to renew your vehicle licence, you will be penalised – by law, unlicensed vehicles may not be used on public roads and you will be fined.
See our step by step instructions on how to renew your motor vehicle licence or go straight to e-Services to renew online.
Change of ownership
When you sell your vehicle to someone else, you will need to fill out a change of ownership form and submit to an
MVR centre. This will usually be part of a process whereby the new owner will be registering the vehicle in their name.
Remember:
- You have to be the registered title holder to sell a vehicle.
- Check that your vehicle licence is valid at the time of sale.
- Ensure your vehicle has had a roadworthy test in the last six months.
- Make sure you record the identity number of the buyer directly from their acceptable identification.
If you have a financed car
If a financial institution has helped you buy your car, they will be registered as the ‘titleholder’ until you have paid off the vehicle. You would be registered as the ‘owner’. Only the registered ‘titleholder’ is allowed to sell or dispose of a financed vehicle. Once you have paid off your car in full you will need to re-register yourself as the titleholder and owner of your vehicle. This is exactly the same process as registering a vehicle for the first time.
Duplicate certificate of registration
You will need to apply for a duplicate certificate of your motor vehicle registration if one of the following has happened:
- The chassis number of the vehicle identification number has changed.
- The engine number has changed.
- You have destroyed or lost your certificate of registration.
Apply to change your vehicle’s details
When you register your vehicle, you will provide certain information about your car. If any of these details change, such as the colour of your vehicle, or you if have exported your car to another country, you will need to notify the City and have the details changed.
If you want to change the particulars of your vehicle (chassis number, colour etc.), you will have to contact the call centre on
086 010 3089, and they will advise you about what you require to notify the City about the changes.
Police clearance
Your vehicle may need to go for a police clearance for any of the following reasons:
- The engine has been replaced.
- You have been referred to the police by a vehicle testing station.
- The engine differs from what is on record.
- The vehicle has been reported as stolen, or it has a duplicate chassis/engine number.
When should I deregister my vehicle?
You must apply to deregister your vehicle if it is no longer fit for public roads or if it has been stolen. These are two separate processes. If your vehicle registration has not been renewed for four years, it will be automatically deregistered.
Register an imported vehicle
If you want to import a new or used vehicle from overseas or from a neighbouring country, you must register it with us, the City of Cape Town. The documents you will need to register an imported vehicle will be different, depending on whether you are registering the vehicle as an individual or a company.
Personalised number plates
Applications for personalised number plates (e.g. JOHN-WP) must be made on a provincial level. You can find instructions on how to personalise your plate on the
Western Cape Government website.
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