South Africa is in the middle of a major shift in how driving licences are issued, used, and verified. Since 1998 (that is nearly three decades), South Africans have used laminated plastic driving licence card as a replacement of the paper-based licence printed in the old green identity book.
The physical driving licence card has been delayed by more than two years. But now, a new physical licence card and a separate digital driving licence both in development. However, the digital version may arrive first; it's expected to be launched by the Department of Home Affairs before 2026 runs out.
Motorists may now be able to apply for a digital driving licence before an updated physical driving licence card is finally released. Initially, the Department of Transport planned to introduce the digital licences one year after the new physical cards. However, this timeline has shifted and the Presidency—led by President Cyril Ramaphosa—has taken over the broader digital identity programme.
The presidency takeover is what accelerates the digital licence. Under the presidency supervisor, a national digital ID system is being developed under the MyMzansi platform and a working prototype of the digital driving licence was demonstrated in 2025. “This year, the DHA will launch a digital ID to enable safe and secure use of digital services for all South Africans,” the president declared when he was delivering the 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA) in February.
The digital driving license prototype allows users to register and authenticate identity, add a digital driving licence to an app, and store licence details securely on a smartphone. The system is linked to the National Traffic Information System, allowing traffic officers to verify licences instantly using QR codes. The MyMzansi platform will support the secure storage of the digital IDs, driving licences, and other official civic records.
South Africa's Digital Driving Licence
The digital driving licence can be used in the exact way normal physical IDs are used because it mirror key details from the physical card, including a licence number, driving code and restrictions, and a QR code for verification. If you scan the digital license, the QR code will confirm the authenticity of the license through MyMzansi platform.
However, it's important to note that the Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber issued a draft digital identity regulation policy for public comment in early May 2026. The draft policy will be open until 6 June 2026 for public comments, and after the public opinions the regulations will be promulgated.
Under the draft policy framework, the proposed digital ID would be voluntary (optional), remain valid for five years (i.e., expires 5 years after the initial issuance), and can be used with other government IDs including smart ID cards and other physical government-issued documents. The digital ID regulations establish administrative guidelines for managing digital credentials within the framework of the existing Identification Act of 1998.
Physical Driving Licence Backlogs
The physical card project was delayed due to procurement issues, legal challenges, and system failures. The project contract was supposed to be carried out through a joint venture called Prodiba, which included Face Technologies (Arivia.com), French company Thales, and Nkobi Holdings (linked to Schabir Shaik).
It was meant to last for five years, but was unlawfully extended by the officials in charge without proper authority. Due to the extension, the South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal ruled the extension invalid, stating that it improperly committed public funds without parliamentary approval.
Despite the Supreme Court ruling, the contractor earned over R2 billion before the system was eventually handed over to the Department of Transport’s Driving Licence Card Account (DLCA) in 2015.
The existing card printing machine is now very old and has repeatedly broken down over the past decade. These failures have led to backlogs in issuing driving licence cards, delays in renewals, and periods of national downtime. In fact, power surge cause a major breakdown in 2021 and 2022. The breakdown intensified pressure on the government to replace the system.
The former transportation minister Fikile Mbalula announced a plan to introduce a new printer and card in January 2022. The minister promised that the card would be made of polycarbonate, like smart IDs, and will have a built-in chip that stores cardholder information. He also promised that the card would enable South Africans to drive in other countries.
The card look promising, in fact, South African cabinet approved the card's prototype. The pilot of the card was scheduled to begin in November 2023 and full launch by the end of March 2024. But it's worth noting that as on May, 2026, the new smart driving licence card has not been rolled out.
