Many visitors have raised questions with regards to the validity of International Driver Licenses in South Africa. We would like to share one of these requests and the answer provided by our experts.
Question:
“Can you please clarify the following: What are the criteria for an international license to be valid in South Africa?Do I have to obtain an International Drivers Permit if I intend to drive when visiting South Africa ? If so , how much are they and where can i get one from ? Is it possible to obtain one before i leave Australia ? “
Answer:
Herewith the extract from regulation 110:
Subregulation 1 refers to the criteria for acknowledging a foreign driving licence or an international driving licence permit:
1) Subject to subregulation (3), a driving licence referred to in section 23 (1) (a) of the Act, issued while the holder of it was not permanently or ordinarily resident in the Republic, shall, for the period for, and subject to the conditions under which it was issued, be deemed to be a valid licence for the purposes of Chapter IV of the Act, if—
(a)(i) the licence has been issued in an official language of the Republic; or
(ii)
(ii) a certificate of authenticity or validity relating to the licence issued in an official language of the Republic by a competent authority, or a translation of that licence in such official language, is attached to it;
(b) such licence contains or has attached to it, a photograph and the signature of the licence holder.
In addition to the information provided – some people are more comfortable travelling with an international driving permit (IDP) in addition to their driving licence.
An IDP can only be issued in the country where the licence was issued. So your IDP will have to be issued in Australia. The FIA is the international custodian of IDPs in terms of the Geneva Convention. Only members of the FIA can be allowed to issue IDPs. In most countries the Automobile Association (AA) does this service on behalf of the government of the country. This is however not exclusive to the AA as in some other countries other car clubs also issue IDPs.
This article will give you information on where to get IDPs in each country: