What is being proposed
Gauteng licence disc fees are set to rise. Draft regulations published by the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport propose lifting the annual licence fee on a light car from R528 to R564, and written comments close on 23 September 2026.
The draft was published in Gauteng Provincial Extraordinary Gazette No. 247 on 5 August 2026, as an amendment to the Gauteng Provincial Road Traffic Regulations, 2001. It is made under section 25(1)(g) and (h) of the Gauteng Road Traffic Act 10 of 1997. Nothing has been approved yet. The department says the final schedule of approved tariffs will be published in the provincial gazette once the process ends.
Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport Kedibone Diale-Tlabela has asked the public to comment, describing public participation as central to shaping the change.
The proposed fees
The figures below are the ones reported from the draft gazette. The gazette itself is not published online, so treat these as the draft position and confirm at a registering authority before you budget on them.
| Item | Current | Proposed | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motor vehicle registration | R228 | R240 | 5,3% |
| Motorcycle, tricycle, quadricycle | R252 | R264 | 4,8% |
| Caravan registration, not self propelled | R420 | R444 | 5,7% |
| Annual licence, car with tare 1 001 to 1 250 kg | R528 | R564 | 6,8% |
| Annual licence, vehicle 12 001 kg and above | R32 112 | R34 080 | 6,1% |
| Additional charge per 500 kg above 12 000 kg | R2 652 | R2 820 | 6,3% |
| Trailer or semi trailer, 12 001 kg and above | R32 244 | R34 224 | 6,1% |
| Trailer additional charge per 500 kg above 12 000 kg | R2 664 | R2 932 | 10,1% |
Annual licence fees in Gauteng are charged on tare, the weight of the vehicle when empty. That is why a bakkie and a small hatchback pay different amounts even if they cost the same to buy. The scale is tiered and runs from the lightest category up to the 12 001 kg and heavier bracket. Reporting on the draft puts heavier passenger vehicles such as larger sedans and SUVs at up to about R1 836 a year.
For most households the money involved is small. A R36 rise on a light car is under R3 a month. The trailer figure is the one that stands out, because a 10,1% increase on the per 500 kg charge lands squarely on transport operators and works its way into freight costs.
How to comment before 23 September
Comment is open to anyone, not just Gauteng residents or vehicle owners.
- Email written comments to [email protected].
- Hand deliver to the Office of the Director: Policy, Legislation, Research and Knowledge Management, 25th Floor, Life Centre Building, 45 Commissioner Street, Johannesburg.
- Phone 011 355 7190 or 011 355 7036 during office hours to have a copy of the gazette emailed to you.
- Copies of Extraordinary Gazette No. 247 are also available at the department’s head office, regional offices, driving licence testing centres and transport operating licence administrative bodies.
All written comments must be in by 23 September 2026.
This is not the same as the RAF licence disc tax
Two separate things are circulating and they are being confused with each other.
The Gauteng proposal above is a provincial adjustment to fees that already exist. It changes the amount, not the structure.
Separately, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has said her department is working on a new funding model for the Road Accident Fund, which could include a transitional charge attached to licence disc renewals. The reasoning is that the RAF is funded by a levy on every litre of petrol and diesel sold, so as electric vehicle numbers grow the levy base shrinks. That national proposal has no published amount, no gazette and no implementation date. The Automobile Association and AfriForum have both criticised it, with AfriForum arguing that petrol and diesel owners would end up paying twice, through the fuel levy and again at renewal.
Treat the RAF charge as a possible future cost, not a fee you owe. Only the Gauteng fees are actually on the table with a comment deadline.
What Gauteng motorists should do now
- Check what you currently pay. Your renewal notice shows the fee for your tare category, and that is the number the increase applies to.
- Renew on time. Late renewal penalties are charged on top of the licence fee and dwarf a 6% increase.
- If you are selling or buying, the registration fee change matters at the point of transfer, so read up on changing vehicle ownership before you agree a price.
- A licence disc and a roadworthy certificate are different documents with different triggers. If you are unsure which you need, see when a roadworthy certificate is required.
- Bank promotions that covered part of the renewal cost have been changing, as with the FNB R69 licence disc promotion ending.
Where to check
The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport is the authority here. Its head office, any registering authority and any driving licence testing centre in the province hold copies of Extraordinary Gazette No. 247, and the final approved tariff schedule will be published in the provincial gazette. For enquiries call 011 355 7190 or 011 355 7036. The provincial government publishes departmental contact details at www.gauteng.gov.za.
