Smart ID collection is the step that more than 341 000 South Africans have not completed. Home Affairs says that many Smart ID cards are waiting uncollected at its offices. The local government elections are on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, and a card you have not collected cannot be used to vote.
This guide covers how to find out whether your card is ready, what to bring when you collect it, and what to do if you cannot get it in time.
How many Smart IDs are uncollected
Home Affairs Deputy Director-General for Operations Thulani Mavuso said in mid-September that about 341 000 Smart ID cards remain uncollected across the country. That is out of about 34 million issued since the card was introduced. He said many of the uncollected first-time cards belong to young people who applied after turning 16, and asked parents to make sure those cards are fetched.
On 7 September 2026, Home Affairs issued a statement urging citizens who have applied for IDs to collect them as soon as possible ahead of the elections. It also urged anyone who still needs to replace a lost or damaged ID not to wait until the last minute.
How to know your Smart ID is ready
Home Affairs uses the cellphone number you gave when you applied to send you updates, including an SMS when your card is ready for collection. Check your messages first, including older ones, because the SMS may have arrived weeks ago.
If you have not received an SMS, these are your options:
- Applied at a Home Affairs office: contact the office where you applied, or call the Home Affairs Contact Centre on 0800 60 11 90.
- Applied at a bank branch: Home Affairs says customers who use the bank route receive updates through the bank’s own service channels. Contact the bank where you applied.
- Changed your cellphone number since applying: you will not receive the SMS. Go to the office or branch where you applied and ask whether your card has arrived.
Home Affairs has an SMS status service: send “ID”, a space and your ID number to 32551. However, some reports this year say its online status check has been suspended. Do not rely on either service alone, and do not give your ID number to unofficial websites that claim to track your card.
What to bring when you collect
You must collect your Smart ID card yourself. Home Affairs checks your fingerprints at collection to confirm the card goes to the right person, so nobody else can collect it for you.
Bring:
- your current identity document if you have one, such as your green ID book or temporary identity certificate
- the SMS notification, or your application receipt or reference number
- for bank applications, the details of the branch where you applied
Collect from the same office or bank branch where you applied, unless you chose a different collection point when you applied.
Fees if you still need to apply
If you have not applied yet, these are the current Home Affairs fees, updated in August 2026:
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| First Smart ID card (first-time applicant) | Free |
| Re-issue of an ID or Smart ID card | R140 |
| Temporary identity certificate | R70 |
Green ID book holders can switch to a Smart ID at a Home Affairs office or at a participating bank branch. Home Affairs said on 7 September that more than 450 bank branches now offer Smart ID services. Our guide to getting a Smart ID at your bank explains the bank process, and the bank branch finder shows how to locate a participating branch.
What you can use to vote on 4 November
The Electoral Commission accepts three forms of identification at voting stations:
- a green barcoded ID book
- a Smart ID card
- a valid temporary identity certificate issued by Home Affairs
No other documents are accepted, and only originals are allowed. If your Smart ID is still waiting at an office, it does not count until you have collected it.
If your green ID book is lost and your Smart ID will not be ready before 4 November, apply for a temporary identity certificate at a Home Affairs office. It costs R70 and can be used to vote. For more on the elections, see our local government elections 2026 guide.
Why collecting now matters beyond the elections
Home Affairs is phasing out the green ID book. Mavuso said in September that within about two years the green ID book will no longer be usable. Our guide to the green ID book phase-out explains what that means for current holders.
A card left at an office does not protect you if your green ID book is lost or stolen in the meantime.
Where to check
The Home Affairs website lists office contact details by province and the Smart ID bank branches. The Home Affairs Contact Centre is on 0800 60 11 90. Offices are open from 8:00 to 15:30 on weekdays, and from 9:00 on the last Wednesday of each month. Current fees are on the Home Affairs fees page. For voter identification rules, check the Electoral Commission.
HOW WE REPORTED THIS CROSS-CHECKED
- Fees were taken from the Home Affairs fees page, which is marked as updated in August 2026
- The elections appeal, the bank branch count and office hours came from the Home Affairs statement of 7 September 2026 and the department's homepage
- Uncollected card figures came from media reporting of Deputy Director-General Thulani Mavuso's mid-September remarks
- Voter identification rules came from Electoral Commission material as republished by municipalities and the media
- No comment was sought from Home Affairs or the Electoral Commission
