When you purchase a car in South Africa, you must register your vehicle with the appropriate authorities to get a vehicle registration certificate. This document contains details like registering authority, registration number, VIN, vehicle type, and vehicle status, to mention but a few.
Failure to register a vehicle within the first 21 days of purchasing will result in penalties and payment arrears. The process of registering new vehicles, second-hand vehicles, and vehicles built up from parts differ. In this post, we will walk you through how to get a vehicle registration certificate beginning from buying and registering the vehicle.
What Is A Vehicle Registration Certificate?
A Vehicle Registration Certificate is also called a vehicle’s titleholder. It is a document issued by the National Administration Traffic Information System (NaTIS). This document helps identify the owner of a vehicle and the finance house or bank responsible for financing the purchase of the said vehicle.
A vehicle registration certificate contains the following information:
- Registering Authority
- Register Number
- Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
- Engine Number
- Make (Vehicle Model)
- Vehicle Category
- Series Name
- Driven (How the vehicle moves on a public road)
- Tare
- Date of liability for first licensing
- Vehicle Status
- Date Liable for Registration
- Last License
- Title Holder
- Type of Identification
- Identification Number
- Country Issued
- Control Number
- Date of Issue
- Total Amount Received (for the vehicle) in Rands
You should note that your vehicle license should be renewed every year.
Before buying a car and applying for a vehicle registration certificate, you can check the current registration status of the vehicle to ensure that you are about to be defrauded or about to buy a stolen car. You can do this using FirstCheck or Vehicle Check.
After running necessary checks on the vehicle and paying in full for it, you can now proceed with the registration process.
Application For Registration and Licensing of Motor Vehicles
The documents required to register a vehicle and the registration process slightly differ depending on the type of vehicle you intend to register. Upon completion of the entire registration process, a vehicle registration certificate will be issued to the new vehicle owner. Here is how the registration works for different categories of vehicles.
Registration Process For New Vehicles
To register a new vehicle in South Africa, you will be required to provide the following documents:
- Owner’s identity document
- Proof of residence, e.g., utility bill, if the proof of residence does not have your name on it, the owner must swear an affidavit that declares that you live at the said location
- If you live in an informal settlement, you can provide a letter with an Official date stamp from your ward council. This letter can serve as your proof of residence
- Manufacturer’s certificate (This must contain all relevant details about the vehicle)
- If the vehicle is a heavy load, you will have to provide a roadworthy certificate.
With all these documents in place, you can proceed to register the vehicle.
How To Register A New Vehicle In South Africa
To register a new vehicle follow the steps below:
- Download and fill out the Application for Registration and Licensing of Motor Vehicle (RLV) form
- You will be required to pay a license fee that depends on the type of vehicle
- Submit the form alongside all the documents listed above.
If the registration is successful, a vehicle registration certificate will be issued to you.
Registration Process For A Used Vehicle
To register a used or pre-owned vehicle, the new owner will have to provide the following documents:
- Identity documents
- Valid vehicle motor license
- Proof of purchase of the vehicle
- At most, a two-month-old certificate of road worthiness
- Proof of residence
With all these documents handy, you can now proceed with the application process.
How to Register Used Vehicles In South Africa
Before buying a used vehicle in South Africa, it is advised that you run a registration status check, after which you can then pay for the vehicle in full. Here is how to register a used vehicle in South Africa:
- Download and fill the Notification of change of ownership (NCO) form, and the licensing of motor vehicle (RLV) form
- Submit the forms and all the documents above to the appropriate licensing authority
- You may be required to pay a registration fee
Once the registration is complete, your vehicle registration certificate will be issued.
Process For Registering A Vehicle Built Up From Parts
If your vehicle was built up from parts, you would be required to provide the following documents during registration:
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- Identity document
- Proof of residence
- Affidavit that confirms where the parts used to build up the vehicle was gotten from and what was done to the car (form SOA)
- Proof of title ownership
- Deregistration certificate (if the vehicle was previously deregistered)
- Weighbridge certificate
- Letter of application (where applicable)
You will also have to request for the following documents from the police:
- Police clearance (form RPC)
- Police identification (form RPI)
Having prepared all the above documents, you can now continue with the registration
How to Register a Vehicle Built Up From Parts In South Africa
Here is how to register a Built-Up Motor Vehicle in South Africa:
- Fill out the Application for Registration and Licensing of Motor Vehicle (RLV) form
- Visit the closest vehicle registration authority with the RLV form and the documents listed above
- The vehicle’s record will be uploaded on the eNaTIS by the provincial help desk.
- A road-worthy test will be performed on the vehicle
If your registration is successful, a vehicle registration certificate will be issued.
Process for Registering a Modified Vehicle
To register a modified vehicle, you will need the following documents:
- Identification document
- Proof of residence
- manufacturer’s certificate or previous registration certificate or affidavit in a situation where the certificate has been misplaced
- Letter of authority (where applicable)
- Roadworthy certificate
- Weighbridge certificate
- Proof of title ownership
- Deregistration certificate (if the vehicle was deregistered)
- Affidavit that confirms where the parts used to build up the vehicle was gotten from and what was done to the car (form SOA)
You should also obtain the following documents from the police:
- Police clearance (form RPC)
- Police identification (form RPI)
How to Register A Modified Vehicle in South Africa
After gathering all the documents listed above, you can now proceed with the registration of your vehicle by doing the following:
- Download and fill out the Application for Registration and Licensing of Motor Vehicle form (RLV).
- Submit the form alongside all relevant documents to the nearest licensing office
- You may be charged a registration fee
When your registration has been confirmed, your vehicle registration certificate will be issued by NaTIS.
Vehicle Registration Form
You can download all the forms required for registering and licensing a vehicle from eNaTIS. You can visit the eNaTIS website and peruse the relevant forms for vehicle registration and licensing, like the Registration and Licensing of Motor Vehicle (RLV) form and the Notification of Change of Ownership (NCO) form.
How To Change Vehicle Registration Address
If you encounter the need to change your address, here is how to go about the process:
- Complete NCO application form
- Submit the form and your proof of residence and ID to the nearest vehicle registering authority
