South African motorists can expect to pay much more in national licensing transaction fees in 2019.
This was confirmed by a government gazette published on Friday (8 March) in which minister of Transport, Blade Nzimande, announced a 14% increase in the transaction fees to be paid to the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC).
The fees will increase by R10 – from R72 to R82, the department said.
In terms of The Road Traffic Management Corporation Act, local registering authorities (licensing centres) must pay the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) a transaction fee for each motorist it processes. This is subsequently passed on to the applicant and added to the annual licence fee.
This fee separate from the actual licence fee, with the R82 effectively added to the renewal costs for all motor vehicle licenses across the country.
No implementation date was provided with interested parties given four weeks to comment on the increases.
Big increases
While a 14% increase may seem minor, it is the second major increase in the RTMC fee in as many years.
In February 2018 the fee increased by R30 – from R42 to R72 – with motorists now effectively paying twice as much compared to January last year.
Prior to this increase in 2018, the fee has increased by a mere R6 since 2009.
This increase will affect South African motorists across the country, with the actual licensing fee differing from province to province, dependent on the size and weight of your vehicle.
In the Western Cape, a motorcyclist can expect to pay R192 (2019) for a new licence while motorists can pay anywhere between R288 to R966 to renew their annual licence.
In comparison, Gauteng motorists can expect to pay between R204 – R972 (2018) for their vehicle licence, and R204 for a motorcycle licence.
