National Road Traffic Act, 1996 (Act No. 93 of 1996)

Regulations

National Road Traffic Regulations, 2000

Chapter V : Fitness of Drivers

Part II : Learner's and driving licences

99. Categories of learner's and driving licences, classes of motor vehicles relating to each category of such licences and the authority conveyed by such licences
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(1) The categories of learner's licences and the classes of motor vehicles pertaining to each code of learner's licence are:
(a) Code 1: Motor cycle with or without side-car, motor tricycle or quadrucycle;
(b)Code 2: Motor vehicle, other than a motor cycle or tricycle the tare of which does not exceed 3500 kilograms, a minibus, midibus, bus or goods vehicle the gross vehicle mass of which does not exceed 3 500 kilograms, an articulated motor vehicle or combination of a motor vehicle and trailer of which the gross combination mass of the truck-tractor, haulage tractor or drawing vehicle does not exceed 3500 kilograms, or a tractor; and

[Regulation 99(1)(b) substituted by regulation 28(a) of Notice No. R. 846 of 2014]

(c)Code 3: Any motor vehicle or combination of motor vehicles other than a motor cycle, tricycle or quadrucycle.

[Regulation 99(1)(c) substituted by regulation 24(b) of Notice No. 2116 of 2001]

 

(2)        

(a) The holder of a learner's licence shall, except where such licence relates to a motor vehicle having no seating accommodation for a passenger or to a motor cycle, when driving the vehicle concerned, be accompanied in or on that vehicle by, and be under the direct personal supervision of a person seated next to him or her, or immediately behind him or her, where such person cannot be seated next to him or her, and who is in possession of a licence, other than a learner's or similar licence, authorising him or her to drive that class of motor vehicle.
(b)A learner's licence in respect of a motor cycle shall not authorise the holder of it to drive a motor cycle on a public road while carrying another person.
(c) A learner's licence shall not authorise the driving of a motor vehicle while carrying persons for reward, other than a person accompanying the holder of a learner's licence in terms of paragraph (a).

 

(3) A learner's licence with the code mentioned in the first column of the table below issued before 1 March 1998, shall be regarded as a learner's licence with the code mentioned against it in the second column of the table:

 

CODE OF LEARNER'S LICENCE ISSUED BEFORE 1 MARCH 1998

NEW CODE LEARNER'S LICENCE

Code 01, 02, 03, 04 and 15 or a code 12 for aforementioned codes

Code 1

Code 05, 06, 07, 08 or a code 12 for aforementioned codes

Code 2

Code 10, 11, 13 and 14 or a code 12 for aforementioned codes

Code 3

 

(4)        

(a)the categories of driving licences are indicated by the codes mentioned in the first column of the table below, each of which pertains to the classes of motor vehicles mentioned against it in the second column of the table, and authorises the holder of such code to drive the motor vehicles mentioned against it in the said second column and third column of the table: Provided that for the purposes of this subregulation the term "goods vehicle" does not include a haulage tractor:

CODE

CLASS OF MOTOR VEHICLE

AUTHORISATION

A1

A motor cycle without side-car which has an engine with a cylinder capacity not exceeding 125 cubic centimetres, or which is propelled by electrical power, but does not include—

(i) any vehicle propelled by electrical power derived from storage batteries and which is pedestrian controlled; or
(ii)any vehicle with a tare not exceeding 230 kilograms and specially designed and constructed, and not merely adapted, for the use of any person suffering from some physical defect or disability or a person of old age and used solely by such person.

Includes authorisation to drive—

(i)

(aa)a motor cycle with a side-car;
(bb)a motor tricycle;

which has an engine with a cylinder capacity not exceeding 125 cubic centimetres; and

(ii)a vehicle having pedals and an engine or an electric motor as an integral part thereof or attached thereto and which is designed or adapted to be propelled by means of such pedals, engine or motor, or both such pedals and engine or motor.

A

A motor cycle without a side-car which has an engine with a cylinder capacity exceeding 125 cubic centimetres.

Includes authorisation to drive—

(i)a motor cycle with a sidecar;
(ii)a motor tricycle; and
(iii)any other motor vehicle for which a code A1 driving licence is required.

B

A motor vehicle, excluding a motor cycle, motor tricycle, tractor, haulage tractor and a motor vehicle which is a type of mobile agricultural or industrial equipment or machinery not designed principally for the conveyance of persons or goods, being consequential

(i)a motor vehicle, including a motor home, the tare of which does not exceed 3 500 kilograms; or
(ii)a minibus, a midibus, a bus or a goods vehicle, the gross vehicle mass of which does not exceed 3 500 kilograms,

with or without a trailer, the gross vehicle mass of which does not exceed 750 kilograms, but does not include an articulated motor vehicle.

Includes authorisation to drive—

(i)a tractor; haulage tractor and
(ii)a motor vehicle which is a type of mobile agricultural or industrial equipment or machinery not designed principally for the conveyance of persons or goods,

with or without a trailer.

C1

A motor vehicle, excluding a motor cycle, motor tricycle, tractor, haulage tractor and a motor vehicle which is a type of mobile agricultural or industrial equipment or machinery not designed principally for the conveyance of persons or goods, being—

(i)a motor vehicle, the tare of which exceeds 3 500 kilograms but does not exceed 16 000 kilograms; or
(ii)a minibus, a midibus, a bus or a goods vehicle, the gross vehicle mass of which exceeds 3 500 kilograms but does not exceed 16 000 kilograms,

with or without a trailer, the gross vehicle mass of which does not exceed 750 kilograms, but does not include an articulated motor vehicle.

Includes authorisation to drive any motor vehicle for which a code B driving licence is required.

C

A motor vehicle, excluding a motor cycle, motor tricycle, tractor, haulage tractor and a motor vehicle which is a type of mobile agricultural or industrial equipment or machinery not designed principally for the conveyance of persons or goods, being a bus or a goods vehicle, the gross vehicle mass of which exceeds 16 000 kilograms, with or without a trailer the gross vehicle mass of which does not exceed 750 kilograms, but does not include an articulated motor vehicle.

Includes authorisation to drive any motor vehicle for which a code B or C1 driving licence is required.

EB

A motor vehicle, excluding a motor cycle, motor tricycle, tractor, haulage tractor and a motor vehicle which is a type of mobile agricultural or industrial equipment or machinery not designed principally for the conveyance of persons or goods, being—

(i)an articulated motor vehicle, of which the gross combination mass of the truck-tractor does not exceed 3 500 kilograms;
(ii)a combination of—
(aa)a motor vehicle the tare of which does not exceed 3 500 kilograms; or
(bb)a minibus, midibus, bus or goods vehicle, the gross vehicle mass of which does not exceed 3 500 kilograms,

with a trailer the gross vehicle mass of which exceeds 750 kilograms.

Includes authorisation to drive any motor vehicle for which a code B driving licence is required.

EC1

A motor vehicle, excluding a motor cycle, motor tricycle, tractor, haulage tractor and a motor vehicle which is a type of mobile agricultural or industrial equipment or machinery not designed principally for the conveyance of persons or goods, being—

(i)an articulated motor vehicle, of which the gross combination mass of the truck-tractor exceeds 3 500 kilograms but does not exceed 16 000 kilograms;
(ii)a combination of—
(aa)a motor vehicle the tare of which exceeds 3 500 kilograms but does not exceed 16 000 kilograms; or
(bb)a minibus, midibus, bus or goods vehicle, the gross vehicle mass of which exceeds 3 500 kilograms but does not exceed 16 000 kilograms, with a trailer the gross vehicle mass of which exceeds 750 kilograms.

Includes authorisation to drive any motor vehicle for which a code B, C1 or EB driving licence is required.

EC

A motor vehicle, excluding a motor cycle, motor tricycle, tractor, haulage tractor and a motor vehicle which is a type of mobile agricultural or industrial equipment or machinery not designed principally for the conveyance of persons or goods, being—

(i)an articulated motor vehicle of which the gross combination mass of the truck-tractor exceeds 16 000 kilograms;
(ii)a combination of a bus or goods vehicle, the gross vehicle mass of which exceeds 16 000 kilograms,

with a trailer the gross vehicle mass of which exceeds 750 kilograms.

Includes authorisation to drive any motor vehicle for which a code B, C1, C, EB or EC1 driving licence is required and a haulage tractor.

[Regulation 99(4)(a) substituted by regulation 28(B) of Notice No. R. 846 of 2014]

(b)The holder of a driving licence of the code mentioned in the table below, which was issued before 1 March 1998, as contemplated in section 19 or 20 of the Act (hereinafter referred to as the "old licence"), shall, subject to paragraph (bA), upon application in terms of regulation 111 or 112, respectively, be issued in terms of regulation 108 with a driving licence (hereinafter referred to as the "new licence") of the code mentioned against the old licence in the first column of the table below.

Topic 99

Topic 99 1

Topic 99 2

Topic 99 3

Topic 99 4

Topic 99 5

Topic 99 6

Topic 99 7

[Regulation 99(4)(b) substituted by regulation 1(b) of Notice No. R. 53 of 2011]

 

(bA) If an applicant's application referred to in paragraph (b) relates to a new licence of the code EC1 or EC and the applicant is disqualified in terms of regulation 102 from holding such new licence, but is not so disqualified from holding a new licence of the code EB, such applicant's application shall for the purposes of regulation 102 be deemed to be an application which relates to a new licence of the code EB, and that applicant shall be issued with a new licence of that code.
(bB) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these regulations, the holder of an old licence with code 05 or 07, or generally known as a code 05 or 07, shall upon application in terms of regulation 111 or 112, as the case may be, be issued in terms of regulation 108 with a new licence with code B which shall—
(i) in the case of an application which relates to an old licence with the code 05, contain an endorsement of code 5 which indicates that the holder of such licence is only authorised to drive a tractor of any mass, with or without a trailer of any mass; and
(ii) in the case of an application which relates to an old licence with the code 07, contain an endorsement of code 7 which indicates that the holder of such licence is only authorised to drive a motor vehicle which is a type of mobile agricultural or industrial equipment or machinery not designed principally for the conveyance of persons or goods, of any mass, with or without a trailer of any mass.
(c) Subject to paragraph (bB), the authority granted by the new licence is as prescribed for the code of such licence in paragraph (a), but if the licence is a code EC1 driving licence, the holder of it is authorised to drive the class of motor vehicle for which he or she had authority under the old licence.
(cA) In the case where the old licence authorises the driving of a motor vehicle which is propelled by electrical power, the authority granted by the new licence is, subject to the new licence being endorsed in terms of section 18(4)(a) of the Act, as prescribed for the relevant code of such licence in paragraph (a).
(d) In the case where the old licence authorises the driving of a motor vehicle specially adapted, constructed or equipped for use by a physically disabled person, the authority granted by the new licence is, subject to the new licence being endorsed in terms of section 18(4)(b) of the Act, as prescribed for the relevant code of such licence in paragraph (a).

 

[Regulation 99 substituted  by regulation 3 of Notice No. R. 541 of 2011]