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If you’re reading this from what is likely a long and depressing queue at the licence renewal centre, you have my sympathies.

You should stick it out, though, because we’ve reached the end of the grace period for vehicle licence renewals for licences which expired between March 26 and May 31, 2020, that was stretched out and periodically extended over the course of the lockdown period.

Alert level 1 has its perks. This is one of the downsides.

To add to the bad news, if you fail to renew by close of day today, September 22, reports Wheels24, you could be looking at some hefty fines or penalties.

Penalties are calculated at 10% of the annual licence fees per month. You also run the risk of landing yourself with a fine of up to R1 000 if the cops catch you driving around with an expired licence.

The Road Traffic Management Corporation, which released the above information in an online post, says:

“Acting according to the Disaster Management Act, the Minister of Transport in July gazetted an extension in the validity period of all whose motor vehicle discs, permits and roadworthy certificates that expired during the period commencing from 26 March to 31 May for a period ending 31 August.

“Beyond this period, motorists were entitled to 21 days in which to renew the vehicle discs without incurring late payment costs.

Those 21 days are up.

The extension affected 2 465 439 motorists whose vehicle discs expired during the total lockdown period.

There is some good news for Capetonians from Jandre Bakker of the Department of Transport and Public Works, who spoke to CapeTalk:

[In the Western Cape] someone will still not be paying any penalties if they renew after today. But there will be arrears now.

It basically says that someone has from today until the end of October to pay. However, if they pay from 1 October to 31 October, there will be one-month arrears. We cannot write off the arrears…but there will be no penalty.

He also emphasises that for the Western Cape this will be an instruction, but can only be a request when it comes to municipalities.

In other words, don’t take any chances.

The only grace period that is still valid is the one for learner or driver’s licence card renewals. Licences which have expired between March 26 and August 31 have until January 31, 2021, to renew.

You’d better get on that.

You can listen to the full interview with Jandre Bakker, here:

[sources:wheels24&capetalk]