Understanding Vehicle Registration Plates in South Africa

Nov 24, 2025 0

In South Africa, vehicle registration plates, commonly known as number plates, are officially issued by the Department of Transport in each province. Each province boasts unique designs, colour schemes, and alphanumeric patterns for its plates.

A vehicle registration plate, also known as a number plate (British, Indian, Pakistani English and Australian English), license plate (American English) or licence plate (Canadian English), is a metal or plastic plate attached to a motor vehicle or trailer for official identification purposes. The registration identifier is a numeric or alphanumeric ID that uniquely identifies the vehicle or vehicle owner within the issuing region's vehicle register.

All vehicles in South Africa, excluding motorcycles, are required to display a number plate on the front and the rear of the vehicle. The validation of a vehicle's registration number is indicated by a licence disc displayed inside the vehicle's windshield and must be visible from the passenger side of the vehicle.

Example of a Gauteng number plate.

A Brief History

Until 1914, each municipality or local management board issued its own registration numbers, which naturally led to overlaps and confusion. Before 1994, South Africa had only four provinces: Cape Province, Natal Province, Orange Free State and Transvaal. Each town had a unique registration prefix followed by a number that was allocated sequentially from 1 (the mayor's vehicle) onward to 999 999.

Government vehicles used the letters GG (for Government Garage) as a prefix, followed by a sequential number. Military vehicles used the letter U (for Union Defence Force) as a prefix until 1961, when U was replaced by R (for Republic of South Africa), followed by a sequential number. Police vehicles used the letters SAP as a prefix, followed by a sequential number. Diplomatic vehicles used the letters DC as a prefix, followed by a sequential number.

Current System and Future Changes

From 1 February 2000, a process started to replace all number plates in South Africa to an aluminium number plate with an RFID tag containing a unique identification code, including the ability to identify the number plate in a foreign nation. This is termed an Intelligent Number Plate system. The system has been implemented for additional and circumstantial use.

The Department of Transport in South Africa has set aside R25 million for the project during the 2015/2016 fiscal year. The Department of Transport in KwaZulu-Natal has set aside R1.5 million for vehicle registration plates for the province.

As of 2025 Gauteng has introduced a new "Smart" licence plate system featuring tamper-evident decals, forensic QR codes, and SADC-compatible digital integration. The initiative began with a six‑month pilot on government fleet vehicles, transitioning to public release by early 2026.

Plate Materials and Sizes

Number plates are available in plastic or metal, with plastic being the preferred material used by the majority of motorists. The most common size is identical to the European number plates' size (113 mm × 520 mm (4.4 in × 20.5 in)). However, a shorter plate is also common (120 mm × 440 mm (4.7 in × 17.3 in)). Most car dealerships now issue the former. Other shapes such as American and motorbike sizes are also available.

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Costs and Personalised Plates

The standard annual non-personalised licence fee is between R250 and R600, depending on the province in which the vehicle is registered and the weight of the vehicle. Vehicle owners can buy specific personalised registration numbers from registering authorities. The cost for a single digit registration e.g. CA 1 will be in the region of R6000 while a long number e.g.

Provincial Variations

After 1994, the Western Cape Province and KwaZulu-Natal Province are the only two provinces where the registration can be still linked to specific towns and cities. The pre-1980 system has largely been retained in these areas, so the first two or three letters at the start of each number plate identify where the vehicle was licensed.

The Eastern and Northern Cape changed their licensing system so the Cape Province registration prefixes used there, like CB (Port Elizabeth) and CC (Kimberley), were dropped. The homeland states of Ciskei and Transkei became part of the Eastern Cape. The Stellaland district (Vryburg) became part of North West Province.

Gauteng

Gauteng's format typically uses two letters, 2 numbers and another two letters and the provincial code "GP" (e.g. BC 12 DF GP), as of 2023, as opposed to the pre three letters followed by up to three digits and the provincial code "GP" (e.g. BCD 123 GP) which has been in use since the early 1990s but was changed due to the high volume of vehicle registrations. The "GP" suffix stands for Gauteng Province, which includes major cities such as Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Ekurhuleni. The system is administered centrally by the Gauteng Department of Transport.

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal as of 1 December 2023 introduced new number plate numbering system. All new vehicles will be using the alphanumeric format (e.g. BB 00 CC ZN). The color of the licence plates is blue over white. The old town specific numbering system is being phased out over 21 months period beginning 1 March 2024, and all motorists renewing from 1 December 2024 are automatically switched over to the new format. All motorists are required to change over to the new numbering system by 30 November March 2025. From 1 December 2025 motorists that have not changed over will be fined by the law enforcement. The new number plates in KwaZulu-Natal will in future use the alphanumeric format. For personalized plates, e.g. ND 1234 will in future be ND 1234 ZN. The old green personalised plates (ZN) will also change to blue over white plates.

Read also: Business Name Registration Guide

Free State

The Free State is the only province in South Africa that places an expiry date on its registration plate. Every five years the owner is required to replace the plate irrespective of condition. This is only enforced in the Free State and if the owner uses the vehicle with "expired" plates in any other province he/she will not be prosecuted. This is the only province in the country that has the same borders today as it did before the Boer War, although it has had three changes of name.

Specific Town/City Codes

In many cases the districts of the province took their letters from the place names to determine the letters that are used to identify each region. Almost all of the areas re...

George (When the George area ran out of CAW combinations in late 2019, CAG started being issued.
Mossel Bay & Hartenbos.
Riversdale & Stilbaai.
Van Rhynsdorp, Klawer.
Strand & Gordon's Bay.
Kuils River, Brackenfell, Kraaifontein (Since about 2000; previously the code for Grahamstown, Eastern Cape). Now part of the City of Cape Town.
Somerset West.
Bellville, Durbanville, Parow, Goodwood.
City of Cape Town vehicles.

Vehicle Ownership Changes

In the Western Cape, where the registration number is indicative of the town of registration, the registration number will not change when the owner of the vehicle relocates to another town in the same province. It is required of the owner to inform the authorities of a change of address within 21 days. However, if the owner relocates to another province, the owner has to register the vehicle in that province within 21 days. Whenever a vehicle is registered in a new owner's name, the vehicle will receive the registration of the new owner's town.

When a vehicle changes ownership it is required that the vehicle be taken for a roadworthy test. The new owner is allowed to use a vehicle for a period of 21 days on the previous owner's registration before the vehicle has to be registered in the new owner's name. If the roadworthy result cannot be obtained within this period, the owner may register the vehicle without being roadworthy, however a licence disc will not be issued and the vehicle may not be used on a public road. A temporary permit must be obtained from the registering authority to drive the vehicle to the testing station or repair shop.

When a person buys a vehicle from a dealer in another province or town other than the one they live in, a temporary permit valid for three weeks is issued by the registration authorities. A vehicle can only be registered in the town the owner lives in.

When a vehicle's engine is replaced or the VIN and engine number needs to be verified for some legal reason, the vehicle needs to obtain police clearance. Since September 2012, a vehicle can only obtain a clearance if it was marked with a micro dot, or data dot system. This is a process where about 10,000 micro dots with a serial number on is sprayed with a resin onto all components of the vehicle. This serial number is linked to the vehicle's VIN on the national registration database. These dots can be found with an ultraviolet light and when magnified the serial number can be traced. New vehicles are treated in the factory and the dots carry the vehicle's VIN.

It is illegal in South Africa to alter or tamper with a vehicle's VIN or the factory stamped number on an engine in any way.