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“Why can’t life just be simple?”
Recently, we asked a willing participant to go online and try to make sense of the motor vehicle licensing and registration process. After a few days, they came back to us and said, “You know, I thought I was getting it at first, but even on the official sites not everything matches up.”
This response reflects something we’ve seen a lot of lately: people try to license and register their recently bought cars all the time, but how often do they succeed?
Everyone remembers what it was like getting their ID done. If you could pay someone to get it on your behalf legitimately, saving you hours of wasted time, wouldn’t you?
How many times have you seen people get sent away empty-handed after waiting for hours in a queue? How many people have you seen arrive at six in the morning just for a chance to get inside?
Now ask yourself: was getting the admin done for your driver’s license much better?
If you thought getting yourself licensed was a pain, getting your vehicle licensed and registered will likely make you tear your hair out. The process always seems simple, but you need to remember we’re dealing with bureaucracy here.
At Auto Online, we deal with car-related paperwork every day, and as such we see it as our duty to lift that burden off the shoulders of our clients. Instead of having to deal with all the complexity yourself, Auto Online gives you a much more streamlined process that saves you time and sanity.
How Can We Help?
In most cases, all you need to upload for us to help you is:
- A copy of your ID
- Proof of your address (if it can pass FICA, we can use it)
- A permission letter empowering our dedicated licensing person to handle licensing and registration on your behalf
And that’s it! You can even type up your letter in something like Microsoft Word or OpenOffice, save it as a PDF, then e-sign it for something that’s quick, neat, and looks extra official.
Things only get more complex than that if we don’t have a local representative in your area, as a vehicle can only be licensed in the area where you, the customer, live.
In this rare scenario, we will send you all the documentation you need and will reimburse you for any money you spend on documentation fees: just make sure to take the documents and some money to your local licensing registration authority.
While this does mean you need to wait again, you will at least have peace of mind that your documents are all in order and will be accepted on the first try.
Professional Tips on Licensing and Registration
The most professional tip anyone can give you regarding licensing and registration is this: have a professional do it. Even when you’re buying a used car from a private seller, it’s wise to go online and find a licensing and registration service to help you, compared to just going it alone. Don’t waste your time off on getting bureaucracy done.
But, if you absolutely HAD to get it done alone, here’s what you’d need:
- An RLV form (also known as a blue form) which you’d need to complete and sign. Registration authorities can hand these to you on-site, but it is better to complete them in advance, so see here for a downloadable RLV form.
- An invoice (if bought from a dealership) or NCO form (if bought from a private owner). The invoice/ NCO form must be completed by the seller and submitted before registration can take place but do ask for a copy to bring with you anyways.
- A copy of your ID or driver’s license
- Proof of address
- A permission letter if you’re sending someone other than yourself to stand in line at the traffic department.
- If your vehicle is being financed through a bank, the bank needs to send out proxy packs and permission letters so you can register the vehicle in the bank’s name on their behalf. After all, a vehicle cannot be registered under your name until it is paid for in full. If it sounds frustrating to put in all that effort to register a vehicle that isn’t even in your name, that’s because it is. Rather empower your dealership to handle this!
You’ll also need the car’s NATIS document, also known as a manufacturer’s certificate or RC1 form. Altogether, taking these documents into the traffic department, with some cash for document fees, will help you complete the licensing and registration process.
Assuming, of course, that you don’t run into any caveats. Like, for instance, the roadworthiness certificate for used and heavy-load vehicles, or the ALV or MLV2 forms that are needed for licensing already-registered vehicles in some cases, but not all cases. Again, rather lean on the professionals that deal with this every day and spare yourself a headache!
Licensing and Registration FAQs
Q: Is car insurance a legal requirement for licensing and registration in South Africa?
A: No, this is up to the preference of the owner. That said, no bank will agree to finance your vehicle unless you agree to adequately insure it.
Q: What’s the best way to get hold of a manufacturer’s certificate/ RC1 form/ NATIS form?
A: These three documents are the same thing, and the seller will give it to you along with the car’s fully signed sales agreement. Unless your vehicle is being financed by a bank, in which case you’ll usually only get the RC1 form once your car is fully paid off.
Q: When does the licensing and registration process need to take place?
A: This process must be completed within 21 days (3 weeks) of purchasing your car. Clear communication and professional outsourcing are essential for getting this done in a timeous, stress-free way.
Q: What’s the difference between registering and licensing a car, versus doing a title transfer?
A: A title transfer is the same thing as licensing and registering, and the process is the same.
Q: I looked online, and I saw that the title transfer process is different when buying from a new car from dealership versus buying a used car from a private seller. Is this true?
A: There are always caveats and nuances for different situations, and this is why we recommend seeking professional help. Missing even one document can end up wasting you many hours.
Q: The licensing and registration process described on this site is different from what official government sites describe. Which process should I go with?
A: Even among official government sites, the process won’t look 100% the same, especially between provinces. Engaging with bureaucracy is seldom a user-friendly experience, which is another reason why we recommend professional assistance. But, if you can’t use professional assistance for whatever reason, err on the side of caution and rather prep too many documents than too few.
Q: My vehicle is already successfully licensed and registered under my name, but I need to renew the license. Would you recommend professional assistance for this?
A: If you need it, there is no shame in it, but renewing a license these days can usually be done quite easily by following the prompts on this official site here.
For your online vehicle purchasing needs contact Auto Online on https://auto.online/contact/