A professional driving permit has three categories, and each carries its own minimum age. The age requirement is the one part of a PrDP application that cannot be worked around, negotiated or waived.
This page explains the categories, the ages attached to them, and what to do while waiting to qualify.
Driver or Vehicle Requirements at a Glance
What a professional driving permit application generally requires.
- A valid South African driving licence for the class of vehicle you will drive
- Meeting the minimum age for the PrDP category applied for
- A medical examination by a registered medical practitioner on the prescribed form
- A police clearance, for the passenger and dangerous goods categories
- Applying at a registered driving licence testing centre
- Payment of the prescribed fee
- Fingerprints and a photograph taken at the centre
- A permit that is renewed periodically, not issued for life
- No disqualification arising from a relevant conviction
Licence and Eligibility Requirements
There are three PrDP categories under the National Road Traffic Act 93 of 1996 and its regulations, each with a different minimum age:
- Goods — for driving a goods vehicle above the prescribed mass, generally from 18
- Passengers — for carrying passengers for reward, including taxis, buses and e-hailing, generally from 21
- Dangerous goods — for transporting dangerous goods, generally from 25
Vehicle, Inspection and Safety Requirements
The category, not the vehicle, sets the age. A 19-year-old with the right licence class may hold a goods PrDP but may not carry passengers for reward, because the passenger category starts at 21. This catches out young drivers who buy or are lent a vehicle expecting to start e-hailing work.
You need the underlying licence as well. A PrDP is an endorsement on a valid driving licence for the relevant vehicle class. It does not replace the licence and it does not permit driving a class you are not licensed for.
The medical is a real requirement. A registered medical practitioner completes the prescribed form, covering vision, hearing and general fitness to drive professionally. Certain conditions must be declared, and a permit issued on a false declaration is invalid.
Vision is the most common medical obstacle and it is frequently correctable. Have your eyes tested before the medical rather than being turned away at it.
A relevant criminal record can disqualify you, particularly for the passenger and dangerous goods categories, which is why the police clearance is required. Convictions for violent or sexual offences and for certain driving offences are the ones that matter.
Documents, PrDP or Supporting Evidence
What to bring to the testing centre.
- Your valid South African driving licence card
- Your South African ID or smart ID card
- The completed medical certificate on the prescribed form
- A police clearance certificate, where the category requires it
- Proof of residence in the form the centre accepts
- The completed application form in the current official version
- Payment of the prescribed fee
- Fingerprints and a photograph, taken at the centre
Registration or Application Process
If you are too young for the category you need, the options are real ones: obtain the goods PrDP where you qualify and drive goods vehicles, build a clean driving record, and apply for the passenger category when you reach the age. Employers value a documented clean record more than they value speed.
Get the underlying licence class first, since a PrDP cannot be issued without it and upgrading a licence class takes its own time and testing.
Book at a registered driving licence testing centre. Booking systems vary by province and municipality; some allow online booking and some do not.
Apply well before you need it. Processing takes time, and a job offer conditional on a PrDP can lapse while you wait.
Renew before expiry. Driving professionally on an expired PrDP is an offence and will invalidate an employer’s or operator’s compliance.
Nobody can sell you a PrDP or lower the age. The categories and ages are set in regulation. Anyone offering to obtain a permit without the medical, the clearance or the age is committing fraud, and a permit obtained that way is invalid — which surfaces after an accident, when it matters most.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old must I be for a passenger PrDP?
Generally 21 for the passenger category, 18 for goods and 25 for dangerous goods. Confirm the current ages with the driving licence testing centre or the Department of Transport.
Can I drive e-hailing at 19?
Not on a passenger PrDP, which generally starts at 21. A goods PrDP does not permit carrying passengers for reward.
Do I need a medical every time?
A medical examination on the prescribed form is required for the application, and a PrDP is renewed periodically rather than issued for life. Confirm the current renewal interval with the testing centre.
Will a criminal record stop me?
It can, particularly for the passenger and dangerous goods categories, which is why a police clearance is required. Violent, sexual and certain driving convictions are the ones that matter.
PrDP categories, minimum ages, medical requirements, fees and renewal intervals are set in the National Road Traffic Act 93 of 1996 and its regulations and are administered by the driving licence testing centres. Confirm current requirements with a registered testing centre.