A professional driving permit is issued for a fixed period and must be renewed before it expires. Renewal requires a fresh medical certificate, and for the passenger and dangerous goods categories a current police clearance certificate as well.
Renew before expiry rather than after. Driving for reward on a lapsed permit carries the same consequences as never having held one, including the effect on your insurance, and reinstating a lapsed permit is more work than renewing a current one.
Driver or Vehicle Requirements at a Glance
Renewal is assessed on the following.
- A driving licence that is still valid, since the permit depends on it
- A fresh medical certificate confirming fitness to drive professionally
- A current police clearance certificate, for passenger and dangerous goods categories
- Application before the permit expiry date
- The renewal fee
Licence and Eligibility Requirements
Your underlying driving licence must be valid at the point of renewal. If both are close to expiry, renew the licence first, since the permit cannot be renewed onto a lapsed licence.
Renewal does not usually require you to requalify or retest, but the medical assessment is repeated each time. A change in your medical condition can affect the outcome, which is the point of repeating it.
Vehicle, Inspection and Safety Requirements
No vehicle inspection forms part of permit renewal, since the permit attaches to you rather than to a vehicle.
If you also operate a vehicle for reward, its licensing, roadworthy certification and any operating licence renew on their own schedules. Keep those dates separately, since they do not align with your permit.
Documents, PrDP or Supporting Evidence
Expect to supply the following.
- Your valid South African driving licence
- Your identity document
- Your current professional driving permit
- A completed renewal application form
- A fresh medical certificate from a registered medical practitioner
- A police clearance certificate, for passenger and dangerous goods categories
- The renewal fee
Registration or Application Process
Renewal is done in person at a driving licence testing centre. Book ahead where booking is available, since walk-in capacity at many centres is limited.
Start the medical certificate and police clearance early. Police clearance in particular can take considerably longer than people expect, and it is the usual reason a renewal is left too late.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I renew my PrDP?
Before it expires. Start the medical certificate and police clearance well in advance, since these come from third parties.
Do I have to retest?
Renewal does not usually require retesting, but the medical assessment is repeated each time.
What happens if my PrDP lapses?
Driving for reward on a lapsed permit carries the same consequences as never having held one, including the effect on insurance.
Can I renew if my driving licence has expired?
No. Renew the licence first, since the permit cannot be renewed onto a lapsed licence.
Confirm current fees, validity periods, age limits and accepted documents with your provincial licensing authority or driving licence testing centre, since these are set in regulation and change. See PDP requirements, rideshare driver requirements and browse all driving and transport requirements.