To drive for Bolt in South Africa you need an active email address, a RICA-registered cell number, a smartphone, a valid professional driving permit (PrDP), a clear criminal record check, a clear head-and-shoulders profile photo and a cARscan vehicle inspection report. These are the bolt driver requirements listed on Bolt’s own sign-up page.
The PrDP and the vehicle’s operating licence are legal requirements; the rest are Bolt’s own rules. Bolt’s driver sign-up requirements page is the place to check the current list.
Driver or Vehicle Requirements at a Glance
Before you register, have the following ready.
- An active email address and a smartphone
- A RICA-registered cell number
- A valid PrDP
- A criminal record check with a Clear result
- A clear head-and-shoulders profile photo, with no hat, cap or sunglasses
- A cARscan inspection report for the car
Vehicle owners must also hold an e-hailing operating licence, which Bolt says the new e-hailing laws require.
Licence and Eligibility Requirements
A PrDP is required to carry passengers for income. It is issued in addition to your ordinary driving licence, and you must be at least 21 to apply, according to Bolt’s PrDP guide.
Bolt’s public sign-up pages do not state its own minimum age or a minimum period for holding your licence. If you plan to rent a car from a Bolt fleet partner, the partner sets its own conditions. Examples Bolt lists include being over 28 for one Johannesburg and Cape Town EV fleet, or over 25 with a code B licence held for two years or more for another.
Foreign nationals can use a passport in place of an SA ID when applying for a PrDP. Confirm what work status you need with the Department of Home Affairs.
Vehicle, Inspection and Safety Requirements
Every car needs a cARscan (Scans.AI) inspection report. It costs R249, takes up to 30 minutes as a guided self-inspection, and must score at least 70 for both interior and exterior. Bolt may still decline a car that does not meet its Quality Standards. See Bolt’s car inspection guide.
Vehicle criteria, such as type, model year and seats, depend on the Bolt category and city. For the full car side see our Bolt car requirements guide, linked below under Related Requirements, and the rideshare driver requirements hub.
If you do not have a car, Bolt lists fleet partners under Get a car with Bolt.
Documents, PrDP or Supporting Evidence
For the PrDP, Bolt lists the following documents, with copies.
- Your SA ID, or passport if you are a foreign national
- Your valid SA driving licence card
- Four black-and-white ID photographs
- Proof of residential address
Bolt publishes these PrDP costs: application fee R324, temporary PrDP R84, a traffic-offence criminal record check through Afiswitch of about R110 (Bolt’s steps text says R100), and a medical certificate of roughly R200 to R300. These are Bolt’s figures, so confirm the current fees with the licensing authority. Bolt says the permanent card can take up to 12 weeks, a PrDP lasts 24 months and a temporary PrDP lasts 6 months.
For Bolt’s own criminal record check it accepts only a Scans.ai result of Clear. It costs R149 as an add-on to the inspection or R249 on its own, arrives within 24 to 48 hours, and needs no fingerprints or store visit. A hit reflects a finalised conviction, not an arrest or charge. See the criminal record check guide.
Registration or Application Process
Registration is done in the Bolt Driver app, where you upload your documents. Start at Bolt Driver South Africa and follow the sign-up steps. The PrDP is the slowest item, so apply for it first, and get your inspection and criminal record check done together to save on cost.
If you own the car, the operating licence is applied for separately at the Provincial Regulatory Entity. Bolt does not issue it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a PrDP to drive for Bolt?
Yes. A valid PrDP is on Bolt’s sign-up list, and you must be at least 21 to apply for one.
What are the requirements for a Bolt driver?
A valid PrDP, a Clear criminal record check, a profile photo, a RICA-registered SIM, a smartphone and a vehicle inspection report. If you have no car, you can rent from a Bolt fleet partner.
What are the Bolt registration requirements?
They are the same as the sign-up list above: email, RICA phone, smartphone, PrDP, criminal record check, profile photo and cARscan report, uploaded in the Driver app.
Will my car qualify?
It must pass the cARscan inspection with at least 70 for interior and exterior and fit the rules of its Bolt category for your city. Check the Driver app before you buy.
Do I need an operating licence as well?
Vehicle owners do. Every e-hailing vehicle needs one, issued by the Provincial Regulatory Entity and not by Bolt.
Can I drive a car I do not own?
Yes, if the owner holds the operating licence and, per Bolt, provides an agency letter where the vehicle is not in your name. Fleet partners list their own terms.
Confirm PrDP requirements and fees with your provincial licensing authority, and sign-up requirements with Bolt through the Bolt Driver site. For the wider picture see rideshare driver requirements and browse all driving and transport requirements.