How to Get a PrDP in South Africa

A PrDP is a professional driving permit. Uber and Bolt both require one, and it is usually the slowest step. Here is what it is, who needs it, what it costs and how long it takes.

Research note Researched and reviewed by the DriverZA editorial team. Facts checked 6 September 2026.

What a PrDP is

A PrDP is a professional driving permit. It is a permit added to your South African driving licence that lets you drive certain vehicles for money.

It is not a driving licence and it does not replace one. You need a valid driving licence first, and then the permit on top.

A driving licence testing centre issues it. That is a DLTC, your local licensing office. No app issues it, and no agent can get you one faster.

Who needs one

The government says you need a PrDP to drive on a public road transporting goods, dangerous goods or passengers for an income.

There are three categories, with different minimum ages:

  • Goods (G), from age 18. For goods vehicles over 3,500kg.
  • Passengers (P), from age 21. For taxis and other vehicles carrying passengers for reward, vehicles built for 12 or more people, and any vehicle that needs an operating licence.
  • Dangerous goods (D), from age 25. For fuel tankers and similar.

Two consequences worth spelling out.

Delivery on a bike or in a car usually does not need one. The goods category only starts above 3,500kg, and a delivery bike or car is well under that. That matches what the delivery companies say: Uber Eats, Takealot, Mr D and Pingo do not mention a PrDP anywhere.

E-hailing does need one. Not because the app says so, but because an e-hailing vehicle needs an operating licence, and any vehicle that needs an operating licence needs a PrDP. Uber and Bolt both require it. inDrive does not mention it, and that does not change the rule.

What to bring

The government's list for the application:

  • An identity document, driving licence card, or valid South African passport.
  • Four identical black-and-white photographs.
  • A valid driving licence for the category of vehicle.
  • A training certificate, where one applies.
  • A medical certificate no older than two months.
  • Proof of your postal and residential address.
  • The fee.

You go to your nearest driving licence testing centre. If you live in Gauteng, the government says you can apply online.

If you are not a South African citizen, the government checklist does not spell out every case. Bolt's driver guide says a foreign national brings a valid passport where a citizen brings an ID card or book. That is Bolt describing the process rather than a rule, so phone the centre before you travel to it.

How long it takes and what it costs

Time. The government says the permit may be ready within a maximum of 12 weeks. Bolt's guide fills in the middle: Afiswitch fingerprint processing takes 5 to 10 working days, and a temporary PrDP lasts 6 months while you wait for the card.

Cost. The government gives no fee and says to ask your local licensing office. Bolt works it out at about R768: R324 for the PrDP, R84 for a temporary one, R110 for the criminal record check and R200 to R300 for the medical. That is Bolt's figure, not an official price, and fees change.

Start the PrDP first and do everything else while you wait. It is the step that decides when you can actually work.

Two things to be careful about

Nobody can sell you a faster PrDP. The fingerprint check and the card production are not things an agent controls. Anyone who says they can skip the queue is either taking your money or selling you a fake permit, and a fake permit costs you the money and then the job.

A temporary PrDP is not always enough. Uber says a temporary PrDP certificate cannot be uploaded to its system: you have to complete a Driver Verification and submit the resulting report instead. Check what your platform accepts before you assume the temporary permit gets you working.

Questions people ask

Do I need a PrDP to deliver food on a motorbike?
The delivery companies on this site do not mention one, and the law's goods category only starts above 3,500kg, which a delivery bike is well under. So in practice, no. None of the companies has said outright that one is unnecessary, so if a branch tells you otherwise, believe the branch.
How old do I have to be to get a PrDP?
18 for goods, 21 for passengers, 25 for dangerous goods. The passenger age of 21 is why 21 is the practical minimum for Uber and Bolt, even though neither gives an age of its own.
How long does a PrDP take?
The government says up to 12 weeks for the card. Bolt says fingerprint processing takes 5 to 10 working days, and that a temporary permit lasts 6 months in the meantime.
What does a PrDP cost?
The government page says to ask your local licensing office. Bolt gives a worked total of about R768 including a R250 medical. Fees change, so treat that as a guide and not a price.
Can I get a PrDP on a foreign driving licence?
The PrDP is issued against a valid South African driving licence for the category. The government checklist does not cover every foreign-document case, so ask your driving licence testing centre what it accepts before you pay for a medical.

Sources

  • Apply for a professional driving permit, South African Government Government South African Government. Read on 6 September 2026 . Says you need a PrDP to drive goods, dangerous goods or passengers for an income, and that it covers any vehicle that needs an operating licence. Minimum ages: 18 for goods, 21 for passengers, 25 for dangerous goods. Goods vehicles are covered above 3,500kg. You apply at a driving licence testing centre, or online in Gauteng, and the permit may take up to 12 weeks.
  • Bolt driver sign-up requirements Company page Bolt. Read on 6 September 2026 . Lists an email address, a RICA-registered cell number, a smartphone, a valid PrDP, a criminal record check, a head-and-shoulders photo and a cARscan inspection report, and says the new e-hailing laws require all vehicle owners to apply for an operating licence. States no minimum age, no licence code, no identity documents and no insurance requirement.
  • Bolt: PrDP applications Company page Bolt. Read on 6 September 2026 . Says you must be at least 21 to apply for a PrDP, that Afiswitch fingerprint processing takes 5 to 10 working days, that a temporary PrDP lasts 6 months and that the card can take up to 12 weeks. Puts the total cost at about R768 based on a R250 medical. For identification it names an ID card or book for South African citizens and a valid passport for foreign nationals.
  • Uber: required documents for drivers Company page Uber. Read on 6 September 2026 . Lists a driver profile photo, safety screening results available at any PostNet or Jetline, and a valid South African PrDP. Says a temporary PrDP certificate cannot be uploaded and needs a Driver Verification Report instead. Names Scans AI for Go, Go Electric and Mini and DEKRA for Black, Comfort, XL and Van. Lists no identity documents and no minimum age.

We last checked this page against its sources on 6 September 2026.