What is the ALV form used for?

The ALV is the application for licensing of a motor vehicle. For most people that means the annual renewal of the licence disc displayed on the windscreen. It records who owns the vehicle, identifies the vehicle itself, and carries your signed declaration that everything on the form is true.

Is the vehicle licence the same as a driving licence?

No. The vehicle licence is issued to the vehicle and shown as a disc on the windscreen. A driving licence is issued to you as a person and shows that you are permitted to drive. They are renewed separately, at different intervals, on different forms.

What happens if I renew my licence disc late?

The form itself sets out the rule. If you apply after the 22nd day of the month following the expiry date of the current licence, penalties for late licensing become payable. If you apply in the month after that or later, arrear licence fees are payable on top of the penalty. The longer you leave it, the more it costs.

How much does a vehicle licence cost?

The fee is not fixed nationally. Each province sets its own vehicle licence fees, and within a province the amount rises with the vehicle tare, which is the vehicle mass. A light motorcycle costs far less than a heavy bakkie. Ask your registering authority, or check your renewal notice, for the current amount.

Where do I hand in the completed ALV?

At your registering authority — the licensing office or municipal licensing department for the area where the vehicle is kept. Several provinces and municipalities also accept renewals at selected Post Office branches or through an online service. What is available differs by province, so check before you travel.

What identification do I need to bring?

Acceptable identification is essential and the form says so at the top. If a proxy or a representative hands the form in for an organisation, they must produce their own identification too, not just the organisation documents. Without it you will be turned away at the counter.

Can somebody else renew the licence for me?

Yes, but the form must be signed in the correct capacity. A business signs through a proxy or a representative and that person completes their own block on the form. Whoever hands it in must carry acceptable identification of their own.

What if I never received a renewal notice?

You still have to renew. The notice is a courtesy reminder, not the trigger for your obligation, and not receiving it is not a defence against penalties. Notices are posted to the address held on eNaTIS, so if yours is out of date, update it with an NCP form.

Where do I find the chassis or VIN number?

It is printed on your registration certificate. It is also stamped on the vehicle itself, commonly on a plate in the engine bay, on the dashboard at the base of the windscreen, or on the door pillar. It is 17 characters long on modern vehicles.

What do I write if my vehicle has no odometer?

Mark the no odometer box instead of writing a reading. Trailers have no odometer at all, and some older vehicles have one that no longer works. If the odometer does work, write the reading in whole kilometres, or in hours for machinery that counts hours.

Which steering wheel position should I mark?

Right, for almost every vehicle licensed in South Africa. Mark left only for an imported left-hand-drive vehicle. Mark drawn for a trailer or caravan, which is towed and has no steering wheel of its own.

Do I need a roadworthy certificate to renew?

A routine renewal of an existing vehicle licence does not normally call for a roadworthy test. Roadworthiness is generally required when a vehicle changes ownership or is registered for the first time. Requirements differ by vehicle class, so confirm with your registering authority before you go.

Does a trailer need its own licence?

Yes. A trailer or caravan is licensed in its own right and needs its own ALV and its own disc. It is not covered by the licence of the vehicle towing it. Mark the steering wheel position as drawn on the trailer application.

Should I complete the "for office use only" block?

No. Leave it blank. The date of application, the counter official details, the data capturing official details and the serial number of the disc issued are all completed in the office. Our form filler does not offer those fields for that reason.

Can I fill in the ALV form on this website?

Yes. Complete it in your browser, then download the finished PDF, print it and sign it by hand. Nothing you type leaves your device. An electronic signature is not accepted at the counter, so the form must be signed in ink before you hand it in.

ALV — Application for Licensing of a Motor Vehicle

Department of Transport (eNaTIS) · Verified 25 July 2026

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