Motorists who want to “avoid paying an administration fee to renew their vehicle licence disc online” can do so by making use of the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) online service, the government agency announced.
Using this system, applicants will only pay a R99 courier fee, which other online service providers also charge on top of their own stipends, as well as a R72 “transaction fee.”
“The R72 transaction fee, which has been referred to, is a legislated fee, which is not limited only to services offered by the RTMC. This fee is payable whether you use other online platforms, or as a walk in at the licensing office or post office,” RTMC said on Tuesday.
This means drivers using the RTMC’s system will pay R171 for a licence disc renewal, which includes the transaction and courier fees, but no admin costs.
“With more than 50,000 transactions conducted monthly, the online service for the renewal of vehicle licence discs is growing in popularity, as it is quick, easy, convenient, and affordable,” said the organisation.
The RTMC platform is available nationally and is the only official online service where vehicle owners are able to transact directly on the electronic National Administration Traffic Information System.
Not the cheapest option
Despite not paying any administrative fees, the Natis system is still not the most affordable way in which motorists can renew their car licence discs.
There are several organisations that facilitate car licence renewals on behalf of their clients, with two being cheaper than Natis.
A recent analysis by MyBroadband found that payCity is in fact the lowest-priced option for car disc renewals with a total fee of R99 excluding VAT, which works out to R113.85. However, this service is only available in major metros and excludes coverage for KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, and the Western Cape outside of Cape Town.
The cheapest national service is therefore the South African Post Office which charges a total of R147 for admin and delivery.
There are multiple privately-run services for online disc renewals, too, including from the likes of FNB, Pick n Pay, and Spar.
Since these are not directly affiliated with a government agency they are somewhat pricier, but not by ridiculous margins.
Both FNB and Spar charge R199 for the full service, though it’s worth noting FNB only does renewals in Gauteng and Cape Town while Spar operates across the entire country.
Pick n Pay is then the most expensive company to offer disc renewals, asking R329.99 and being available in all provinces except the Western Cape.
Keyword: How to avoid admin fees when renewing your car licence online