About a professional driving permit
To drive on a public road in South Africa transporting goods, dangerous goods or passengers for an income you must have a professional driving permit (PrDP).
The permit is issued in addition to an ordinary driving licence. A PrDP applies to the following motor vehicle categories:
- a goods vehicle with a gross vehicle mass exceeding 3 500kg
- a breakdown vehicle or a bus
- a minibus weighing more than 3 500kg or designed to carry 12 or more people (the driver included)
- light motor vehicles, indicated in the economic sector for carrying passengers for reward (taxi-cab)
- a motor vehicle designed to carry 12 or more people
- any vehicle for which an operating licence is issued
- dangerous goods vehicle (e.g. fuel tanker).
Age restrictions for the motor vehicle categories are as follows:
- you should be 18 years or older to hold a PrDP for a goods vehicle
- you should be 21 years or older to hold a PrDP for a passenger vehicle
- you should be 25 years or older to hold a PrDP for a dangerous goods vehicle.
You can only obtain a PrDP if you:
- have a valid driving licence for the type of vehicle in question
- have been certified as medically fit by a doctor
- have been certified by an approved training body (only required for category D (dangerous goods) vehicles)
- do not have a criminal record for (in the past five years):
- driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a drug having a narcotic effect
- driving a motor vehicle while the concentration of alcohol in your blood or breath exceeded a statutory limitation
- in the case of an application for a category P and D permit, an offence of which violence was an element.
- have never had your driving licence suspended
- have never been convicted of a criminal offence or paid an admission-of-guilt fine.
As the operator or owner of the motor vehicle for which a PrDP is required, you may not let another person drive the vehicle on a public road unless they have a valid PrDP for the appropriate category.
