Traffic fines pile up faster than you think
Many South African drivers discover they have outstanding fines only when they try to renew their licence disc — and are told they cannot because of unpaid penalties or Aarto demerit points. Here is how to stay on top of your vehicle admin.
How to check outstanding fines
Online — VehiclesOnline / PayCity / eNaTIS
Several provincial portals let you check fines by registration number:
- Gauteng: paymentcity.co.za or gautengonline.gov.za
- Western Cape: westerncape.gov.za/traffic
- National: aarto.co.za (Aarto demerit and infringement system)
You'll need your vehicle registration number and, in some cases, your ID number.
At a traffic department
Walk in with your ID and vehicle registration — a clerk can print your full fine history.
Via your bank
FNB, Nedbank, Standard Bank, and Capitec all allow fine payments via internet banking. Search for "traffic fines" or "infringement notices" in your banking app's payment section.
What is Aarto?
The Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) system replaced the old traffic fine system. Key changes:
- Demerit points are applied to your licence for each offence
- 12 demerit points = licence suspension (3 months per offence above 12)
- Fines escalate if not paid within 32 days: from the original amount → 50% increase → 100% increase
- Infringements can be represented — you can dispute a fine through the Aarto portal
Renewing your licence disc
Your licence disc (the sticker on the windscreen) must be renewed annually. It expires on the last day of the month shown on the disc.
How to renew:
- Go to your nearest motor vehicle registration office (or use some municipal online portals)
- Take your:
- Roadworthy certificate (if required — vehicles over 10 years in some provinces)
- Vehicle licence renewal notice (the yellow form NATIS sends in the post)
- Proof of payment of any outstanding fines
- ID document
- Pay the renewal fee (varies by vehicle type and province)
- Collect your new disc within 4–6 weeks, or pay for same-day collection at some offices
Start the renewal 2 months before expiry — queues at licensing offices are long, and online portals sometimes have delays.
Roadworthy certificates
In South Africa, a roadworthy is required:
- When registering a change of ownership
- When renewing a licence disc in Gauteng (for certain vehicle categories)
- If your vehicle is more than a certain age (varies by province)
Testing stations are accredited by the relevant provincial transport department. Costs range from R200 to R500. Bring your vehicle in clean condition — inspectors check lights, tyres, brakes, windscreen wipers, and emissions.
Fuel logbook for business use
If you use your vehicle for business purposes, SARS requires a detailed logbook showing:
- Date of each trip
- Starting and ending odometer readings
- Purpose of the trip
- Distance in km
Without a logbook, you cannot claim vehicle expenses against your income tax. A logbook must be kept for the full tax year and for 5 years after.
Keeping on top of it all
RoadReady SA tracks your licence disc renewal, service intervals, outstanding fines, roadworthy expiry, and fuel logbook in one place. It sends you reminders at 60 days, 30 days, and 7 days before each deadline — so you never get caught out.