Procedure When Applying for a PRDP (Professional Driving Permit)

1. An applicant needs to be the holder of a valid drivers licence when applying for a PRDP. The following conditions apply to the obtaining of a professional driving permit, i.e. you must:
   • 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 certain types of vehicle)
   • have not been convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless or negligent driving, or a violent offence and
   • have never had your driver’s licence suspended.
   Only certain convictions within the last five years may disqualify you from obtaining a professional driving permit. Convictions older than five years will not be taken into account.
   The operator or owner of the motor vehicle for which a professional driving permit is required, may not let another person drive the vehicle on a public road, unless they have a professional driving permit for the appropriate category.
   

2. There are three categories for PRDP’s and there are age restrictions in these categories -

a.	Passengers	- Applicants need to be 21 years and older
b.	Dangerous Goods	- Applicants need to be 25 years and older
c.	Goods	- Applicants need to be 18 years and older

3. An applicant needs to fill in a PD1 form (yellow application form). The applicant is to go to the doctor for a medical check up. The doctor will fill in the medical certificate, which he (doctor) needs to sign and stamp. The applicant then needs to go to his/her nearest police station where their fingerprints are taken and the forms are retained by the police.

4. The applicant returns to the test centre after 6 to 8 weeks to check if his/her forms have been returned by the police station. If the forms have been returned by the police station, the applicant needs a valid identity document, 4 passport size photographs and the prescribed fees for the issue of the PRDP. The booking fee in KwaZulu-Natal is R150.00 and the issuing fee is R250.00. (As from 1 January 2011 as gazetted)

5. The PRDP forms are valid for a period of six months only and if the applicant fails to process these documents within this period they will become invalid.

6. If applicants are converting their licence to the card type licence and applying for their PRDP at the same time they will have to pay the outstanding penalties for failing to convert in the required period.

Information reproduced from www.gov.za

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