21 Aug Licence plate update

Posted at 15:37h in News Articles 2024 by

In December last year, the KZN Premier unveiled a new licence plate system for KZN, “to align the province with other regions and the national numbering system, while addressing the issue of towns running out of available numbers”. The new number plates no longer indicate towns or demarcations but feature a continuous numbering system, so, for example, a new number plate will read BB 12 CD KZ instead of NP 1234 or NUR 1234 etc. In addition, enhanced security features have been developed to help combat vehicle crime.

The implementation was planned in two phases, with the first phase (1 December 2023 to end February 2024) focused on the registration of new vehicles, change of ownership, government-owned vehicles, and re-registration of recovered stolen vehicles that need to be relicensed to the original owner.

The second phase, which commenced on 1 March 2024, aims to motivate all KZN vehicle owners to change from the existing licence plates to the new system. Vehicle owners have a 24-month window period to complete this migration, after which all motor vehicles will automatically be issued with a new format licence number upon licensing. Key changes to the licence plates, according to this article, include:

  • Alphanumeric combination: The new number plates feature a combination of letters and numbers, replacing the previous format which indicated where the vehicle was licensed. This change is designed to increase the number of unique plate combinations, facilitating improved vehicle identification. The combination of numbers/letters shall not exceed seven characters and shall be followed by the Provincial Coat of Arms, a hyphen and the letters ZN with the wording KwaZulu-Natal in small print at the bottom of the plate.

  • Colour scheme: A revised colour scheme has been introduced for number plates, with a shift in colours part of the update that includes using a modern, easy-to-read font. Colours for the general public, royalty and the trade will remain blue on white, with red lettering for provincial government vehicles. Personalised plates, and number plates for taxis and ‘for hire’ vehicles will revert to black lettering on a white background.

  • Enhanced security features: The updated plates incorporate advanced security features such as holograms and watermarks to prevent tampering or counterfeiting and help ensure the integrity of the registration system.

Tell your insurer/broker!

While individual insurance cover for a vehicle relates to its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which is unique and like a human fingerprint, your insurer needs to be notified of the current vehicle licence plate number for both recording and reporting purposes. It will also make the identification of a vehicle easier for Safire-approved service providers such as those offering post-accident towing or roadside assistance. Should a motorist change their number plate or get a new vehicle with a new VIN that needs to be added to their policy, they must inform their insurer immediately.

Megan Stella, Safire COO, explains, “Many of our reports are based on what we have as the vehicle’s current registration number. Always inform your broker if you change your vehicle’s number plates, and any other change to your policy information, to ensure your cover is in place.”


Please note: The information contained in this article is not offered as ‘advice’ in terms of the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act 2002 as amended, and policyholders should consult with their intermediaries and the policy wording so as to ensure a full and complete understanding of the cover offered to them in terms of the Safire policy of insurance.