Good news for Cape Town motorists who need vehicle licence renewals in five minutes

Cape Town motorists have more time to renew their vehicle licence discs, with the popular Brackenfell vehicle licensing renewal drive-through facility extending its weekday operating hours.

The extended hours will run as a pilot until 31 December, giving motorists an extra option as the busy end-of-year period approaches.

The facility, which allows motorists to renew their licences without leaving their vehicles, has been operating successfully since its launch last year.

According to the City of Cape Town, the service takes an average of just five minutes.

New Brackenfell drive-through licence renewal hours

The updated operating hours are:

Day	Operating hours
Monday to Friday	07:00 – 18:00
Saturday	08:30 – 14:00
Sunday	Closed

The Saturday hours remain unchanged.

The City will assess demand during the pilot period before deciding whether the longer weekday hours should continue into 2027.

How the drive-through works

The Brackenfell facility is designed specifically for motor vehicle licence renewals.

Motorists can drive through the facility, complete the renewal process and receive their licence disc without having to use a conventional service centre.

The City says the average transaction takes around five minutes, making it an option for motorists who want to avoid spending a large portion of their day at a licensing centre.

The extended hours could also make the facility more convenient for people who work traditional office hours and cannot easily visit during the morning or afternoon.

Motorists should also take note that the Brackenfell drive-through operates on a cashless basis, and payments can be made using debit and credit cards

Motorists planning to use the drive-through should therefore make sure they have a valid debit or credit card available before arriving.

Why the hours are being extended

The City said the decision follows the success of the facility since it opened. Thousands of motorists have already used the drive-through service to renew their vehicle licences.

The longer weekday hours are intended to make the service more accessible, particularly as demand increases towards the end of the year.

Alderman Siseko Mbandezi, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Finance, said the extension builds on the success of the facility and gives more motorists an opportunity to use the service.

The facility is only for motor vehicle licence renewals.

It is not a general vehicle licensing or traffic service centre, so motorists needing other services should use an appropriate City or Western Cape licensing facility.