RTMC Confirmation Letter Checklist: Documents, Scans and Common Mistakes

Quick answer

Start with the current RTMC application form and the documents it lists for your identification type. Provide readable identity and driving licence copies, complete the licence details and sign the declaration. TRN-linked applications also need the Home Affairs verification described by RTMC.

Use the checklist for your identification type

There is no benefit to submitting a large, unlabelled folder if the required evidence is missing. Read the current official form first. RTMC’s amended form references the driving licence, identity document, Traffic Register Number certificate and the permit or document used to obtain that certificate where applicable.

Distinguish a South African identity-number application from a TRN-linked application. The latter has an additional Home Affairs verification requirement under RTMC’s public instructions. Do not select a different identification type simply because one checklist looks shorter.

• Current RTMC confirmation application form, completed and signed.
• Clear identity document or passport copy appropriate to the application.
• Readable driving licence images, including relevant information on both sides.
• TRN certificate, supporting permit documents and Home Affairs verification when applicable.
• The receiving authority’s written requirements for the confirmation letter.

Photograph documents so a person can actually read them

Place the document flat in good light. Hold your phone parallel to the page, include every edge and avoid a flash reflection over the name, photograph or licence dates. Open the saved image and zoom in before uploading; a thumbnail can look clear even when the underlying text is blurred.

For this website, upload a still image or a PDF rather than a video. A short video of an ID may be understandable to a person, but it is not a convenient document for submission, printing or courier identification. Do not edit identity details, replace a photograph or obscure information needed to assess the application.

Keep the ID separate from the application pack

When using our online service, choose the category that matches each file. Upload an ID under ID Copy or a passport under Passport Copy; use Licence Copy for the driving licence. A combined pack and a separate ID copy serve different purposes.

Our courier’s ID download uses the identification category. An ID buried inside a combined PDF may therefore be stored safely but not appear under that download button. Keeping a separate identification file avoids unnecessary follow-up when collection is arranged.

Check names, dates and the declaration

Transcribe names and identification details carefully and check them against the originals. The first issue date is not necessarily the latest card’s printing or renewal date. If you cannot establish an earlier date from reliable records, ask for guidance rather than inventing one.

Complete the declaration, signature, place and date fields required by the form. Review the destination and delivery details as well: a confirmation letter intended for an overseas exchange can still be delivered to a South African address if that is the arrangement you choose.

Do a final review before payment or submission

Check that each uploaded file opens and that the intended document appears under the right category. Save a copy of the submission and your correspondence. If a name has changed, ask both RTMC and the receiving authority what linking evidence they require.

RTMC’s direct application is free according to its public notice. If you use our independent assistance service, review the displayed service and courier charges separately. No document checklist can guarantee acceptance: RTMC and the overseas authority may ask for additional evidence in an individual case.

Frequently asked questions

Can I upload a video of my ID?

Use a clear still image or PDF instead. These formats are easier to review, print and use for courier identification.

Can I put every document in one PDF?

Keep an additional, separate ID or passport copy in its correct category on this website so the courier can access it as identification.

What if I do not know my first issue date?

Do not guess or substitute the latest card issue date. Check older records or ask for official confirmation of the licence history.

Official sources

• RTMC: driving licence confirmation instructions and public notice
• RTMC: official driving licence confirmation application form
• NZTA: converting a car licence from an exempt country

Related guides

• First Issue Date vs Card Issue Date: Proving Your South African Driving History
• TRN Licence Holders: Home Affairs Verification Before an RTMC Confirmation Letter
• South African Driver’s Licence Confirmation Letter: What It Is and When You Need It