Port Elizabeth / Gqeberha has more than one place to deal with licences, vehicles and fines, run by Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality. This page lists the official centres we could confirm, what each one handles and how to choose between them.
Last checked: 13 September 2026. TrafficDepartment.co.za is an independent guide, not a government website. We do not book appointments, take payments or issue documents. Confirm fees, hours and requirements with the official source before you act: Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality’s own website and official channels.
Traffic department and DLTC options in Port Elizabeth / Gqeberha
Motherwell Driving Licence Testing Centre (DLTC)
- Type: driving licence testing centre, run by Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality.
Korsten Drivers Licence Testing Centre
- Type: driving licence testing centre, run by Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality.
Sidwell Traffic Department
- Type: traffic law enforcement office, run by Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality.
Addresses and opening times are not shown above because none were confirmed on an official page. We leave those fields out rather than publish a detail we cannot stand behind.
Office pages in the Nelson Mandela Bay area
Each of these pages lists what the authority publishes for that office, including address, hours and services where they could be confirmed:
Struandale in Port Elizabeth is one of the most searched of these, and it has its own page with whatever the authority publishes for it.
Which office should you use?
In Port Elizabeth / Gqeberha the testing centres and the registration offices are usually separate buildings, sometimes kilometres apart, even when they share a name. Choose by the task, not by the name on the sign:
- Learner’s licence, driving test, licence card renewal or PrDP: a driving licence testing centre (DLTC).
- Licence disc, registration or change of ownership: a vehicle registration and licensing office.
- Fines: the authority that issued the fine, through its own payment channels.
Sidwell is an enforcement office rather than a counter for licence work, so a renewal or a test goes to Motherwell, Korsten or Struandale instead. If one centre has no slots, another in the metro may be quicker; driving licence services are generally not limited to the centre nearest your home.
Services available
Services per centre could not be confirmed on an official page, so this guide does not list them. Phone the centre and ask specifically whether it handles your transaction, because a DLTC and a registering authority do different work even when both are described locally as the traffic department.
Booking and online services
Booking rules are set by the province and the centre. Some centres accept bookings on NaTIS Online; many in this province still book at the counter. Confirm with the office before you travel.
Details: traffic department online booking. Vehicle licence discs can be renewed online where the service is available: licence disc renewal.
Opening hours and contact checks
Hours differ between centres and change around public holidays and system upgrades. Queues usually close to new applicants before the doors do, so the published closing time is not the time to arrive. Confirm with the municipality’s official channels on the day. See traffic department operating hours.
Nelson Mandela Bay has occasionally run special Saturday sessions at Motherwell DLTC, covering learner’s and driving tests, renewals and PrDP applications, announced on its official channels at the time. These are one-off catch-up days rather than standing weekend hours, so treat any past announcement as an indication that they happen, not as a schedule you can rely on.
Driver and learner licence services
Vehicle licensing and fines
Tips for getting served faster in Port Elizabeth / Gqeberha
- Go early in the week and avoid month-end, when queues are longest.
- Try Motherwell or Uitenhage if the central centres are fully booked.
- Renew licence discs online where the service is offered, which avoids the queue entirely.
- Check outstanding fines before any licence or disc transaction, so the counter does not turn you away.
- Have every original document with you, since copies alone are usually refused.
How people search for Port Elizabeth / Gqeberha licensing offices
Searches include DLTC Port Elizabeth, Struandale Port Elizabeth and Korsten municipality Port Elizabeth. The names are used loosely: a driving licence testing centre handles learner’s and driving licences and tests, while a registering authority, often called the licensing department, handles licence discs and vehicle registration.
The sources we checked list three for the city itself: Motherwell DLTC, Korsten Drivers Licence Testing Centre and Sidwell Traffic Department, with Struandale and Uitenhage covered on their own pages. Check which one handles your task before you go.
Frequently asked questions
Is Korsten a suburb of Gqeberha?
Yes. Korsten is a suburb of Gqeberha, the city formerly named Port Elizabeth, and falls under Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality. It is not a separate town or municipality.
Is Port Elizabeth the same place as Gqeberha?
Yes. Port Elizabeth was officially renamed Gqeberha in 2021. Both names are still in everyday use, and offices are listed under either.
Which is the main traffic department in Port Elizabeth / Gqeberha?
There is no single main office. Use the centre that offers your service and has capacity, from the list above.
Can I renew my licence at any centre in Port Elizabeth / Gqeberha?
Generally yes, at any centre offering renewals, subject to its booking rules.
Is this an official website?
No. TrafficDepartment.co.za is independent. Confirm details with Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality. Browse other areas: Eastern Cape traffic departments, or the full office directory. See also traffic department near me.