Paarl has two traffic offices, run by Drakenstein Local Municipality. The Daljosaphat testing centre handles licences, vehicle registration and roadworthy testing. The traffic offices on Berg River Boulevard handle enforcement: accidents, impounded vehicles and fines.
Which you need depends on whether you are transacting or answering for something. Both are covered below, with the municipality’s published hours, which close earlier on Fridays than most people expect.
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: Drakenstein Municipality traffic services.
Address and contact details
Daljosaphat Testing Centre
- Location: Dal Josaphat, Paarl. The municipality publishes phone numbers rather than a street address; secondary listings give Jan van Riebeeck Drive, which we have not confirmed officially.
- Phone: 021 807 6477 or 021 807 6479.
- Driving licence enquiries: 021 807 7755. Roadworthiness: 021 807 7760.
Drakenstein Traffic Offices, Paarl
- Address: Berg River Boulevard, Paarl.
- Phone: 021 807 6284, the traffic head office.
- Email: [email protected], the municipality’s general address.
See traffic department contact details.
Opening and operating hours
Vehicle registration and licensing payments:
- Monday to Thursday: 08:00 to 16:00, open over lunch, with enquiries until the office closes.
- Friday and month-end: payments to 14:30 only.
- Saturday: 08:00 to 12:00.
Traffic fine payments run Monday to Thursday 08:00 to 16:00, and to 15:00 on Fridays and at month-end. The two counters have different Friday cut-offs, so check which one you need before arriving on a Friday afternoon.
Month-end is treated like a Friday here, with the earlier cut-off, which is awkward because month-end is when discs fall due. Going mid-month avoids both the queue and the short day. How hours and cut-offs usually work: traffic department operating hours. Weekend options: traffic departments open on Saturday.
Services available at this office
At Daljosaphat: driving licence testing, licensing services for drivers and vehicles, motor vehicle registration and licensing, roadworthiness testing, and traffic fine payments.
At Berg River Boulevard: traffic accident reporting and enquiries, payment and release of impounded vehicles and taxis, and fine payments.
The municipality also offers electronic motor vehicle licence renewal, so a disc renewal need not mean a trip. See renewing a licence disc online.
Common transactions in Paarl: what to expect
- Licence disc renewal: online, or at Daljosaphat. Penalties apply after the 21-day grace period. See traffic department disc renewal.
- Driving test: Daljosaphat. You need a valid learner’s licence and a roadworthy vehicle of the right class. See K53 driving test.
- Renewing a driving licence card: pass the eye test, have your fingerprints and photograph taken and pay. The card is produced centrally and collected later, so ask for a temporary licence if your card expires first. Full steps: traffic department licence renewal.
- Roadworthy test: Daljosaphat, on 021 807 7760. See roadworthy certificate.
- Reporting an accident or reclaiming an impounded vehicle: Berg River Boulevard, not Daljosaphat.
Booking and appointment information
Drakenstein does not name an online booking portal for licence tests, so assume you book in person at Daljosaphat and ask which codes it tests. Learner’s licence test bookings are also taken at the Wellington centre.
In July 2026 the municipality made a free learner’s licence study guide available across Paarl and Wellington, so ask for one when you book. How the booking system works more generally: traffic department online booking.
What to bring before you visit
- Your original ID document or smart ID card, or passport and permit for foreign nationals.
- Proof of residential address. See proof of address.
- Your appointment slip, where one was issued.
- The licence card, learner’s licence, renewal notice or vehicle document the transaction relates to.
- The completed application form. See traffic department forms.
Driver, learner and vehicle licensing services
- Renewing a licence card: traffic department licence renewal.
- Getting a learner’s licence: learner’s licence guide.
- Driving test: K53 driving test.
- Licence discs: traffic department disc renewal.
- Fines: traffic fines.
The municipality-wide picture: Drakenstein traffic department. Other offices nearby: Wellington, Stellenbosch, Malmesbury. More in Western Cape traffic departments, the full office directory and traffic department near me.
Fees and payment information
Licensing fees are set by the province and municipality and change from time to time, so confirm the amount and the accepted payment methods before you go. How fees are structured: traffic department fees and traffic department prices.
How people search for Paarl licensing offices
Searches include Paarl traffic department, Paarl licensing department and Daljosaphat testing centre. The names are used loosely: a driving licence testing centre handles learner’s and driving licences and tests, while a registering authority handles licence discs and vehicle registration.
Daljosaphat does both. The split in Paarl is between transacting there and dealing with enforcement on Berg River Boulevard.
Frequently asked questions and official verification
Where is the Paarl licensing office?
The Daljosaphat testing centre, in the Dal Josaphat area. The municipality publishes phone numbers rather than a street address, so confirm directions when you call 021 807 6477.
What time does Paarl licensing close on a Friday?
Vehicle payments at 14:30 on Fridays and at month-end, fine payments at 15:00. Monday to Thursday both run to 16:00.
Where do I collect an impounded vehicle in Paarl?
Payment and release are handled at the traffic offices on Berg River Boulevard, not at the testing centre.
Is this the official Paarl traffic department website?
No. TrafficDepartment.co.za is independent and cannot book, renew or pay anything. Confirm details with Drakenstein Municipality.