Mdantsane traffic department usually means the Mdantsane Driving Licence Testing Centre / Traffic Department, a traffic and licensing office run by Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in the Eastern Cape. This page sets out what the authority itself publishes about the office: where it is, how to contact it, when it is open and which services it lists.
Only details confirmed on an official source are shown. Where the authority does not publish something, or its page could not be checked, this page says so rather than repeating directory listings that are often out of date.
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: www.buffalocity.gov.za, www.buffalocity.gov.za.
Address and contact details
- Operated by: Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality.
- Phone: 043 705 9909 (Learner’s Licence queries); 043 705 9903 (Supervisor: Driving Licence).
Licensing offices are often hard to reach by phone. If the number does not answer, try Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality website. For other ways to trace a working number, see traffic department contact details.
Opening and operating hours
- Monday-Friday 08:00-16:00.
Published hours are when the doors open. Most licensing offices stop accepting new applicants before closing time, so arrive early, particularly at month-end and after public holidays.
How hours and cut-offs usually work: traffic department operating hours. Weekend options: traffic departments open on Saturday.
Services available at this office
- Driving licence testing.
- Learner’s licence applications.
- Professional driving permit (PrDP) renewal.
- Registration and licensing of vehicles (per a separate contact set, 043 705 9709/9710, listed for Mdantsane in some sources though the official department page lists this pair under Gonubie).
Services can be suspended at short notice, for example during system downtime, so confirm the service you need is running before you travel.
Common transactions in Mdantsane: what to expect
- Renewing a driving licence card in Mdantsane: book or queue as the office requires, 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.
- Learner’s licence test: bring your ID, proof of address and the LL1 form, and be ready for an eye test. You get the licence on the same day if you pass. See learner’s licence.
- Driving test: you need a valid learner’s licence and a roadworthy vehicle of the right class. The test covers a pre-trip inspection, yard manoeuvres and a road test. See K53 driving test.
- Professional driving permit: take a medical certificate that is not older than two months, and allow time for the conviction check. See PrDP guide.
- Licence disc renewal: take the renewal notice (or an ALV form), your ID and proof of address. Penalties apply after the 21-day grace period. See traffic department disc renewal.
- Registering a vehicle: the new owner must register the vehicle within the prescribed period after the change of ownership, and the seller should notify the change on an NCO form. See vehicle registration.
Booking and appointment information
Telephonic or in-person appointment booking; a WhatsApp booking system was later rolled out municipality-wide per a separate official article (‘CITY ROLLS OUT COMPUTERISED LEARNERS LICENSE TEST AND A WHATSAPP BOOKING SYSTEM’).
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.
How the booking system works, and what to do when there are no slots: 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 booking confirmation, if the service was booked.
- 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.
Other offices nearby: East London. More in Eastern Cape traffic departments.
Fees and payment information
Licensing fees are set by the province and municipality and change from time to time. Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality does not publish a current fee list on the pages we checked, so confirm the amount, and which payment methods the counter accepts, before you go. How fees are structured: traffic department prices.
Frequently asked questions and official verification
What is the Mdantsane traffic department contact number?
The number published by the authority is 043 705 9909 (Learner’s Licence queries).
Can I book online for Mdantsane traffic department?
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.
Is this the official Mdantsane traffic department website?
No. TrafficDepartment.co.za is independent and cannot book, renew or pay anything. Confirm details with Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality website.