Richards Bay traffic department usually means the City of uMhlathuze Public Safety and Security Department (Traffic Section, Motor Licensing Bureau x2, and Driver’s Licence Testing Centre), a traffic and licensing office run by City of uMhlathuze Local Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal. 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something, or its page could not be checked, this page says so rather than repeating directory listings that are often out of date.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.umhlathuze.gov.za.
Address and contact details
- Operated by: City of uMhlathuze Local Municipality.
- Address: 5 Mark Strasse, Civic Centre, Richards Bay, 3900.
- Phone: 035 907 5000 (switchboard); 0800 222 827 (call centre, weekdays 07:30-16:00 and weekends).
- Email: [email protected].
Licensing offices are often hard to reach by phone. If the number does not answer, try City of uMhlathuze Local Municipality website. For other ways to trace a working number, see traffic department contact details.
Opening and operating hours
The authority’s opening hours for Richards Bay could not be confirmed on an official page. Most municipal licensing offices work weekday business hours and close their queues to new applicants before the doors close, but hours vary, so confirm on the day.
How hours and cut-offs usually work: traffic department operating hours. Weekend options: traffic departments open on Saturday.
Services available at this office
- General law enforcement.
- Accident/incident response.
- School-point monitoring / Child in Traffic programme.
- Traffic-flow regulation.
- Abnormal load escorts.
- VIP protection and event security.
- Learner’s licence testing and issuing.
- Driver’s licence renewals (on behalf of Dept of Transport).
- Vehicle registration and licensing (on behalf of Dept of Transport).
- Traffic fine payment processing.
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 Richards Bay: what to expect
- Renewing a driving licence card in Richards Bay: 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.
- 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.
- Paying fines: a counter can usually only take fines issued by its own authority. Check what is outstanding first: checking traffic fines.
Booking and appointment information
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: KwaZulu-Natal traffic departments and traffic department near me.
Fees and payment information
Licensing fees are set by the province and municipality and change from time to time. City of uMhlathuze Local 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 Richards Bay traffic department contact number?
The number published by the authority is 035 907 5000 (switchboard); 0800 222 827 (call centre, weekdays 07:30-16:00 and weekends).
Is this the official Richards Bay traffic department website?
No. TrafficDepartment.co.za is independent and cannot book, renew or pay anything. Confirm details with City of uMhlathuze Local Municipality website.