Kariega traffic department, still widely known as Uitenhage, is the driving licence testing centre serving the town, run by Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality. The town was officially renamed Kariega in 2021, and both names are still in everyday use.
Only details confirmed on an official source are shown. Where the municipality publishes nothing, this page says so rather than repeating directory listings that are often out of date.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: Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality.
Uitenhage or Kariega: the same office
Uitenhage was officially renamed Kariega. The licensing centre is still listed under the old name in many places, including some government systems, so you may see either. There is one office, not two.
When booking online, try both spellings if the first returns nothing. The same applies when searching for the office on a map.
Address and contact details
Nelson Mandela Bay does not publish a page giving this centre’s street address, phone number or email. Details for it circulate on directory sites and are not republished here, because a wrong number or address for a government office costs someone a wasted morning.
The municipality’s own channels are the reliable route, and its social media accounts are where service interruptions in this metro get announced. See traffic department contact details.
Opening and operating hours
The municipality does not publish standing hours for this centre. Licensing offices in the metro generally work weekday business hours and close their queues to new applicants before the doors close. Saturday morning opening for limited services is listed on directory sites but is not confirmed.
Nelson Mandela Bay has a record of announcing system outages at its licensing centres, so check the municipality’s accounts on the morning you plan to go. How hours and cut-offs usually work: traffic department operating hours. Weekend options: traffic departments open on Saturday.
Services available at this office
A confirmed service list is not published. The office is described as a driving licence testing centre, and directory sources add licence card renewals and motor vehicle registration and licensing. Confirm anything less common, such as a professional driving permit or a heavy vehicle code, before travelling.
Common transactions in Kariega: what to expect
- 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 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.
- Renewing a driving licence card: 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.
- 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 within the prescribed period after a change of ownership. See vehicle registration.
Booking and appointment information
Tests and licence card renewals are generally booked through NaTIS Online. Search for both Uitenhage and Kariega when looking for the centre, since systems have not all been updated to the new name.
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: Korsten, Motherwell, Struandale. More in Gqeberha traffic departments, Eastern 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. Nelson Mandela Bay does not publish a current fee list on the pages we checked, 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 Kariega licensing offices
Searches split between Uitenhage and Kariega, and include Uitenhage DLTC and Kariega licensing department. Searches for a Despatch traffic department often land here too: Despatch sits between Kariega and Gqeberha, and this centre and the Gqeberha ones are the nearest listed. 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 centre here is listed primarily as a testing centre, with vehicle work reported alongside it.
Frequently asked questions and official verification
Is Uitenhage the same as Kariega?
Yes. Uitenhage was officially renamed Kariega. One town, one licensing centre, two names in circulation.
Where is the Kariega traffic department?
No address is confirmed on an official municipal page, so we do not publish one. Contact the municipality.
Is the Kariega testing centre open on Saturday?
Saturday morning opening for limited services appears on directory sites but is not confirmed by the municipality. Check first.
Is this the official Kariega traffic department website?
No. TrafficDepartment.co.za is independent and cannot book, renew or pay anything. Confirm details with Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality.