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Moose maybe ask them about a public transport license or the one you would need to transport a tour group maybe that will clear up some of the confusion??

Thanks Oddesy

I'm still confused. The DVLA (road licensing body) in the UK can't tell me what the UK equivalent of a PDP is.

Can any South Africans tell me exactly what the PDP is and what the requirements are and what it allows you to do? Then I can go back to the DVLA and tell them what I need to get.

Any help would be super, super appreciated

The Public Drivers Permit is an additional license which everyone who transport people who pays for the service or even transports goods for payment, must have. So all persons who drive safari vehicles, buses, taxis, and even chauffeurs must have this license, irrespective of the size of the vehicle.

This license is renewed every two years in SA, where ordinary licenses are renewed every five years. This license includes you having to do an eye test and a police clearance to check whether you have any criminal record against you.

I think the equivelent in the UK is the PSV license link

Thanks Imberbe for the great information. I've added it all my my ever-expanding word document about what a PDP is.

Thank you Dotty for the link. I think i've visited that site before. How confusing can they possibly word that! Now i'm trying to learn whether a PCV is a straight 'category D' licence. None of these websites give a clear answer

Looks like i'll be spending a lot of time at the traffic department next week...

It's annoying that in SA to get a PDP it just takes a few small things, like eye tests and police clearance. Here, i'll have to spend many hundreds of pounds on bus lessons and bus rental and theory tests and practical tests

Don't worry, in SA you would first need to get a code 10 or higher license before you get your PDP. (Did we forget to mention that? ) Which means that you need to be licensed to drive large vehicles. This also includes the training and tests.

Haha, thanks Imberbe At least I don't have to go all when I see a South African with a PDP. I was under the impression that they just had to sign a few papers and maybe bribe a few people at the traffic department.

No ... does work that way ... it involves many hours in cues though!

Ahh, waiting in line at South African Traffic departments (or driving from Traffic department to traffic department trying to find one who understood what to do). I wonder how many days of my life i've wasted doing that already...? I think I may have found one of the only things I don't miss about South Africa.

You can get a PDP with only a Code 8 licence - I have one! You can then only drive the ordinary OSVs though, not the big sort that they use in most camps in Kruger. It is a common misunderstanding that you need a Code 10, and I was told that initially, but the Traffic Dept set me right!

So EJ, you are not allowed to drive the 20 seaters as they are over 3,5 tonnes and that is not the old code 8 anymore but code 10.

A traffic department who knew something...?

Thanks for the info ecojunkie. I think this is getting more confusing! Again, i've added your comments and Scipio's comments to the document im going to take to my traffic department next week.

As ej, I have a stock standard 'regular' code 8 licence and I had no problems getting my (now expired) PDP. The most painful part is waiting the 9 weeks for a police clearance. Otherwise its just forms, eye test and finger prints.

Hi folks, just a quick update, with regards to the idea of converting foreign licenses to South African licenses, this was stopped a few years ago. All foreigners wanting a South African driver license must now complete a learner license, driver license and can then only apply for a PrDP.

Thanks for more info.

vthebushman: I've been told this before. Most 'bush schools' say that a UK equivalent of a PDP can be used in SA because they recognize that as foreigners we can't get a South African license and a PrDP. Can anyone confirm this?

That said, one of my friends taking the same career path is going to try and do things the other way, by getting a full SA license...