2026-11-11
How the computerised learner's licence test works
The learner’s licence test has moved from paper to a computer. The system, called the Computerised Learner’s Licence Test (CLLT), was introduced in 2021 and has been rolled out to testing centres since then (SAnews, 7 May 2026). This article explains what is on the test, what you need to score, and what happens on the day. Every figure has a source, and where we could not confirm something, we say so.
Kerbtest is not affiliated with the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), the Department of Transport or any driving licence testing centre (DLTC). We read the law and the official notices so you do not have to. Last checked 11 Nov 2026.
What changed and what did not
The law allows the learner’s test to be written on paper or done as “an approved Learner’s Licence Electronic Test” (National Road Traffic Regulations, reg 104(3)). The computer version picks your questions at random and marks the test itself, so no official knows beforehand which questions you will get (SAnews, 7 May 2026).
What did not change is the content. When Saldanha Bay started using the computer test, the municipality said: “The format of the test and the required pass marks remain unchanged” (Saldanha Bay Municipality, April 2025). You still need to know the same three things.
The three sections and the pass marks
The test checks that you know and understand the rules of the road, road traffic signs, and the controls of the vehicle for the licence code you are applying for (reg 104(2)).
| Section | Questions | You need at least | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rules of the road | 28 | 22 | Item 5.4, DLTC requirements |
| Road traffic signs (and markings) | 28 | 23 | Item 5.4 |
| Vehicle controls | 8 | 6 | Item 5.4 |
| Total | 64 |
The question counts come from the regulation’s “out of 28” and “out of 8”. An RTMC spokesperson also told the media that each test draws 64 random questions from a pool of about 1,200 (Rekord, 18 May 2026). You may see 68 on some study sites; we found no official source for 68.
The important part: you must reach the minimum in every section. The regulation lists all three minimums together. A strong score on rules of the road does not make up for 22 out of 28 on signs. That is one mark short, and it is a fail.
The signs section is the strictest. You can get only five wrong out of 28. Vehicle controls is short, but you can get only two wrong out of eight.
Does the code change the test?
The learner’s licence codes are set out in regulation 99:
- Code 1: motorcycle (with or without a side-car), motor tricycle or quadrucycle.
- Code 2: vehicles up to 3,500 kg, including light motor vehicles (cars and bakkies).
- Code 3: any other motor vehicle, such as heavy trucks and buses.
The pass marks in the regulation are the same for all codes. The difference is in the vehicle controls section, which covers the controls of the class you apply for. A Code 1 candidate gets motorcycle controls, a Code 2 candidate gets car controls.
Minimum age
| Code | Minimum age | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Code 1, up to 125 cm³ or electric | 16 | National Road Traffic Act, s15(1)(a) |
| Code 1, over 125 cm³ | 18 | Act s15(1)(a)(iii); gov.za |
| Code 2 | 17 | Act s15(1)(a)(ii) |
| Code 3 | 18 | Act s15(1)(a)(iii) |
You must be that age on the date of the test (gov.za).
What the screen is like
You answer on a touch screen: applicants “tap their way through their test, using digital screens” (City of Cape Town, December 2025). The system has a demonstration function so you can get used to it before the real test starts, and you get the result straight away (City of Cape Town, February 2026). The test is available in all 11 official written languages (same source).
What we could not confirm
We could not find an official source for these, so treat anything you read about them as unconfirmed:
- Time allowed. One commercial site says 60 minutes. No government page we found gives a figure.
- How many answer options each question has.
- Whether you can go back and change an answer before you submit.
Ask at your testing centre, or use the demonstration screen on the day to see how it works.
Booking and what to bring
You apply in person at a DLTC using form LL1. If you live in Gauteng, gov.za says you should apply online through the eNaTIS portal at online.natis.gov.za (gov.za). Some other areas also book online, so check the portal first. The computer test did not change booking: “the booking system remains the same” (City of Cape Town).
Bring (gov.za, Western Cape Government):
- your ID document
- two identical ID photos (check the number with your centre)
- proof of address (the Western Cape asks for one not older than 3 months; if it is not in your name, an affidavit from the account holder)
- the fee
- a pen
You also do an eye test, either at the centre or with an optometrist whose form you hand in at the centre.
Fees are set by each province. gov.za gives no national figure and says to contact your local licensing office. The Western Cape lists R68 for the test and R33 for the licence once you pass, and says fees are subject to change (Western Cape Government). Check the current fee with your DLTC.
How to prepare
- Download the free official Learner Driver Manual from natis.gov.za. It has three parts: Rules of the Road, Road Traffic Signs and Vehicle Controls.
- Learn the reasons, not just the answers. The questions are drawn at random from a large pool, so memorising a list of questions does not work well.
- Practise each section against its own pass mark. Most people who fail drop marks in one section, often signs.
- Read every question twice. Words like “not”, “except” and “may” change the answer.
If you want to see how you do on a timed set, there is a free 10-question sample at /sample.