NaTIS Code 1 Learner exam-day guide
NaTIS Code 1 Learner · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Original identity document
Bring the original green barcoded ID book, smart ID card, or a valid passport with a valid visa or permit if you are not a South African citizen. Photocopies, affidavits and expired documents are not accepted for a learner's licence application. (needs_review - confirm the exact list of accepted documents with your DLTC.)
Booking or appointment confirmation
If you booked online or by phone, bring the confirmation showing your name, ID number, date, time and testing centre. If you queued without a booking, confirm the centre's walk-in policy before you travel.
Two passport-size photographs
Some centres require two recent ID photographs; others capture your photo digitally when your learner's licence is issued at the counter. Check what your centre requires when you book. (needs_review)
Proof of residential address
Take a document showing your name and physical address that is not older than three months, such as a utility bill, bank statement or lease. The accepted formats differ between centres, so confirm before the day. (needs_review)
Proof of payment of the learner's licence fee
The fee is set provincially, so the amount differs by province and changes over time. Confirm the current amount and whether the centre accepts card, cash or an electronic payment receipt. (needs_review)
Completed application form
The learner's licence application form is usually completed at the centre on the day. Take your own blue or black ballpoint pen so you are not dependent on the counter's supply.
Glasses or contact lenses if you use them
You must pass the eye test at the centre before you may write. If you wear corrective lenses for driving, bring them and wear them; failing the eye test stops the process for the day.
Revised K53 Code 1 study material
Revise the rules of the road, regulatory, warning and guidance road signs, road markings, signals and motorcycle controls. Use material that reflects the current South African learner's syllabus; older editions may contain outdated content.
Phone switched off or left at home
Do not carry a phone, smartwatch, notes or any study material into the test room. Possession of such items during the test can be treated as an irregularity and may disqualify you.
Arrive 30 to 45 minutes early
The queue for document checks, fingerprints, photographs, payment and the eye test often takes longer than the test itself. Arriving late can cost you your slot for the day.
Plan the day
Work through the Code 1 syllabus section by section: road signs by category, road markings, signals, rules of the road and motorcycle-specific controls. Rather than re-reading everything, do timed practice sets and spend your remaining time on the categories where your error rate is highest.
Confirm the logistics: the exact centre address, your date and time slot, whether that centre tests on paper or on computer, and what documents it wants. Phone the DLTC and ask; do not rely on another candidate's memory of a different centre. (needs_review)
Check that your identity document is the original, is not expired, and that the name and ID number match your booking exactly. A mismatch is the most common reason candidates are turned away without writing.
Assemble everything in one folder: identity document, proof of address, photographs if required, booking confirmation, payment receipt, pen and glasses. Confirm the current fee and the accepted payment method, and arrange transport to the centre so you are not dependent on a lift that may fall through.
Do a light review only: road signs by shape and colour, following distances, and the rules that involve motorcycles. Sleep properly. Cramming new material the night before tends to lower your score rather than raise it.
Eat before you go and arrive at least half an hour early. Dress neatly, because your photograph is taken at the centre for the learner's licence record. Switch your phone off before you enter the building and leave notes and study material at home or in the car.
Work through the administration in order: join the queue, hand in your documents, complete the application form, give fingerprints, have your photograph taken, pay and do the eye test. Keep your receipt and booking slip with you until you are called to write.
Read every question to the end and watch for questions phrased negatively, such as 'which of the following is NOT'. If the format lets you move between questions, answer the easy ones first and return to the difficult ones, but make sure every question is answered before you submit or hand in.
Work at a steady pace rather than rushing to finish first. If the test is timed and a clock is displayed, note how many questions remain against the time left. Ask the invigilator only for procedural clarification, never for help with an answer.
When you finish, submit or hand in your paper exactly as instructed, take nothing out of the test room, and collect your result. Check the details on your learner's licence before you leave the counter, because correcting an error afterwards is far harder.
Rules to check
You must write in person and present your original identity document. The name and ID number on your document must match the booking; if they do not, the centre may refuse to let you write and you will lose the slot.
No phones, smartwatches, notes, books or any study material in the test room. Possession of these during the test is treated as an irregularity and can result in disqualification, so switch off and hand in your phone if the centre requires it.
Follow the invigilator's instructions at all times: remain seated, do not talk to other candidates, and do not look at another candidate's screen or paper. Any misconduct can result in removal from the room and invalidation of your test.
You must pass the eye test at the centre before you may write. If you wear glasses or contact lenses for driving, wear them on the day; failing the eye test means you cannot write until it is resolved.
Scoring works against a fixed number of questions with a minimum pass percentage. The figure most often quoted is 77 percent, but the pass mark and number of questions can differ by licence code and may change, so confirm the current requirements with your provider before the test. (needs_review)
The test is usually written or completed on a computer at the DLTC, and leaving the room mid-test is normally not allowed or only permitted with an escort. Confirm the centre's policy on toilet breaks and on what happens if you need to leave before you start. (needs_review)
Unanswered questions count as wrong. If you are running out of time, guess rather than leave blanks, since there is no penalty for a wrong answer beyond the lost mark.
If you do not pass, you may re-book, but waiting periods and re-booking fees are set by the centre or province. Ask the counter staff what applies to you rather than assuming a fixed waiting period. (needs_review)