What is the MC medical certificate for?

It is the medical certificate under the National Road Traffic Act, 1996. A registered medical practitioner uses it to certify whether your condition, in respect of twelve listed disorders, affects your ability to drive a motor vehicle without endangering public safety.

Which parts of the MC do I fill in myself?

Only the block headed "Particulars of applicant": your type of identification, your identification number, your surname, initials and first names, and the address where notices must be served on you. That is the entire applicant section, and it is all this tool fills in.

Why can I not fill in the medical sections online?

Because they are the doctor's findings, not yours. The medical condition answers, the fit or unfit declaration, the signature and the date stamp are a professional attestation. Pre-filling them would produce a document that looks certified when nobody has examined you, and the form warns that a false declaration is punishable by a fine or one year's imprisonment.

Who may complete and sign the MC?

A registered medical practitioner. They fill in their own particulars, including their Health Professions Council of South Africa registration number, record the findings, declare you medically fit or unfit, sign, write the place and date, and apply the surgery date stamp.

Does the doctor test my eyes on the MC?

No. The form states explicitly that the eye test is excluded and will be performed by the driving licence testing centre. Take your spectacles or contact lenses to the testing centre, not only to the doctor.

When do I need an MC medical certificate?

Most commonly when applying for or renewing a professional driving permit, and for some driving licence applications where a medical certificate is called for. Ask the driving licence testing centre handling your application whether an MC is required before you book an examination.

What are the twelve medical conditions on the form?

Diabetes requiring medication; thrombosis or coronary disease; respiratory dysfunction; high blood pressure; epilepsy or muscular, vascular and neuro-muscular disease; mental, nervous, functional or psychiatric disorder; loss of hearing; excessive use of liquor, amphetamines or narcotics; alcoholism; impairment of an arm, hand, leg or foot; loss of limbs; and any other disease or disability.

Does a "yes" answer mean I fail the medical?

Not by itself. The question is whether the condition affects your ability to drive without endangering public safety. Where the doctor answers yes, they must give full details, and they may still declare you medically fit. Needing a hearing aid or an artificial limb is recorded rather than treated as an automatic refusal.

How should I write in the blocks on the form?

One capital letter per block, and mark a cross in the applicable box for the type of identification. Dates on the form are written in year, month, day order. Filling this section online avoids the usual handwriting problems.

What happens if I run out of blocks for my name?

Write as much as fits and do not spill past the last block. Long surnames are common and testing centres are used to a truncated version, but the identification number must match your document exactly.

How much does the MC medical examination cost?

The consultation fee is set by the practitioner or surgery, not by government, so it varies. Ask the surgery what it charges when you book. Some occupational health clinics and pharmacy clinics offer driving-licence medicals at a fixed rate.

How long is a completed MC valid for?

The form itself does not print a validity period. Driving licence testing centres generally want a recent certificate, so confirm with the centre handling your application how recent it must be before you book the examination.

What makes a testing centre reject the MC?

The commonest reasons are a missing surgery date stamp, a blank Health Professions Council registration number, no signature, no cross marking fit or unfit, an identification number that does not match the document you produce, and letters written outside their blocks.

Can I take the form to any doctor?

Any registered medical practitioner may complete it. You do not have to use your usual GP, but the practitioner needs enough information to answer honestly, so take a list of your medication and mention any chronic condition.

What is the note about strenuous exercise at the bottom?

The form asks the practitioner to also indicate whether the applicant is physically fit to do strenuous exercise. It is answered by the doctor as part of the examination, and like the rest of the medical section it is not something you complete.

MC — Medical Certificate (driving licence)

Department of Transport (eNaTIS) · Verified 25 July 2026