Recruiters skim. In a few seconds they decide yes or no on a CV that took you hours to write. One small line can quietly tip that decision your way: a driver's licence on your CV.
How to list a driver's licence on your CV
Keep it clear and easy to spot. Under a short "Personal details" or "Skills" section, add a line like:
Driver's licence: Code B, own transport.
Many South African job ads still use the older labels, so it helps to know both: Code 8 is the everyday car licence most people need, while Code 10 and Code 14 cover heavier vehicles like trucks and buses. If a job ad specifically asks for a code, match your listing to that wording exactly: it's often what an applicant tracking system or a skimming recruiter searches for first.
Only have your learner's so far? You can still show momentum:
Learner's licence obtained, working towards my driver's licence.
It reads as initiative, and initiative gets noticed, especially since a learner's licence is proof you've already mastered the theory, even before the practical is done.
Why a driver's licence on your CV carries weight
"Own transport" tells an employer you can arrive on time without depending on lifts, taxis or unpredictable public transport schedules. For any role with travel, errands or shift work (think retail, sales, field services or anything with early or late shifts), that reliability is gold. It's also a quiet signal of independence and responsibility that recruiters read into, even for roles that don't strictly require driving.
Where to place it for maximum impact
Position matters almost as much as wording. Put the line near the top of your CV, in your personal details or a short skills strip, rather than burying it at the bottom under hobbies. Recruiters skimming in seconds, and applicant tracking systems scanning for keywords, both tend to weight information near the top more heavily, so a driver's licence on your CV works hardest for you when it's easy to spot straight away.
Do not have it yet? Start the clock
A driver's licence on your CV starts with the learner's: there's no shortcut around it, since you cannot book a practical test without first passing the theory. Get that owned first, and the practical follows naturally. Every lesson done is a step closer to that one powerful line on your CV, and because a learner's licence stays valid for 24 months, you've got a real window to get the practical sorted once the theory's behind you.
A quick example that works
If you're not sure how much detail to include, less is more: state the code, state "own transport" if it applies, and leave the rest of the CV to do its job. A cluttered line gets skimmed past just as fast as a missing one.
This is just your first ride: your career's next moves are up to you.
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