Are you a car owner and you want to earn money with Bolt App in South Africa? You’re at the right place. So many drivers and car owners are making a living on the taxi-hailing app in South Africa.

In this article, we’ll take you through a step by step process on how to register and become a bolt driver in South Africa 2024. You’ll also get to know about Bolt commission structure in South Africa and how bolt works in South Africa.

What is Bolt?

Bolt (formerly Taxify) is an Estonian ride-hailing company that was started in August 2013 by Markus Villig. It is a transportation app used for requesting a fast and affordable ride.

Bolt is known to be operating in about 30 countries of the world including South Africa. The company made a huge sum of €79.7 million in 2018, from their riding services. Certainly, the company has come to stand and stand firm.

How Does Bolt Work in South Africa?

Bolt works with an App. You can download the Bolt App on Google PlayStore or Apple Store. Register, call for a driver. Get picked up and taken to your destination. Pay for the trip. Simple.

Bolt South Africa works with registered drivers who have their own car. These drivers are connected to passengers by the company. The company now gets some percentage of the trip fare, after a successful trip has been delivered.

A user simply needs to follow the processes described earlier, in order to enjoy the Bolt services.

Requirements to Become a Bolt Driver in South Africa

To be considered for driving on the platform, Bolt drivers must meet certain requirements (which may depend on the operating city):

• Valid driver’s license
• Vehicle registration
• Proof of insurance
• Driving experience
• Vehicle requirements
• Clean criminal record

Bolt Vehicle Requirements in South Africa

In order for your car to be eligible on bolt platform, it must meet the following requirements:

Metropolitan Cities

Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban

Vehicle Categories:

• Johannesburg: Go, Classic, XL, Premium and Van
• Cape Town: Go, Classic, XL and Premium
• Durban: Go, Classic and XL

Accepted vehicles: 

Category: Bolt Go

• 2010 – 2020 4 door hatchbacks
• 2010 – 2012 4 door sedans, SUV’s, and 6-7 seaters

Category: Bolt Classic

• 2013 – 2020 4 door sedans and SUVs

Category: Bolt XL 

• 2013 – 2020 6-7 seaters

Category: Bolt Van 

• 2013 – 2020 8-11 seaters

Category: Bolt Premium 

• 2013 – 2020 luxury sedans, SUVs, 6 – 11 seater vehicles

Remote Cities

East London, Emalahleni, Ermelo, Garden Route, Grahamstown, Kimberley, Mbombela, Mthatha, Phuthaditjaba, Mahikeng, Pietermaritzburg, Polokwane, Potchefstroom, Port Elizabeth, Queenstown, Rustenburg, Thohoyandou, Upington and Welkom.

Vehicle Categories: Go and Classic (All cities)

Accepted vehicles:

Category: Bolt Go 

• 2010 – 2020 4 door hatchbacks

Category: Bolt Classic 

• 2010 – 2020 4 door sedans, SUVs and 6 – 11 seater vehicles

Vehicle Requirements: Applies to Metropolitan and Remote cities.

• The vehicle must have less than 100 000 km on the clock
• The vehicle must be in good cosmetic condition
• The vehicle must pass the TRA 45 point inspection.

Needed Documents for Bolt Registration in South Africa

When signing up to drive with Bolt in South Africa, you will need to provide the following documents:

Inspection Report

• Vehicle inspections can be performed at a TRA service centre
• The inspection report must not be older than three months.

Note: Cars operating in Cape Town, Durban, East London, Johannesburg, Polokwane and Port Elizabeth must perform a vehicle inspection before activation.

Motor Vehicle License Disc with Operator Card

Visit your nearest roadworthy centre to request the license disc application form needed to submit to the licensing department.

Operating License/Permit

This document can be obtained from the Department of Transport. The following documents are needed to submit your application:

For Individuals 

1 x certified copy of each document

• ID (RSA ID or passport)
• PrDP
• Proof of Address
• Tax clearance certificate & Compliance PIN (obtainable at SARS Offices)
• Double Disc (Roadworthy Certificate)
• Certificate of Registration

For a Company 

1 x certified copy of each document

• The ID of each director
• Company Registration Documents (All pages required)
• Proof of Address registered to either the company or a director(s)
• Tax clearance certificate & Compliance PIN of the company
• Double Disc (Roadworthy Certificate) Certificate of Registration

Motor Vehicle Registration Document (NaTIS)

The document is obtained when you purchase and register a vehicle in your name. If the vehicle is financed, a copy of this document can be obtained from the dealership or the bank​​.

Road Worthy certificate

It is mandatory that you have your vehicle tested for road-worthiness before you can be registered as a driver with Bolt. You can find more information in Road Worthy Certificate.

Insurance Requirements

Bolt facilitates Passenger Liability Insurance for drivers to ensure all passengers are sufficiently covered in the event of an accident.

You are automatically registered for the cover when your account is activated, however, you are strongly advised to have a comprehensive vehicle insurance policy to ensure you have financial protection should anything happen to your vehicle.

How do I Become a Bolt Driver in South Africa?

Once you have met all the requirements, you now need to sign up on the Bolt platform to create a drivers account. You’re expected to upload all the vital documents, including your car documents, during the sign-up process.

Doing so ensures that your application does not take too long to be processed. Upon successful completion of the application, you will receive an email regarding the upcoming training and the process of signing up for the same.

Training is conducted in the various Bolt offices such as in Cape Town and Johannesburg. In cities such as Garden Route, Durban, Pretoria, Pietermaritzburg, and East London, you do not have to attend the training physically; you can have it remotely and go through a 10-minute test. Once you pass the training, you will have your vehicle checked up by the Bolt team members, especially for car models before 2013, to ensure they meet the vehicle requirements.

How Do Bolt Pay Drivers?

As a bolt driver, you can get paid by customers in two ways – in cash or via Blt in-app payment (Also known as card payments). A payment cycle runs from Monday 00:00 to the following Sunday at 23:59. Balance statements will be issued thereafter.

If you are due to receive a payout, Bolt will send the funds out during the first half of the week. Depending on your bank’s processing time, the funds should take between 1-2 business days to reflect in your account.