Can you drive a manual car on an automatic license?

Can you drive a manual car on an automatic license? Find out here as we explain the legalities around this scenario.

Perhaps you are planning to sell your car with our Instant Offer tool here because you found your dream car during a search for new or used models on AutoTrader. But the problem is, you only have a license to operate vehicles with an automatic transmission and the vehicle you are considering only comes with a manual gearbox. Here is what the law says about this scenario.

Related: Manual vs. Automatic Transmission - Which is best?

If you did your driver’s test in an automatic car, you might be in for a surprise. We take a look at what the Road Traffic Act says.

Manual vs Automatic

If you pass your driver’s test in an automatic car, it means that you will have been issued a driver’s license (code E or EB) that only allows you to drive other automatic cars.

You may well have been issued with an E or EB license, but it will be endorsed to limit you to an automatic vehicle.

(Excerpt from Road Traffic Act 2014)

1. Application for and issue of driving licence

(4) If an examiner for driving licences has satisfied himself or herself in terms of subsection (3) that an applicant for a driving licence is competent, to drive a motor vehicle of the class to which such applicant’s application relates, the examiner shall issue_, or authorise a person employed by the driving licence testing centre concerned to issue, a driving licence in the prescribed manner to such applicant in respect of that class of motor vehicle, and the examiner or the said authorised person shall—

(a) in the case where the applicant has, in terms of subsection (2), provided a motor vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission or the motor vehicle is electrically powered, endorse the driving licence to the effect that authorisation is granted only for the driving of a motor vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission or which is electrically powered, as the case may be;

So, by law, if you wish to drive a manual vehicle on public roads, you will need to redo the entire test procedure in a manual car.

The upside is that going the other way is a lot easier. If you pass your test in a manual car, you can drive an automatic car on your current license.

Lawrence Minnie Lawrence has been involved with motorsports for almost 30 years. Whether it's two wheels or four, if it has an engine, he will try to race it. This love of motor vehicles has led him to ride, drive, film, photograph, and write about his passion. Freelance for a while but now a permanent fixture on the AutoTrader team for over 7 years, Lawrence contributes written, photographic, and video content for AutoTrader and AutoTrader Bikes. View News & Reviews