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VerifyNow.co.za
POPIAFICAB-BBEE Level 1

Trusted by thousands of South African businesses

Automotive & Dealers

Verification for dealerships, fleets and rental operators

South African motor vehicle dealers are FICA accountable institutions under Item 12 of Schedule 1. VerifyNow bundles the identity, licence, vehicle and bank checks you need to onboard buyers, accept trade-ins, sign out test drives and close finance deals.

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Home Affairs-backed ID
VIN & number plate
Pay per check
Services for dealerships

The checks your showroom actually runs

Map each service to the moment it lives in: buyer intake, trade-in, test drive, finance application or high-value sale.

SA ID Verification

Confirm a buyer's identity against Home Affairs before you hand over keys or sign finance paperwork.

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Driver's Licence Decode

Decode the SA driver's licence barcode to confirm licence class, expiry and holder identity at test-drive and delivery.

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Vehicle & VIN Lookup

Look up vehicle specifications by number plate or VIN when taking in trade-ins or verifying stock.

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Bank Account Verification (AVS)

Verify that the bank account details on a finance application or deposit actually belong to the buyer.

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Consumer Trace

Confirm address, contact and prior-address history during finance origination or recovery.

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AML / PEP / Sanctions

Screen buyers against PEP and sanctions lists for high-value cash sales and accountable-institution obligations.

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Workflows

Four moments that live or die on verification

Straightforward checklists your sales, F&I and stock teams can follow without leaving their usual workflow.

1

Buyer intake at the showroom

  1. Capture the buyer's SA ID and run ID verification against Home Affairs.
  2. Decode the driver's licence to confirm it belongs to the same person and is in-date.
  3. Store the verification receipt against the customer record for your FICA file.
2

Trade-in inspection and stock intake

  1. Scan the number plate or VIN and run Vehicle & VIN Lookup.
  2. Reconcile make, model, year and engine details against what the seller declared.
  3. Verify the seller's ID before making an offer or transferring funds.
3

Test-drive sign-out

  1. Capture the test-driver's SA ID and decode the driver's licence.
  2. Confirm the licence class matches the vehicle being driven (e.g. EB for most passenger vehicles, C1/EC1 for heavier vehicles).
  3. Log the verification alongside the test-drive agreement.
4

Finance application and settlement

  1. Run ID verification, AVS on the nominated bank account and a consumer trace for address confirmation.
  2. For high-value or cash deals, run AML/PEP/sanctions screening before concluding the sale.
  3. Retain all verification records for the minimum FICA retention period.
Compliance context

Where dealerships sit in South African law

FICA (Item 12, Schedule 1). Motor vehicle dealers are listed as accountable institutions under the Financial Intelligence Centre Act. That means registering with the FIC, maintaining a Risk Management and Compliance Programme (RMCP), identifying and verifying customers, keeping records and reporting cash transactions at or above the prescribed threshold via goAML.

NCA / NCR. If your dealership arranges or grants credit in-house (for example through a finance desk that issues credit agreements), the National Credit Act applies and you may need to be registered with the National Credit Regulator. Even where credit is arranged through a bank partner, affordability and identity checks flow through your sales process.

POPIA. Buyer ID numbers, licences, bank details and trade-in data are personal information. POPIA requires a lawful basis for each processing purpose, a clear privacy notice at the point of capture, and that records are kept only as long as the law requires or the sale justifies.

Dealer FAQ

Questions dealers ask first

Are motor vehicle dealers FICA accountable institutions in South Africa?

Yes. Motor vehicle dealers are listed under Item 12 of Schedule 1 to the Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA). That means dealers must register with the FIC, maintain a Risk Management and Compliance Programme, identify and verify their customers and keep records in line with FIC guidance.

Can I check a VIN or number plate before accepting a trade-in?

Yes. Our Vehicle & VIN Lookup returns technical specifications (make, model, year, engine, transmission, colour) based on a number plate or 17-character VIN. It is a specification check, not an ownership or stolen-vehicle check, and it helps you confirm that the vehicle in front of you matches what the seller has described.

How do I verify a buyer for a cash sale above the FIC reporting threshold?

Run SA ID verification against Home Affairs, run AML/PEP/sanctions screening and keep the results on file. Cash transactions at or above the FIC cash-threshold reporting amount must also be reported to the Financial Intelligence Centre via goAML in line with section 28 of FICA.

Do your services cover heavy vehicles, trucks and bikes?

Number Plate and VIN Lookup cover vehicles registered in South Africa and 57+ other countries, including passenger cars, LCVs, heavy vehicles and motorcycles where the dataset has coverage. Driver's Licence Decode returns the licence classes (for example A, B, C1, EC1) so you can confirm the driver is licensed for the vehicle they are signing for.

Do I need buyer consent before running these checks?

Yes. POPIA requires a lawful basis for processing a buyer's personal information. For dealerships that is typically a combination of contract performance (to conclude the sale or finance agreement), legal obligation (FICA customer due diligence) and consent for anything beyond that. Your sale agreement and FICA notice should make this clear.

Make every deal FICA-ready

Create a free account, load credits and run ID, licence, VIN, AVS, trace and AML/PEP checks from a single dashboard.

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