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Last checked: 25 October 2026
Switching a green ID book to a Smart ID
This page is for someone who still holds a green barcoded identity book and wants a Smart ID card. It sets out what the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), gov.za and each bank say about whether that book is still valid, the dates a minister has announced, what happens to the book, the fee, the documents, and which banks name this switch. A Smart ID card that was lost, stolen or damaged is a different application: Replacing a lost or stolen Smart ID. A first identity document, including at 16, for someone who has never held one: First Smart ID at 16. The tariff table is on Fees and documents. How a bank visit differs from a Home Affairs office booking: Booking and walk-ins.
On 1 October 2026 the Minister of Home Affairs announced that production of the green ID book would cease by 31 March 2027, and that on 31 March 2028 the book would cease to be recognised [source]. The current identity documents page and the Digital Partnership page do not name either date [source, source]. The Identification Amendment Act says a green bar-coded identity document remains valid until it is replaced, or until a date the Minister fixes by notice in the Government Gazette, whichever is sooner [source]. The speech does not say that a Gazette notice fixing 31 March 2028 has already been published. The identity documents page and the Digital Partnership page do not say that either [source, source, source].
What the Act and the 2013 notice say about validity
The Identification Amendment Act 28 of 2000 substituted section 25 of the Identification Act, 1997. It commenced on 13 October 2000. In the text on gov.za [source]:
- Subsection (2): a green, bar-coded identity document issued under the Identification Act, 1986 remains valid until it is replaced by an identity card issued under section 14, or until a date contemplated in subsection (4), whichever is sooner.
- Subsection (4): the Minister may by notice in the Gazette fix a date for that replacement, and may make regulations about the replacement.
- Subsection (1) is one sentence. It says the Director-General continues to issue green, bar-coded identity documents until a date the Minister determines by notice in the Gazette. That sentence has no paragraph (b).
The 1 October 2026 speech cites section 25(1)(b) of the Identification Act for the 31 March 2028 date [source]. The amendment text published on gov.za does not contain section 25(1)(b) [source]. This page does not choose between the speech and the Act text.
Government Notice 728 of 2013, in Government Gazette 36648 of 11 July 2013, is the notice on replacing green, bar-coded identity documents with identity cards. It takes effect on 18 July 2013. On validity, it says [source]:
- When the identity card is issued, the green bar-coded identity document becomes invalid from the time of issue, if the person had one. The person must then surrender it to the Department for cancellation.
- At the in-person step, the person submits the green identity document for cancellation, provided that it is not surrendered until the identity card is handed over.
- A green bar-coded identity document that the Department has not cancelled, where the person has not been issued with an identity card, remains valid during the roll-out until a date fixed by notice in the Gazette.
- The notice says that once the programme has been rolled out, and at least within three years from its effective date, or soon thereafter, the Minister shall by notice in the Gazette fix a date, and on that date all green bar-coded identity documents shall cease to be valid.
That notice does not fix 31 March 2027 or 31 March 2028. Three years from 18 July 2013 is not a date the notice prints. The current identity documents page and the Digital Partnership page do not repeat the surrender sentence [source, source].
Later official statements, and what date each one gives
| Statement | What it says about the green ID book | An end date in that statement |
|---|---|---|
| 20 November 2017, DHA media statement | A message saying the green barcoded ID book ends on 31 March 2018 was not an announcement by the Department. The book remains a legal form of identification, and will continue to be until the Live Capture System is rolled out to all Home Affairs offices. The statement called on people to apply at any of the 180 offices then equipped with that system, or through the eHomeAffairs portal with FNB, Standard Bank, Nedbank and Absa [source]. | 31 March 2018 is the date the statement says had not been announced. No later end date is printed. |
| 15 May 2026, Home Affairs budget vote | The speech says 16 million people still use the green ID book, and that Home Affairs has a roadmap so that every South African can switch to a Smart ID, which will enable the Department to finally end recognition of the green ID book as a valid form of identification [source]. | Not stated by source. The speech does not name 31 March 2027 or 31 March 2028. |
| 3 August 2026, launch of the branch locator | The minister encouraged every South African still using a green barcoded ID book to switch, using the locator at myhomeaffairsonline.dha.gov.za. The statement's branch figure that day is 372. It says more than half a million people had applied for Smart ID cards through bank branches since 9 March 2026, and the closing quote says more than half a million had made the switch from the green ID book. The statement does not explain the difference between those two sentences [source]. | Not stated by source. |
| 1 October 2026, Quantum Leap address | The speech announces the roadmap in the rows below, and it asks people who still have only a green ID book to visit the nearest participating branch to switch. It says that, because of the digital partnership, the number whose only identification is a green ID book had fallen from 16 million to 14.7 million. Those counts are the speech's counts on 1 October 2026 [source]. | Production by 31 March 2027. Recognition on 31 March 2028. See the next section. The speech cites section 25(1)(b), which the amendment text does not contain [source, source]. |
The dates in the 1 October 2026 speech
- DHA will cease production of the green ID book by 31 March 2027. On that date the machines that produce the booklet will be permanently shut down and decommissioned [source].
- Before 31 March 2027, the Department will enable the remaining naturalised citizens and permanent residents, and South African citizens abroad, to obtain Smart IDs as well. The speech describes these groups as historically excluded [source].
- After production ends in March 2027, the 14.7 million South African citizens and permanent residents who still hold only a green ID book will have a further 12 months to switch [source].
- On 31 March 2028, the speech says, the green ID book will officially cease to be recognised as a valid form of identification, in terms of section 25(1)(b) of the Identification Act [source].
- First-time applicants, and applicants over 60, will remain exempt from the application fee. The fee section below is where the other official pages do, and do not, say the same thing [source].
- The speech says the switch at a local bank branch takes as little as five minutes, and that this service needs no prior booking and no paperwork [source].
The Digital Partnership page, checked for this guide, still says the time in the branch differs by bank and is approximately 15 minutes, and that you do not need to bring any documents [source]. It does not use the five-minute figure. Capitec says the visit normally takes a few minutes. FNB says the in-branch process takes about 10 minutes [source, source]. Use the figure on the page for the place you are going.
Branch totals in the older statements are those statements' totals: 167 in the 15 May 2026 speech, at eight weeks after the new system went live, and 372 on 3 August 2026 [source, source]. They are not a current directory. The live locator, and the lists built from it, are on the home page and the province pages.
Who can do this switch at a bank
The Digital Partnership page lists green ID book holders converting to a Smart ID card as a service that is currently available. Under who can apply, the same page says the first phase focuses on South African citizens who still hold the green ID book, re-issues for existing Smart ID card holders, and naturalised citizens and qualifying permanent residents with green ID books [source].
A second list on that page, under who the service is currently available for, names permanent residents and naturalised citizens from visa-exempt countries, in the initial phase [source]. "Qualifying permanent residents with green ID books" and "from visa-exempt countries" are not the same words. The page does not explain the difference.
The 1 October 2026 speech says the Department will enable the remaining naturalised citizens and permanent residents, and citizens abroad, before 31 March 2027 [source]. "Will enable" is the speech's tense. It does not say that every permanent resident, or every citizen abroad, can already apply at a bank on the day of this check.
People living abroad: the identity documents page says they can apply for ID books at a South African mission or consulate, and that the application is sent to Head Office in Pretoria. A Smart ID card at a mission: not stated in that sentence [source].
Children cannot apply at these bank branches. A first ID, and the example the Digital Partnership page gives is turning 16, must be done at a Home Affairs office [source]. That application is on First Smart ID at 16.
Someone else applying for you: the Digital Partnership page says no. You attend in person so that fingerprints and a photograph can be captured [source]. If the branch cannot process the application, that page says you may be referred to a Home Affairs office [source].
The fee for this switch
Read the row for the page you are relying on. A free switch at 60 on one page is not copied onto a bank that does not state it.
| Source | Amount it states | People of 60 and older |
|---|---|---|
| DHA identity documents page | Re-issue of a Smart ID card: R140.00. Replacing a green barcoded ID book with a Smart ID card is in that re-issue list [source]. | Converting from the green barcoded ID book to a Smart ID card is free [source]. |
| DHA fees page, marked updated August 2026 | Identity document re-issuing: R140.00. The free re-issue cases in that sentence are a forename that was repeated as a surname, and a new document for a former TBVC citizen. A first identity document is a separate line, and it is free [source]. | A free conversion from a green ID book at 60: not stated in that tariff sentence [source]. |
| DHA Smart ID brochure | Other citizens, on the list that starts with the green bar-coded identity document: R140.00. The brochure heading for that list, and for the pensioner list, is first-time issuance of a Smart ID card [source]. | Pensioners of 60 and older: free of charge [source]. |
| 1 October 2026 speech | An amount in rand: not stated by source. The speech is about the fee exemption, not a tariff table [source]. | Applicants over 60 will remain exempt from the application fee. First-time applicants will remain exempt as well [source]. |
| Digital Partnership page | DHA charges R140 for a Smart ID card. Banks may charge a convenience fee [source]. | Not stated by source [source]. |
| Capitec | R150 in total: R140 DHA fee plus R10 service fee. You pay from a Capitec account [source]. | Not stated by source [source]. |
| Standard Bank | Applicants are charged a R140 DHA fee. Standard Bank says it is currently not charging a convenience fee [source]. | Not stated by source [source]. |
| FNB | The what-to-know list says a Smart ID costs R140. The replacement-cost answer points you to the DHA tariff page and says FNB does not charge any additional fees [source]. | Senior citizens of 60 and older do not pay for their first Smart ID. A free switch from a green ID book, in those words: not stated by source [source]. |
| Absa | DHA fee of R140 to renew, paid at the branch. The page describes renewal. A green ID book: not stated by source [source]. | Not stated by source [source]. |
| Nedbank | The amount for moving from the green ID book to the card: not stated by source. DHA's re-issue tariff is R140.00 [source, source]. | Not stated by source [source]. |
The identity documents page calls the application a re-issue if you already have an ID book. The brochure uses "first time issuance" for pensioners and other citizens whose list starts with the green ID [source, source]. Neither page says which description the cashier will use. The full brochure list is on Fees and documents.
Documents for this switch
| Where you apply | What that source says to bring | Handing in the green book |
|---|---|---|
| A Home Affairs office, identity documents page | A copy of the green bar-coded identity document, or an affidavit if it is lost. A marriage certificate if your status has changed. A divorce decree if you are divorced [source]. | Not stated by source [source]. |
| DHA Smart ID brochure, pensioners and other citizens | The green bar-coded identity document, or an affidavit if it is lost. Proof of residence where it is available, or a residential address. A marriage certificate if married. A divorce decree if divorced [source]. | Not stated by source [source]. |
| Notice 728 of 2013 | At the in-person step: the green identity document, a photograph taken there, and fingerprints taken there. Any other prescribed information. The notice also describes an earlier registration step, in person, at an office, service point or mission [source]. | Submit it for cancellation, and do not surrender it until the identity card is handed to you. It becomes invalid from the time the card is issued [source]. |
| Digital Partnership bank branch | You do not need to bring any documents. Capitec and Standard Bank walk-ins: no existing documents are needed. The photograph and fingerprints are captured at the branch [source]. | Not stated by source [source]. |
The fees page lists a frame of four black and white photos for ID applications at R40.00 [source]. Nedbank says you do not bring photos, because the image is captured on site [source]. Whether a bank visit charges that R40: not stated by the fees page or by the bank pages on this guide [source, source, source, source, source, source].
An affidavit, where a source asks for one, is a written statement under oath. gov.za says an affidavit can be made at any police station. That a police case number is required for a green ID book you still have: not stated by the identity documents page [source, source]. A lost book, and where a police report is stated, is on Replacing a lost or stolen Smart ID.
A surname change is not available at a Digital Partnership branch. Those clients must visit a Home Affairs office [source]. Standard Bank says the same for a surname change, and it does take a Smart ID replacement after Home Affairs has already changed the surname [source].
What each bank says
| Bank | Green ID book | How you start, and what to carry | Account |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capitec | The in-branch service includes replacing a green ID book with a Smart ID card. First-time IDs are not available in branch. The article is dated 11/03/2026 on the page [source]. | In person, for a photo, fingerprints and a signature. No documents. Bring the green ID book only if you open an account during the visit. An appointment rule on Capitec's article: not stated by source. DHA says Capitec allows a walk-in without an appointment [source, source]. | You pay from a Capitec account. If you have none, the branch can help you open one. It must be active with a positive balance before the application continues [source]. |
| Standard Bank, in branch | Who can apply in branch: South African citizens who currently hold a green ID book, or who need a Smart ID re-issue. The services include replacement of a green ID to a Smart ID. If you are not eligible, Standard Bank says visit a Home Affairs branch [source]. | Walk-in. No application before the visit. What you will need: your green bar-coded ID or your driver's licence. You pay at the branch. If fingerprint verification fails, you are referred to a Home Affairs branch [source]. | Yes. A Standard Bank account is required before the Smart ID application [source]. |
| Standard Bank, online | Replacement of a green ID to a Smart ID is listed, with a first-time ID and passports. Who can apply online: South African citizens of 16 and older. The online steps also say you need an Online Banking profile, and that your country of birth must be South Africa [source]. | Apply on the Home Affairs site, pay in Online Banking, then book. The visit step says to come with your ID. A walk-in for an application that was started online: Standard Bank says no. The online branches it names for that case are separate from the walk-in answer [source]. | The account answer is not limited to one route: yes, before the Smart ID application [source]. |
| FNB, replacement | The heading is a lost, stolen or damaged Smart ID. A green ID book, in that replacement: not stated by source [source]. | No appointment. The visit step says to bring your original identity document. A later point says you do not need to bring documentation for a Smart ID in branch. Both sentences are on the page. Payment is approved in the FNB App or online banking, not in cash, debit card or credit card in the branch [source]. | FNB customers with an active, funded transactional account. South African citizen by birth or naturalisation, or a permanent resident [source]. |
| FNB, eHomeAffairs | Apply for a Smart ID or a passport. Bring original identity documents. The examples are a green ID book, a passport, or a birth certificate. The words "green ID book conversion": not stated by source [source]. | Register and pay on the DHA site through FNB, book a branch and a time on eHomeAffairs, then visit one of the seven branches FNB lists. The steps are on Booking and walk-ins [source]. | The customer rule on the page is stated for the Smart ID replacement and again under DHA at FNB branches [source]. |
| Absa | The page says renew your Smart ID. A green ID book: not stated by source. DHA's partnership page includes green ID book conversions at participating branches, and Absa branches are in the DHA locator [source, source, source]. | Book online, book in the Absa Banking App, or walk in. If you booked, bring the SMS or email confirmation. You pay at the branch, not online [source]. | An Absa Cheque or Savings account [source]. |
| Nedbank | Nedbank says an identity card replaces the old barcoded ID book. For an application at DHA, a citizen takes the barcoded green ID book. A permanent resident takes the barcoded green ID book. The branch step says bring the booking confirmation and your ID book or card [source]. | eHomeAffairs: apply online, upload documents, pay online with Nedbank, choose a date and a participating branch, then visit for fingerprints and a photo. Nedbank is not in the DHA Digital Partnership locator. Nedbank says DHA officials issue the documents and that Nedbank is not otherwise involved [source, source]. | Payment is described through the Nedbank Money app or Online Banking. Whether someone who is not a Nedbank client can pay another way: not stated by source [source]. |
Collection after the switch, including who may collect and any deadline a bank states, is on Collecting a Smart ID or passport. Standard Bank states up to 4 weeks to process the Smart ID, then 12 months to collect it. A production time on the Digital Partnership page: not stated by source. The 15 minutes on that page is the time in the branch [source, source].
What these sources do not state
- That 31 March 2028 is already printed in a Gazette notice. Section 25(4) allows the Minister to fix a date by notice in the Gazette. The 1 October 2026 speech announces the date and cites section 25(1)(b). It does not say the notice has been published. Notice 728 of 2013 does not fix that date [source, source, source].
- That the identity documents page or the Digital Partnership page has adopted the 2027 and 2028 dates [source, source].
- That the 20 November 2017 statement, which rejected a 31 March 2018 end date, is the rule the 2026 speeches are applying [source, source].
- That every bank waives the fee for a person of 60 or older who is switching from a green ID book. The identity documents page, the brochure and the 1 October 2026 speech state an exemption. Capitec, Standard Bank, Absa and Nedbank do not state it. FNB states it for a first Smart ID [source, source, source, source, source, source, source, source].
- That Absa's renewal page, or FNB's no-appointment replacement, is the green ID book conversion. Those banks do not use those words. DHA's partnership page does name the conversion as a branch service [source, source, source].
- One document list that both a Home Affairs office and a bank will follow [source, source, source, source].
Back to the home page, fees and documents, booking and walk-ins, and the bank pages: Capitec, Standard Bank, FNB, Absa, Nedbank.