Drivers in South Africa earn roughly R6 500 to R28 000 per month in 2026, depending on licence code, experience and load. Code 10 drivers earn about R8 000 to R18 000, Code 14 long-haul drivers R16 000 to R25 000, and delivery or courier drivers R6 500 to R15 000. The Road Freight bargaining council (NBCRFLI) sets legal minimums, and allowances like subsistence pay can add meaningfully on top.
Quick facts: driver salary (2026)
| Role | Monthly salary (estimate) |
|---|---|
| Delivery / courier driver | R6 500 to R15 000 |
| Code 10 driver | R8 000 to R18 000 |
| Code 14 driver | R16 000 to R25 000 |
| Cross-border / tanker | R22 000 to R30 000+ |
| NBCRFLI heavy-vehicle minimum | About R14 650 per month |
| Subsistence allowance | R595 per day (overnight, tax-free within rate) |
Code 10 driver salary
Code 10 drivers operate medium vehicles between 3 500 kg and 16 000 kg, used for local deliveries, courier work and distribution. They earn about R8 000 to R18 000 per month, with an average around R12 800. Distribution, retail and municipal roles sit in the R8 000 to R14 000 band, and with a Professional Driving Permit (PDP) and three or more years of experience you can reach R15 000 to R18 000.
To see your net pay after deductions, use our take-home pay calculator.
Code 14 driver salary
Code 14 drivers operate heavy vehicles over 16 000 kg, including semis and interlinks used for inter-provincial and cross-border haulage. Market pay is about R16 000 to R25 000 per month. The NBCRFLI legal minimum for heavy and extra-heavy vehicles is around R14 650 a month, rising to about R17 379 for ultra-heavy and R21 257 for abnormal loads. Experienced cross-border and petroleum tanker drivers command R22 000 to R30 000 and more.
Delivery and courier driver salary
Delivery and courier drivers earn about R6 500 to R15 000 per month, depending on the sector. Courier and parcel work pays around R6 500 to R9 500, local distribution R8 000 to R12 000, retail chain delivery R9 000 to R14 000, and food and beverage distribution R10 000 to R15 000. Many roles add performance bonuses.
NBCRFLI minimums and allowances
Pay in road freight is governed by the National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry (NBCRFLI), and its wage determination is extended to every operator in the sector. The legal minimums above are base salaries. On top of them, SARS approves a subsistence allowance of R595 per day for domestic overnight trips (2026/27 tax year), which is tax-free within the approved rate. A driver doing 20 overnight trips a month can add roughly R11 900 tax-free to their pay.
How to earn more as a driver
The clearest ways to raise your pay are to upgrade from a Code 10 to a Code 14 licence, hold a valid PDP (which adds about R1 000 to R2 500 a month), and add endorsements like dangerous goods (HAZCHEM) or cross-border experience. The career path runs from driver, to senior driver, to fleet coordinator, to transport supervisor, up to logistics manager at R35 000 to R60 000 a month. Compare other jobs in our South African salary guide.
How we worked this out
The figures on this page combine the NBCRFLI 2025 to 2027 wage determination (effective 1 March 2025) with market salary survey data and industry pay guides for 2026. Driver pay varies by licence code, load, route and allowances, so treat the market figures as guide ranges and the NBCRFLI amounts as legal minimums. Confirm the figure in the specific vacancy or contract.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Code 10 driver earn per month in South Africa in 2026? About R8 000 to R18 000 per month, with an average around R12 800. With a PDP and three or more years of experience you can reach R15 000 to R18 000.
How much does a Code 14 driver earn? About R16 000 to R25 000 per month in the market. The NBCRFLI legal minimum for heavy vehicles is around R14 650, and experienced cross-border and tanker drivers earn R22 000 to R30 000 and more.
How much does a delivery driver earn? About R6 500 to R15 000 per month, depending on the sector, from courier and parcel work at the lower end to food and beverage distribution at the higher end.
What is the minimum wage for a truck driver in 2026? Under the NBCRFLI determination, the legal minimum for heavy and extra-heavy vehicle drivers is about R14 650 per month, with ultra-heavy at about R17 379 and abnormal loads at about R21 257.
Do drivers get allowances on top of their salary? Yes. SARS approves a subsistence allowance of R595 per day for domestic overnight trips (2026/27), which is tax-free within the approved rate and can add significantly to monthly pay.
