In short: Some South African bank branches now take Smart ID replacements for Home Affairs. First-time IDs still go to a Home Affairs office. Rules differ by bank. Capitec, for example, says you pay from a Capitec account. Do not travel on an old “any bank, no account needed” list.
This page is a South African overview of the Home Affairs Digital Partnership with banks. It is not a promise that your nearest branch can help, or that your application will be accepted.
What the bank route is for
Home Affairs’ Digital Partnership pages describe a branch visit where the bank captures your photo, fingerprints and signature. Capitec’s current Smart ID page, which is one participating bank, limits the service to replacing a lost, stolen or damaged Smart ID, or replacing a green ID book with a Smart ID.
Home Affairs says first-time ID applications, including a first ID at 16, are not in this first phase at bank branches. Those applications stay at a Home Affairs office.
Home Affairs also describes this bank route as different from the older eHomeAffairs process. On the Digital Partnership pages you do not first book and pay on eHomeAffairs, then pitch up at the bank.
Do you need to be a customer of that bank?
That depends on the bank. Capitec’s Smart ID page says you pay from a Capitec account. If you do not have one, Capitec says it can open an account in branch first, and the application continues once the account is active with a positive balance.
Do not assume every participating bank works the same way. Check that bank’s current page, or ask the branch, before you travel.
What it costs
Home Affairs’ Digital Partnership FAQ says the department charges R140 for a Smart ID card and that banks may add a convenience fee. Capitec’s page dated 11 March 2026 states R150 in total: R140 to Home Affairs and a R10 Capitec fee.
Home Affairs treats a first identity document as free, and says a senior citizen aged 60 or older who is converting a green book to a Smart ID pays no Home Affairs fee. Capitec’s current page does not repeat that exemption. Confirm any exemption with Home Affairs or the branch before you pay. Fees change.
How to find a participating branch
Only selected branches take part, and the list moves. Home Affairs launched an online locator on 3 August 2026. Its 3 August 2026 statement said South Africans could then use 372 participating bank branches. That is an all-bank figure for that date, not a permanent count and not a count for one bank.
Use these official lists on the day you go:
- Home Affairs bank-branch locator
- Home Affairs: participating bank branches
- The current Smart ID page of the bank you plan to use
If the bank is the wrong route
Use a Home Affairs office for a first-time ID, a name change or another civic amendment, or if you are under 16. Home Affairs says identity documents are issued to South African citizens and permanent-residence permit holders from age 16.
Home Affairs warns that it does not render services outside its offices or via social media, that bookings are free, and that you should not pay bribes. Do not send money, an OTP or a copy of your ID to someone who messages you about a blocked card.
The Home Affairs Call Centre is 0800 60 11 90.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for a first Smart ID at a bank?
Not in the first phase described by Home Affairs and Capitec. Use a Home Affairs office.
Do I need to be a customer of the bank?
Capitec says yes, you pay from a Capitec account. Other banks may differ. Check that bank’s current page.
Do I book on eHomeAffairs first?
Not for the Digital Partnership branch route. Home Affairs says you do not log onto eHomeAffairs to book or pay for that route. The older online portal is a separate process.
Where do I collect the card?
Home Affairs says you collect it at the same bank branch where you applied. Ask that branch how it will tell you to come back.
Sources
- Department of Home Affairs, Digital Partnership with banks, accessed 15–17 August 2026. Digital Partnership
- Department of Home Affairs, identity documents. Identity documents
- Department of Home Affairs, tariffs. Tariffs
- Home Affairs statement, 3 August 2026, bank-branch locator. 3 August 2026 statement
- Home Affairs bank-branch locator. https://myhomeaffairsonline.dha.gov.za/
- Capitec Smart ID page, dated 11 March 2026, used for the Capitec-specific account and fee claims. Confirm on the live Capitec site.
This is general information about a Home Affairs service offered at some bank branches. It is not personal advice. Participating branches, fees and bank rules change. Check the official locator and the bank’s current page on the day you apply.