Botswana Driving Licence Photo — Official DRTS Size & Requirements

A driving licence in Botswana is issued by the Department of Road Transport and Safety (DRTS), and any photo associated with your application must meet the national passport-style standard: 35 × 45 mm, plain white background, and a neutral expression with eyes clearly visible. Having a correctly formatted image on hand ensures your paperwork is in order from the very first moment at the licensing office.

The Botswana licensing process is largely digital. In most cases the DRTS or an authorised testing centre photographs applicants directly on the day of the test or application — you do not hand over a printed photo for the licence card itself. That said, some licensing offices and official application files do request a passport-style photo that meets the national specification. Knowing the exact standard in advance means you walk in fully prepared, avoid unnecessary delays, and have a ready-to-use compliant image for any supplementary documents or future visa and permit applications that do require a submitted photo.

• Size: 35 × 45 mm (827 × 1063 px)
• Background: plain white (#FFFFFF), uniform, no shadows or patterns
• Face coverage: 60–80% of the total frame height
• Expression: neutral, relaxed, mouth closed
• Eyes: open, clearly visible, looking directly at the camera
• Glasses: not permitted
• Headwear: not permitted except for documented religious reasons
• Recency: photo must have been taken within the last 6 months
• Alterations: no digital filters, heavy retouching, or colour manipulation

Common reasons photos are rejected in Botswana:

• Non-white background: cream, off-white, or any tinted surface is not accepted — the standard requires pure white (#FFFFFF); even a faint shadow behind the head will cause rejection
• Glasses worn in the photo: even thin prescription frames are not allowed; the eyes must be fully visible without any eyewear
• Poor framing: a head that is too small, too large, or noticeably off-centre fails the face-coverage check and will be returned
• Headwear without a documented exemption: caps, hats, and decorative wraps are not permitted; only a verifiable religious head covering with proper documentation is accepted

Upload your photo to have it automatically cropped and adjusted to the exact 35 × 45 mm DRTS specification — white background corrected, face correctly centred and sized, fully ready. Since the licence photo itself is captured digitally at the testing centre, this reference image serves two practical purposes: it shows you precisely what a compliant photo must look like so you arrive at your appointment confident and prepared, and it gives you a standard-format image ready for any additional permits, visa applications, or official submissions that do require a photo you provide yourself. A free watermarked preview is available before any payment, so you can confirm compliance before committing.