Photo: Azwi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0RAF 1 form: which version to use in 2026, how to complete it and where to lodge it
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Which RAF 1 form: the 2026 court ruling
In 2022 the RAF published a stricter claim form: Board Notice 271 of May 2022 made extra documents compulsory for a valid claim, and Board Notice 302 published a revised RAF 1. Both were challenged. The High Court set them aside, and on 30 April 2026 the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed the RAF's appeal in Road Accident Fund v Legal Practitioners' Indemnity Insurance Fund NPC [2026] ZASCA 63 (SCA media summary).
The Court held that only the Minister may prescribe the contents of the RAF 1, that the Minister had not followed a lawful, consultative process, and that Board Notice 271 fell away with the Minister's decision. In its words: "the position reverts to the RAF 1 form prescribed under the 2008 regulations."
What the RAF 1 contains
The RAF describes the claim form as providing (RAF claim forms):
- basic information on the claimant, the vehicles and the parties involved in the collision;
- the date and place of the accident;
- the amounts claimed, item by item under "Compensation claimed", with supporting vouchers where applicable (s 24(4)(d) of the RAF Act);
- a medical report by the treating doctor.
| Form | What it is for |
|---|---|
| RAF 1 | Claim for compensation and medical report (injury or death) |
| RAF 2 | Claim by a supplier — a hospital or doctor claiming its own costs |
| RAF 3 | Accident report by the drivers or owners involved, with witness details the RAF may request |
| RAF 4 | Serious injury assessment report, needed to claim general damages — see RAF serious injury |
Source: RAF claim forms. Accidents before 1 August 2008 use the older Forms 1, 2 and 3.
How to complete it so it is accepted
Section 24 of the RAF Act sets the rules; a form that breaks them is not acceptable as a claim (s 24(4)(a)):
- Answer every question. Give a clear reply to each one and write "not applicable" where a question does not apply (s 24(4)(b)).
- Sign every change. Ticks, dashes, deletions and alterations that are not confirmed by a signature make the form improperly completed (s 24(4)(c)).
- Itemise the amounts under "Compensation claimed" and attach the vouchers — invoices, payslips, receipts (s 24(4)(d)).
- Get the medical report completed by the doctor who treated the injuries, or by the superintendent of the hospital that treated them (s 24(2)(a)). If they do not do it in a reasonable time and the claim risks prescribing, another doctor who has fully satisfied himself or herself about the injuries may complete it.
- Death at the scene? No medical report is needed, but attach documentary proof that the death resulted from the accident, such as the inquest record or the charge sheet (s 24(2)(b)).
- Attach the affidavit on how the accident happened and copies of the statements and documents you hold: the RAF may refuse to pay until you do (s 19(f)).
Where and how to lodge the RAF 1
- By hand or registered post to the RAF's principal, branch or regional office. Hand delivery entitles you to a written, dated acknowledgement of receipt — section 24(1)(b) obliges the RAF to give one. Keep it and a full copy of the form.
- Not by e-mail. The RAF requires the original form; if you fax it, send the original too. It is your responsibility to make sure the form reaches the RAF (RAF claim forms).
- Regional offices: Parktown (Johannesburg), Pretoria, Centurion, Durban, Cape Town and East London (RAF). Contact centre: 087 820 1 111, [email protected] (RAF).
After lodging: if the RAF does not object to the validity of the claim within 60 days, it is deemed valid (s 24(5)); you may not issue summons for 120 days unless the RAF rejects the claim in writing first (s 24(6)). Follow the claim: RAF claim status. Deadlines, what the RAF pays and the income cap: Road Accident Fund.
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Frequently asked questions
Which RAF 1 form should I use in 2026?
The RAF 1 of the 2008 Regulations. The Supreme Court of Appeal confirmed on 30 April 2026 that the 2022 version (Board Notices 271 and 302 of 2022) is set aside and that the position reverts to the 2008 form.
Who completes the medical part of the RAF 1?
The doctor who treated the injuries, or the superintendent of the hospital where they were treated. If they fail to do so in a reasonable time and the claim risks prescribing, another doctor who has examined the facts may complete it (RAF Act s 24(2)(a)).
Can I e-mail my RAF 1 form?
No. The RAF requires the original, delivered by hand or by registered post to one of its offices; a faxed form must be followed by the original.
What happens if I leave a question blank on the RAF 1?
A form not completed in all its particulars is not acceptable as a claim (s 24(4)(a)). Answer every question and write "not applicable" where a question does not apply.
What is the RAF 3 form?
The accident report that the drivers or owners of the vehicles involved must give the RAF, if reasonably possible within 14 days of the accident (RAF Act s 22(1)(a)), with witness details the RAF may request.
How long do I have to lodge the RAF 1?
3 years from the accident when the driver or owner is identified, 2 years for a hit-and-run; time does not run against a minor (RAF Act s 23).
Sources
- Supreme Court of Appeal — media summary, Road Accident Fund v Legal Practitioners' Indemnity Insurance Fund NPC [2026] ZASCA 63 (30 April 2026)
- Road Accident Fund — Claim forms: what RAF 1 and RAF 3 contain, how to serve them, head-office contacts (archived copy of 22 April 2026)
- Road Accident Fund Act 56 of 1996, consolidated text (LawLibrary / Laws.Africa): ss 17, 18(4), 19, 23, 24 and 26
- Road Accident Fund — Regional offices (archived copy of 17 January 2026)
- Road Accident Fund — How to claim: documents, RAF 1 and RAF 4, 'Drive your claim forward' (archived copy of 22 April 2026; menu links to the RAF Self Service Portal and RAF Chatbot)
- Road Accident Fund — Claims FAQs (archived copy of 17 January 2026)