DMRE · NERSA · SANS · Petroleum · Liquid Fuels

Petroleum licences — from refinery to forecourt.

End-to-end petroleum business licensing — DMRE manufacturing, wholesale, and retail licence applications, NERSA registration, SANS standard compliance, and environmental permit coordination for petroleum operations across South Africa.

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DMRE

Licence authority

NERSA

Energy regulator

SANS

Standard compliance

Licence tiers covered

Petroleum licensing services

The complete petroleum regulatory pathway.

Mishonga manages petroleum business licence applications from initial feasibility and site compliance assessment through DMRE submission, NERSA registration, and environmental authorisation — coordinating all parallel regulatory requirements as a single engagement.

Petroleum manufacturing licence

DMRE petroleum manufacturing licence applications — facility design compliance, SANS standard alignment, environmental requirements, production capacity documentation, and NERSA notification where applicable.

DMREManufacturingSANSNERSARefining

Petroleum wholesale licence

Petroleum wholesale licence applications for bulk liquid fuel storage and distribution — SANS 10131 compliance, storage facility requirements, NERSA licensing, and environmental permit coordination.

WholesaleSANS 10131StorageDMRENERSADistribution

Petroleum retail licence (service station)

DMRE petroleum retail site licence applications — site compliance assessment, zoning and building plan review, EIA if required, NERSA registration, and oil company site agreement alignment.

RetailService stationDMRENERSAEIAOil company

NERSA registration

NERSA trader, importer, and generator registration — coordinated with DMRE licence applications for petroleum operators and liquid fuel traders requiring energy regulatory registration.

NERSATraderImporterRegistrationEnergy

SANS compliance assessment

Compliance assessment against relevant SANS standards for petroleum storage and handling — SANS 10131 (above ground storage), SANS 10089 (filling stations), and related SANS codes.

SANS 10131SANS 10089ComplianceStorageSafety

Environmental permit coordination

Coordination of all environmental permits required for petroleum operations — EIA, Atmospheric Emission Licence, Water Use Licence, and municipal by-law compliance — managed as part of the licence application.

EIAAELWULEnvironmentalMunicipalCompliance

Petroleum licence types

Every licence from manufacturing to retail.

The Petroleum Products Act and related legislation requires separate licensing at each level of the petroleum supply chain. Mishonga manages applications across all tiers — from refinery through terminal storage to the forecourt.

Manufacturing

Petroleum manufacturing licence

Licence for manufacturing, processing, blending, or refining petroleum products — DMRE application with full facility compliance documentation and environmental authorisation.

Wholesale

Petroleum wholesale licence

Licence for wholesale trading, importing, and bulk storage of petroleum products — DMRE application coordinated with NERSA registration and SANS 10131 compliance.

Retail

Petroleum retail licence

Licence for retail sale of petroleum products (service stations) — DMRE application including site compliance, zoning, NERSA registration, and oil company site agreement.

Import/Export

Petroleum import licence

DMRE petroleum import licence for entities importing petroleum products into South Africa — coordinated with NERSA importer registration.

Storage

Bulk liquid fuel storage licence

Licensing for bulk liquid fuel storage facilities — compliance assessment, EIA if triggered, AEL for loading racks, and WUL for any watercourse-adjacent sites.

Environmental

Environmental authorisations for petroleum

Full environmental authorisation coordination — EIA for new petroleum facilities, AEL for loading racks and vapour recovery, WUL for site drainage, and municipal by-law compliance.

Frequently asked

Common questions from clients.

Do I need separate DMRE licences for wholesale and retail operations?

Yes. The Petroleum Products Act requires separate licences for manufacturing, wholesale, and retail petroleum activities. A business operating at multiple levels of the supply chain must hold the appropriate licence for each level. Mishonga coordinates all licence applications simultaneously where multiple licences are required.

What environmental permits are required for a new service station?

A new service station typically requires: (1) municipal zoning and building plan approval, (2) a NEMA Basic Assessment if it triggers a listed activity, (3) a SANS 10089-compliant site design review, (4) NERSA registration, and (5) a DMRE retail licence. Mishonga screens each site against all requirements and coordinates the parallel applications.

How long does a DMRE petroleum retail licence take?

DMRE retail licence timelines vary — typically 3–9 months from complete application submission. The main timeline drivers are environmental authorisation (if triggered), oil company site agreement approval, and NERSA registration. Mishonga's parallel-track approach manages all requirements simultaneously to minimise total elapsed time.

Is a NERSA registration required for all petroleum operators?

NERSA registration is required for petroleum traders, importers, and certain storage operators in addition to their DMRE licence. The registration category depends on the nature and scale of the operation. Mishonga assesses each client's specific activities and manages the appropriate NERSA registration as part of the licensing engagement.

Petroleum licences — from refinery to forecourt.

The complete petroleum regulatory pathway.

Every licence from manufacturing to retail.

Common questions from clients.

Licence your petroleum business.