Which route applies to you, what each one asks for, what the test costs, and what happens to a Section 28 certificate you already hold.
Section 26D is the law every artisan trade test in South Africa now falls under. It replaced Section 13 and Section 28 of the old Manpower Training Act on 1 October 2013. Pass your trade test today and the QCTO issues you a Section 26D trade certificate, which is the red seal.
Section 28 was the route for people who learned the trade on the job instead of through an apprenticeship. That route still exists. It is now called ARPL, artisan recognition of prior learning.
The confusion is common. In one artisan group on Facebook, the same question, whether Section 28 is still a thing, has come up in three different years.
The red seal is the trade certificate that proves you are a qualified artisan. The law gives the QCTO, the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations, the job of issuing it to anyone who passes a trade test. The test itself is moderated by NAMB, the National Artisan Moderation Body.
Its purpose is one national standard. Whether you trained as an apprentice or learned on site, you sit the same trade test and you get the same certificate.
That single standard is what the 2013 change was about.
| Before 1 October 2013 | From 1 October 2013 | |
|---|---|---|
| The law | Manpower Training Act 56 of 1981 | Skills Development Act 97 of 1998, as amended |
| Apprentice route | Section 13(12) | Section 26D |
| Experienced worker route | Section 28(1) | Section 26D, through ARPL |
| Certificate | Issued under Section 13 or Section 28 | One Section 26D trade certificate from the QCTO |
Sources: Artisan Training Institute, 20 April 2026. QCTO learner information.
The two old routes did not disappear. They were folded into one law with one certificate at the end.
Not as a new certificate. A trade test passed since October 2013 leads to a Section 26D certificate, not a Section 28 one. If you have years of experience and no apprenticeship, the route you want is ARPL, and people still loosely call it "Section 28".
If you already hold a Section 28 or Section 13 certificate, the QCTO will not change it to Section 26D. Its position is that the certificate was issued under the law in force when you passed, so the section printed on it cannot be amended.
| Apprenticeship route, formerly Section 13 | ARPL route, formerly Section 28 | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | People training formally with an employer or college | People who learned the trade on the job |
| Education | N2 or higher in the trade | Varies by provider. One asks for Grade 9 as a minimum |
| Experience | About 2.5 years of practical on-the-job training | 4 years working in the trade as a semi-skilled worker |
| Proof | A letter from your employer confirming the work you did | Letters from your employers, plus a portfolio of evidence |
| Assessment | Training, then the trade test | An independent assessor checks your practical and theory skills, then the trade test |
Sources: EASTC artisan programme. Artisan Training Institute, 21 April 2026.
The experience figure is not one fixed number everywhere. EASTC asks for 4 years on the ARPL route. AITF asks for 3 to 4 years of workplace experience before its electrical trade test course. So expect 3 to 4 years, depending on the provider and the trade.
Since "Section 28" now means the ARPL route, these are the documents to have ready.
| Document | What it proves |
|---|---|
| Trade test application form, in the format NAMB sets | Your formal application |
| Letters from your employers | How long you worked in the trade, and what work you did |
| Portfolio of evidence | The skills you picked up on the job |
| Proof you meet the trade's requirements | That you qualify for this specific trade |
| Medical or legal compliance, where the trade needs it | That you can legally do the work |
Sources: QCTO learner information. Artisan Training Institute. EASTC.
If you lose the certificate later, apply for a replacement through your trade test centre, INDLELA or your SETA. Not through the QCTO directly.
We could not find published pass rates anywhere, from the QCTO, INDLELA or the training providers. So nobody can honestly give you a number.
What is clear is that the test is practical and timed, and that preparation courses exist for it. AITF runs a 20 working day electrical preparation course, and says it can be shorter if you already have the experience.
The QCTO and INDLELA do not publish trade test fees on their pages. Careers Portal puts the typical cost at R1,000 to R5,000 or more, and up to R15,000 once you add a preparation course. It depends on the trade, the level and the centre.
That page does not say where its figures come from, so treat them as a rough guide and get the actual fee from your centre before you book.
The QCTO does not give one level for every trade, because each trade has its own registered qualification. As an example, the millwright qualification is registered at NQF level 4, with 697 credits.
For your trade, check the qualification your training provider lists.
People search for "red seal millwright salary" and "red seal boilermaker salary" for a reason. The certificate is what makes you a qualified artisan, and the qualified rate is what those searches are after. Here is where to see it for your trade.
| Trade | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Millwright | qualified millwright pay by sector, or how the apprenticeship works |
| Boilermaker | what boilermakers earn once qualified |
| Diesel mechanic | diesel mechanic pay from entry to senior |
| Fitter and turner | the pay floor for fitters and turners |
| Welder | whether welders are in demand |
List your trade, the year you passed and the centre where you tested on a free Workforce Direct CV. Employers search the database for qualified artisans.
Rules and fees are set by the QCTO, NAMB and each trade test centre, and they change. Confirm the current requirements with your centre.