Various versions of the Population Registration Act, 1950, exist:
- as enacted on 17 July 1950 and as came into force on that date.
- as amended on 22 June 1956 by the Population Registration Amendment Act, 1956.
- as amended on 5 July 1957 by the Statistics Act, 1957.
- as amended on 1 April 1960 by the Population Registration Amendment Act, 1960.
- as amended on 29 May 1962 by the Population Registration Amendment Act, 1962.
- as amended on 28 August 1964 by the Black Laws Amendment Act, 1964.
- as amended on 19 May 1967 by the Population Registration Amendment Act, 1967.
- as amended on 27 June 1969 by the Population Registration Amendment Act, 1969.
- as amended on 26 March 1970 by the National States Citizenship Act, 1970.
- as amended on 1 February 1972 by the Population Registration Amendment Act, 1970.
- as amended on 18 April 1973 by the Population Registration and Identity Documents Amendment Act, 1973.
- as amended on 1 January 1977 by the Population Registration and Identity Documents Amendment Act, 1973.
- as amended on 30 March 1977 by the Population Registration and Identity Documents in South-West Africa Amendment Act, 1977.
- as amended on 1 August 1978 by the Second Black Laws Amendment Act, 1978.
- as amended on 1 June 1980 by the Population Registration Amendment Act, 1980.
- as amended on 1 August 1980 by the Laws on Co-operation and Development Second Amendment Act, 1980.
- as amended on 3 September 1984 by the Population Registration Amendment Act, 1982 and the Population Registration and Elections Amendment Act, 1984.
- as amended on 2 July 1986 by the Identification Act, 1986.
It was repealed on 28 June 1991 by the Population Registration Act Repeal Act, 1991.