November 16, Colombo (LNW): The Department of Motor Traffic has started printing permanent driving licences that had been delayed due to a shortage of cards required for production, ending the temporary reliance on provisional permits.
Commissioner General Kamal Amarasinghe confirmed that approximately 350,000 permanent licences are set to be produced across three centres: the main facility in Werahera, along with additional printing units in Hambantota and Anuradhapura.
He added that the department anticipates issuing around 6,000 licences each day, including 1,500 under the expedited one-day service, with the remaining 4,500 processed through the standard procedure.
Officials expect the backlog of pending licences to be fully cleared within the next fortnight.
Amarasinghe also noted that the country is preparing to import one million additional licence cards soon, ensuring a steady supply for future demand and preventing further delays for applicants.
