Motor Traffic Dept. to amend all charges including driving license

16 August 2022 10:13 am - 6 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The Department of Motor Traffic has sought approval to amend all its charges including the driving license and vehicle transfers in the near future amidst a growing trend of people applying for their driver’s license for foreign employment.

The department has recently received the ministerial approval to amend charges for all its services, which will be gazetted soon, the sources said.

Commissioner of Driving License (Werahera Head Office) Wasantha N. Ariyarathna told the Daily Mirror yesterday the amendments for the charges are coming after 13 years since the final amendment was made in 2009.

He said the approval by the newly appointed Minister of Transport and Highways Bandula Gunawardena had been received and the amendments were sent to the Treasury.

“Compared to the rates and charges for the services offered by many other government departments, the fees for our services are very low like Rs.1, 700 for a new driving license and only Rs.250 for a penalty per annum for not renewing your driver’s license,” the Commissioner said.

He said since March, owing to the dollar crunch the department is issuing the regular printed driving license card only for those who seek foreign employment and that too with the proof of migration like the visa on passport and reserved air ticket.

“For all the rest of the applicants including for renewals, we are endorsing a temporary permit on paper, which is valid for one year until we are planning to issue them with cards when new stocks are received from Austria, depending on the dollar availability,” Mr. Ariyarathna said.

The usual plastic license card had been issued to over 60, 000 applicants who were seeking foreign employment since March this year from the DMT Driving License head office in Werahera and eight other district offices in Anuradhapura, Gampaha, Hambantota, Jaffna, Kalutara, Kandy, Kurunegala and Monaragala, he further said. (Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana)

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Comments - 6

Punchi Moley Tuesday, 16 August 2022 12:18 PM

Pathetic situation. Soon there won’t be imported print material required for new passports or currency either. May be they can rubber stamp by hand some 000s on to the currency notes. Make the new Rs 20 with Basil’s signature, Rs 20, 000.

Jayantha Tuesday, 16 August 2022 12:39 PM

You wait till cards are paid and got from Austria. The paper permit is printed on a A4 and you expect it to last for very long. Don't you have a brain at all. Make a plastic card locally and print. Then using qr like technology to verify it online. Save money using technology instead of wasting money. Also giving a headache to people with keeping A4 in wallet. This guy must be not even driving a vehicle maybe. So no idea about the issue faced by public.Please force them to implent a local based card DM when you meet them nexttime.

Raj Nadaraja Tuesday, 16 August 2022 01:20 PM

wrong timing, yes dollar is gone up but not the wages and salary.. Please reconsider or postpone for sometimes

Are these Army made driver license Tuesday, 16 August 2022 02:01 PM

This is what happened when Army producing driving license. Apparently in September last year Gota give the go head for the private company owned by the army to go ahead. Said it was to cheaper to make. Just because it is possible to make is Sri Lanka it doesn't mean it is better value of us. If all made in Sri Lanka has too much costs to consumer better rely on the cost effect method and process.

Percy Wijenayake Wednesday, 17 August 2022 06:15 AM

It is high time the Motor Traffic office increase the fees for driving licenses and yearly registration. I recommend Rs. 10,000 for a 10 yr license and registration to Rs.100,000 penalty fine Rs 2500 per annum. We need more revenue to help the economy.

Servant Wednesday, 17 August 2022 07:12 AM

Have the salaries of the public changed in line with the rate of inflation? If government entities did not pass on costs to clients for many years who's fault was it. Why squeeze the public now.?

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Motor Traffic Dept. to amend all charges including driving license

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