No legal action over paper printed vehicle number plates registered after March last year

Colombo, May 27 (Daily Mirror) - The police have been instructed not to initiate legal action against vehicle owners who used paper printed number plates bearing registered vehicle numbers between March 7, 2025 and the present, a period during which Sri Lanka’s official number plate printing contract was not in effect, authorities said.

The directive comes amid warnings from police to motorists not to operate vehicles fitted with distorted or non-standard number plates, despite delays in the issuing of official registration plates.

Deputy Inspector General of Police for Traffic Control and Road Safety, W.P.J. Seneviratne, said vehicles cannot legally be driven using altered or unofficial number plates, even during the interim period before official plates are issued. However, he said motorists are permitted to display vehicle registration numbers printed on an A4-sized sheet, provided it is done in accordance with guidelines issued by the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT).

Despite motorists having already paid fees to the DMT for number plates at the time of registration, nearly 400,000 plates remain pending distribution. This has led to increased roadside inspections, with traffic police reportedly detaining and questioning motorists over what authorities describe as “non-standard” number plates.

DMT Acting Commissioner General K.P.N.T.N. Devapriya said the printing of vehicle number plates is expected to resume on or before June 10, 2026, under a newly awarded five-year contract. He said the selected company, South Asian Technologies (Pvt) Ltd, has already installed machinery at the Werahera premises of the DMT and is completing final preparations.

He further explained that although the procurement process was completed based on the recommendations of the Bid Evaluation Committee and the Standing High-Level Procurement Committee, production cannot begin until the contractual operational timeline commences. Under the agreement, printing must start within three months of signing.

Authorities also said the DMT has not yet issued final technical specifications for public self-printing of number plates. Officials warned that releasing standard designs at this stage could lead to misuse or “illegal promotion,” and advised motorists to use temporary printed paper plates as an interim solution.

However, confusion remains over enforcement, as traffic police continue to take action in some cases involving non-standard plates. While clarifying the interim arrangement, DIG Seneviratne reiterated that A4-sized printed number displays are permitted if they comply with DMT guidelines.

The DMT had suspended the issuing of standard number plates for nearly 10 months due to the absence of a supplier, creating a backlog of around 400,000 plates. During this period, newly registered vehicles have increasingly been seen on roads with improvised plates of varying colours, sizes and formats sourced from private vendors.

Motorists have raised concerns over inconsistent enforcement, claiming that fines are still being imposed in some instances despite official instructions on interim arrangements.

According to officials, applicants for vehicle registration currently pay Rs. 3,300 for number plates, Rs. 1,000 as inspection fees and Rs. 150 for postal and documentation charges.

Under the new arrangement approved following a Procurement Appeals Board decision, the DMT will operate two printing lines once production begins—one to clear the backlog of pending plates and the other to issue new registrations.

Authorities say the system is expected to stabilise, once full-scale production begins in June 2026.