Over 120 temporary driving licences issued in two days to tourists at BIA

Colombo, August 5 (Daily Mirror) - At least 120 temporary driving licences have been issued to foreign tourists at the on-arrival service counter at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in the two days since its launch, Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) Commissioner General Kamal Amarasinghe said.

He said while requests to obtain licences for three-wheelers and heavy vehicles were rejected, tourists are eligible for temporary driving permits based on the validity of their visa and home country licence. These permits are issued within 10 minutes upon arrival.

The Commissioner General also noted that the DMT’s Werahera branch has issued a total of 14,293 permanent and temporary driving licences to foreigners over the years. This includes 3,000 licences in 2023, 2,915 in 2024, and 2,476 so far in 2025. Additionally, 5,757 temporary licences have been issued over the past five years by the branch.