Sri Lanka's Motor Traffic Department to Resume Number Plate Issuance by Late May, Addressing 400,000-Vehicle Backlog

The Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) has announced that the issuance of standard registration number plates for new vehicles will resume by late May this year. This development was revealed during a session where DMT officials appeared before the parliamentary Committee on Public Finance (CoPF). The committee learned that approximately 413,000 vehicles are currently operating on Sri Lankan roads without proper number plates due to previous delays in issuance. Furthermore, the DMT plans to introduce a new system allowing vehicle owners to obtain personalized number plates displaying their names, with implementation expected within the next six months. CoPF Chairman Harsha de Silva noted the prior inclusion of provincial identifiers on plates, which have since been removed.