DMT’s vehicle number plate shortage persists
Sri Lanka’s number plate issuance has been at a halt for months with the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) conceeding that an estimated 95,000 vehicles and more than 80,000 motorcycles are yet to be issued official number plates.
An investigation found the shortage was due to a cancelled contract in April 2025, chronic delays in tenders, and an outdated registration system that is unable to cope with the demand.
The DMT’s long time vehicle plate vendor ceased production on April 30, 2025, after the contract was cancelled.
Since there was no alternative vendor, the plate production was halted from April 28, 2025. Car owners who registered after this date were provided with temporary printed or handwritten numbers.
The Transport Ministry called for tender in May 2025 for a new vendor, but this was delayed due to “technical and procurement issues,” according to officials. The second tender call was later issued in July 2025.
The bid closed formally in early August 2025, and a Cabinet-Appointed Procurement Committee opened bids on August 18, 2025. Proposals have been submitted by 15 local and foreign companies. The committee is considering them now on the basis of cost, security, and deliverability.
“The new supplier will be selected soon, and tamper-proof plates will be on offer within two to three months of awarding the contract,” DMT Commissioner-General Kamal Amarasinghe told media conference recently.
The crisis has also exposed structural weaknesses. The underlying software for the registration system that was introduced in 1996 is antiquated and repeatedly collapses under mounting demand.
Over 133,000 new car registrations have been recorded alone in 2025, far above the original capacity of the system.
A circular was issued by the DMT in May allowing temporary handwritten plates in lieu of official ones. Traffic Police have been instructed to treat them as legally valid.
But enforcement is selective. A traffic police official admitted: “Temporary numbers are legal, but the message hasn’t got through to all officers. Some motorists are still being stopped and questioned”.
Motor dealers say the shortage is hurting sales, with purchasers not wishing to accept new vehicles without number plates. Finance and insurance transactions are also delayed. “Customers have paid for vehicles, but without plates delivery is not complete,” said one Colombo dealer.
No supplier has been chosen as of late August 2025. The Cabinet procurement committee is still reviewing the bids, which were submitted on August 18, with no contract award deadline.
Policy experts warn the issue is more than a temporary supply shortage. “Without contingency planning and procurement discipline, the problem will recur,” said one transport analyst.
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