More than 165,000 new vehicle owners, who have been waiting over five months for their number plates, will have to wait at least another three months due to a cancelled 25-year contract with the former supplier, complications in the new tender process, and delays in obtaining security feature accreditation.
According to an official from the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT), the department currently faces a significant backlog in issuing plates for newly registered vehicles. As of September this year, the pending list includes 127,745 motorcycles and 25,526 electric cars. As an interim measure, new owners have been permitted to use their vehicles with an official letter confirming registration, the official said.
The long-standing contract with the previous number plate supplier expired in April 2025, resulting in an immediate production halt due to the absence of an alternate vendor. The process of selecting a new supplier has been hindered by technical and procurement issues within the tender procedure, the official added.
The main cause of the delay centers on the inspection of seven key security features designed to prevent counterfeiting of vehicle licence plates. The University of Moratuwa was assigned to test these features; however, only six have been examined in the past three months. The seventh feature, which requires international-level verification, remains untested — effectively stalling the issuance process. The official emphasized that new plates cannot be legally issued without the final certification, resulting in nearly half a year of delay.
This technical setback has been attributed to the monopolistic dominance of a single supplier. Access International (Pvt) Ltd, which has produced Sri Lankan vehicle number plates since 2000, was the exclusive provider for 25 years. Despite tender renewals in 2008 and 2019, this long-term exclusivity created operational inflexibility and procedural bottlenecks, the official said.
Three companies have now submitted bids for the new tender, but the process remains stalled following Access International’s appeal to the Presidential Secretariat. The appeal has prevented the DMT from finalising procurement and commencing the distribution of new plates.
Motor Vehicle Commissioner General Kamal Amarasinghe stated that the new number plates are being produced under strict ISO 7591-1982 international standards. The aluminum substrate must conform to ASTM B209 specifications, with a minimum purity of 99 percent and a 1-millimeter thick front anodised or chrome-plated reflective layer measuring at least 120 micrometres.
The reverse side of the plates will receive a similar coating, along with a clear epoxy protective varnish of at least 4 micrometres in thickness. Compliance with all international testing standards is mandatory, and manufacturers are required to submit verification certificates before the plates can be issued.
While the introduction of a new tender and the participation of multiple bidders offer hope for resolution, the pending appeal by Access International and the completion of the final security feature test remain critical to ending the prolonged delay.
