Internal sources at the Department of Motor Transport (DMT) Commissionerate have revealed that number plates have yet to be issued for more than 250,000 newly registered vehicles, including motorcycles.
The backlog has arisen after the agreement with the company that had long supplied number plates expired on April 30, 2024. The delay is attributed to the absence of a relevant service provider for various reasons.
However, a spokesperson for the DMT Commissionerate stated that number plates for the vehicles on this waiting list are expected to be issued within the next three months.
According to the spokesperson, a new supplier has been selected with cabinet approval, and the agreement was signed with the supplier last week. As a result, number plates are expected to be available around March 2026.
The Department of Motor Transport Commissioner noted that the majority of newly registered vehicles imported following the relaxation of vehicle import restrictions are motorcycles and motor cars.
From January to December 2025, 254,817 motorcycles and 68,047 motor cars were newly registered. In addition, 17,332 three-wheelers, 6,936 dual-purpose vehicles, 2,642 single cabs, 2,096 buses, and 6,027 other land vehicles were registered, bringing the total number of newly registered vehicles across all categories to 362,100 in 2025 alone.
The Commissionerate further explained that after the relaxation of import restrictions, number plates will be issued for vehicles imported from April 2025, while number plates for motorcycles will be issued starting from January.
Vehicle imports had been suspended in 2020 as a state policy due to the foreign exchange shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic crisis. The government re-authorized vehicle imports on January 28, 2025, after a five-year suspension.
