New supplier to begin issuing licence plates By Dilushi Wijesinghe View(s): View(s):With nearly 400,000 official vehicle licence plates well overdue, the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) is preparing to resume issuance following Cabinet approval to award the task to a private firm, Commissioner General of Motor Traffic, Kamal Amarasinghe said. “The company has already begun its initial work process,” he told the Sunday Times, adding that the DMT has instructed the firm to start issuing licence plates soon. “We expect the issuance of number plates to begin within the next three months,” he said. Wootler clarified that motorists using printed paper licence plates in place of official government-issued plates will not be treated as violating the law, given the prevailing shortage. Responding to concerns about variations in temporary plates, he said that printed paper plates are expected to follow a standard format, typically with a white background.

Source: Sunday Times February 08, 2026 04:28 UTC