Delay in new vehicle number plates over verification of seven security features – Minister

Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Bimal Rathnayake today (October 8) informed Parliament that the process of issuing new vehicle number plates has been delayed mainly due to the time taken to accredit their advanced security features.

He said the new number plates include seven safety features, out of which six have already been accredited by the University of Moratuwa. However, the university has informed that it does not have the capacity to verify the seventh feature, and assistance from an international laboratory is required for its accreditation.

The Minister explained that the delay occurred because the accreditation process took nearly three months and that additional time was needed for international testing of the final security feature.

He further said that as of September 30, 2025, number plates had not been issued to 165,512 vehicles due to the unavailability of plates. The matter has now reached the final stage of the procurement process, with three companies having submitted tenders.

Minister Rathnayake noted that a single company had been issuing number plates for the past 25 years since 2000, and the government invited fresh tenders this year to ensure greater transparency and competition.

He added that while the new number plates aim to enhance security, the additional safety measures have also contributed to the delay. Meanwhile, the Minister assured that the issues related to the issuance of new driving licenses are expected to be resolved by October 18, 2025.