The Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) officially inaugurated four high-speed industrial smart card personalization and laser engraving systems at its central processing complex in Werahera, Colombo, today, October 2, 2026, launching an intensive sprint to eliminate a nationwide backlog of 678,000 driving licenses.

The backlog, accumulated over past months due to international supply chain disruptions in secure polycarbonate card blanks and microchip modules, had forced hundreds of thousands of motorists to rely on temporary paper receipts. The newly commissioned automated printing systems, procured under emergency state procurement clearances, operate round-the-clock with automated optical character verification, high-security tactile laser etching, and integrated cryptographic security encoding.

Commissioner General of Motor Traffic Nishantha Anuruddha announced that the new equipment doubles daily card production capacity from 3,500 cards to over 8,000 cards per day. Under the accelerated clearance roadmap, all regional district offices will operate extended evening shifts to distribute finished cards directly to applicants, while home courier delivery partnerships with the Postal Department have been activated for applicants who opted for tracked postal delivery.

Transport Ministry officials affirmed that the entire pending card backlog will be completely cleared by the end of November 2026. Concurrently, the DMT confirmed that its mobile digital driving license smartphone application—which allows traffic police officers to scan cryptographic digital licenses directly via secure QR codes—remains fully legally recognized for roadside verifications, ensuring hassle-free travel for motorists nationwide.