Sri Lankan citizens living overseas can use their valid Sri Lankan driving licence when they return to the country, without getting an extra permit or paying an unnecessary fee.
Transport, Highways and Urban Development Minister Bimal Rathnayake gave the clarification in Parliament in response to concerns about driving licence rules for Sri Lankans living abroad.
For anyone returning home for a visit, the key point is simple. If you already have a valid driving licence issued in Sri Lanka, you can legally drive in the country during your stay.
What If You Exchanged Your Licence Abroad?
Some Sri Lankans may have handed over their local driving licence to authorities in another country when getting a foreign driving licence.
In such cases, they can obtain a Sri Lankan driving licence when they return.
They need to submit the relevant documents to the authorities and follow the required procedure.
This means exchanging a Sri Lankan licence for a foreign licence does not remove a person’s access to Sri Lankan driving licence services.
What If You Lost Your Licence Overseas?
Sri Lankans who lost their local driving licence while living abroad can apply for a replacement.
They need to follow the normal replacement process. This includes making a police complaint about the lost licence.
Minister Rathnayake said these arrangements apply to Sri Lankan citizens returning from any country. He specifically referred to countries such as Finland and Kuwait.
He also stressed that Sri Lankan citizens can access driving licence services based on their citizenship rights without making unnecessary additional payments.
For Sri Lankans living overseas, the clarification provides a clear path for driving in the country when they return, depending on whether they still hold their local licence, exchanged it abroad or lost it.
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Last modified: October 23, 2026
