Overview
The Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) issues driving licences in Sri Lanka. To get a first licence you sit a written test, hold a learner's permit while you practise, and then pass a practical test. This page covers how that process is described on the DMT website. The DMT pages reviewed do not publish the number of questions, the pass mark or the syllabus of the written test, so check with the DMT office where you apply.
Who can apply
Light vehicles
You can register and sit the written test once you have completed 17 years.
You must be 18 to sit the practical test.
You need a medical aptitude certificate from the National Transport Medical Institution, issued no more than 6 months earlier.
Heavy vehicles
You must have held a licence for light vehicles (classes B and B1 only) for at least 2 years before applying.
You can register and sit the written test at age 20, and must be 21 to sit the practical test.
The same medical certificate rule applies.
Minimum height is 4 feet 10 inches for the light motor bus and motor lorry category, and 5 feet for the motor bus and motor lorry category.
Exam pattern
| Stage | Detail |
|---|---|
| Written test | Taken first. Passing it earns a learner's permit. |
| Learner's permit | Valid up to 18 months. You may practise driving while holding it. |
| Practical test | Compulsory. At least 3 months must have passed since the learner's permit was issued. |
Vehicle classes
The DMT lists licence classes under section 122 of the Motor Traffic Act as amended in 2009. They include A1 (light motorcycles up to 100cc), A (motorcycles above 100cc), B1 (motor tricycles and small vans), B (cars and dual-purpose vehicles up to 3,500 kg and 9 seats), C1 and C (lorries), CE (heavy lorry with trailer), D1 and D (coaches), DE (heavy coach with trailer), G1 and G (hand tractors and agricultural land vehicles) and J (special-purpose vehicles). Check the DMT vehicle classes page for the full definitions and for which classes each licence also allows.
Fees
The DMT lists these levies, set under the Motor Traffic (Driving Licence Levy) Regulations No. 03 of 2022 as amended up to 17 November 2025. Amounts are in Sri Lankan rupees (Rs.), normal service.
| Item | Rs. |
|---|---|
| Learner's permit and new licence, one class | 2,500 |
| Learner's permit and new licence, two classes at once | 3,000 |
| Learner's permit and new licence, three or more classes | 3,500 |
| Re-applying for the written test | 500 |
| Re-applying for the practical test | 1,000 |
| Adding classes to an existing licence, one class | 2,500 |
| Renewal or extension of a licence, one period | 2,800 |
The same schedule lists Rs. 45,000 for issuing a driving licence to a person who is not a Sri Lankan citizen, and Rs. 15,000 to renew one. Same-day service has a higher levy; the DMT table gives the same-day amounts. Each fee schedule row on the DMT page is a separate service, so ask which items apply to you.
How to apply
Apply in person. Bring your national identity card, or a valid passport together with your national identity card number.
For a first licence, bring the original birth certificate.
At offices with online processing, no photographs are needed; they are taken during processing. The DMT lists the head office at Werahera and district offices at Kurunegala, Hambantota, Gampaha, Anuradhapura, Kalutara, Jaffna and Monaragala. Other district offices use the offline method and need two black and white passport-size photographs with a white background.
Preparation tips
Learn the road rules, signs and signals that appear in official Sri Lankan driving guidance, since the DMT pages do not publish a syllabus.
Pass the medical certificate step early; it must be under 6 months old at application.
Plan the timeline: the learner's permit period has to run at least 3 months before the practical test.
What age can I take the Sri Lankan driving written test?
The DMT says you can register and sit the written test for light vehicles at 17, and for heavy vehicles at 20.
How long is the learner's permit valid?
It is valid for up to 18 months, according to the DMT.
How much does it cost to retake the test?
The DMT levy schedule lists Rs. 500 to re-apply for the written test and Rs. 1,000 for the practical test.