Please read the details stated below carefully, as we care about our clients and their safety on roads, always follow rules of a country when you are a foreigner and seek for these details on internet through Sri Lankan government website if needed (Link stated below)
Driving Permit Requirements to Drive in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka does not accept the international driving Permit (Sri Lankan Government has not signed a legal document with other countries for that) or your country driving license
Therefore; you need to prepare the “AA Ceylon” driving permit to drive in Sri Lanka, or else the driving permit issued by “Department of Motor traffic for foreigners”
You can get this done by us, before arrival (so you get the license with the car at the airport) ,(this is the recommended option) or else you can get this prepared yourself too, by visiting the office and get it prepared (the license preparing office is closed on Saturdays and Sundays) on week days the process can take from 30 minutes to 2 days or more, it depends on how busy they are on that particular dates are
Important
· We provide “AA Ceylon Permit” only, we cannot provide you the permit from “Department of Motor Traffic” (Both are accepted by law, “AA Ceylon” is a private body who has the authority to issue the driving permit and “Department of Motor Traffic” is government body)
· Process of getting “AA Ceylon Permit” is simple, and doesn’t require your presence, so we can get it done for you before your arrival and give it to you with the car
· Process of getting the driving permit from “Department of Motor traffic” is complex and time consuming and need your presence, so we can not get this done for you, you have to get it yourself visiting the office.
· None of these can be applied online
· Permit issued by “AA Ceylon” is 2 folds costly (Approximately 35 USD) compared to the permit issued by “Department of Motor Traffic” (Approximately 20 USD)
· Link to “”AA Ceylon” website - https://aaceylon.lk/ (“AA Ceylon” offices are located in “Kandy” and in “Colombo”
· Link to location of “Department of Motor Traffic” - Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) - https://g.co/kgs/yBi1YxF (website link is not provided, as finding location through the website is confusing, but you can find the website link when you visit the google profile stated above)
Can't we drive with our country driving license or international driving license?
You can, but not legal.
Sri Lankan police doesn't care what sort of license you hold, your country permit, international permit or even not having a permit would be fine, as they try to be friendly towards foreigners.
Then why are you asking us to prepare either AA Ceylon permit or Permit from Department of Motor Traffic?
As said earlier, this is what is legal procedure, all laws will start acting on you correctly, if you make an accident, and we as a legitimate company, don't want problems or we don't like our clients being in trouble due to ignorance of laws, and as a legitimate company, we should follow the rules of the country.
If you are preparing the “AA Ceylon Permit” though us,
· We need photos of your
o Passport
o Both sides of driving license
o A photo of you as in the sample photo attached
For the Preparation of the temporary license before your arrival,
so we give it to you with the car
Cost is approximately 35 USD (10,600 LKR)
Either you can get it done by visiting the government office (which may take from 1 hour to a few hours or a day maybe depending on how busy they are) or we can have it prepared before your arrival and give it to you with the car (+10 USD document submission fee charged by us, therefore; the total you have to pay is 35 USD + 10 USD = 45 USD)
PER ONE DOCUMENT 🚩 (If you need two permits for 2 drivers, the cost doubles)
Important
· If you send us images of your country driving license only – the validity of the “AA Ceylon Permit” is for 3 months
· If you send us images of your international driving license issued from your country along with the country driving license, the validity of the “AA Ceylon Permit” extends until the expiry date of your international driving permit (Maximum one year)
The internet says that the foreigners can get the “AA Ceylon Permit” at the CMB BIA Airport?
Yes, the link to the said news is sated below, as was said by a minister of parliament, but this is not facilitated/implemented still ( News article link - https://pmd.gov.lk/news/foreigners-to-obtain-driving-license-at-sri-lankan-airports-from-april-15-minister-lasantha-alagiyawanna/ )
Are these details actually true, or are we (the car rental company) trying to earn some extra money from the foreigners?
Please refer the government website link provided below, so you can understand it yourself whether we are telling the truth or trying to make some extra money by making you prepare a permit
Link to government website about driving permit conversion requirements for a foreigner to drive in Sri Lanka - https://dmt.gov.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53&Itemid=169&lang=en
Should we prepare this permit through you (the car rental company) if we are renting from you?
it is not a must to prepare this though us, you can prepare it yourself and show it us, so we rent the car to you, most importantly; we do not rent a vehicle to anyone who doesn’t hold one of the mentioned driving permits above. (If you prepare it yourself; you do not have to pay 10 USD for us)
Informative document prepared by : www.AirportCars.lk
Rental Cars Sri Lanka – providing car rentals for foreigners visiting Sri Lanka
Government Registered Company
Registration Number – PV 00284843 (Airport Cars Lanka (PVT) LTD)