Sri Lanka Police have clarified that legal action over vehicle number plates is being taken only against motorists using distorted, unclear or non-standard temporary plates — not against everyone displaying temporary plates — amid a months-long shortage of official plates.
Deputy Inspector General W.P.J. Seneviratne, in charge of Traffic Control and Road Safety, issued the clarification after vehicle owners complained that police were fining them over temporary plates even though the delay was caused by the authorities.
The shortage stems from the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) suspending the issuance of official number plates for nearly 10 months due to the absence of an approved supplier. Reports indicate roughly 400,000 plates have been affected, leaving newly registered vehicles unable to obtain permanent plates.
Police said temporary plates must follow DMT standards — black lettering on a white background at the front and black lettering on a yellow background at the rear. Motorists are also permitted to display a vehicle number printed on an A4-sized sheet in line with DMT guidelines.
Enforcement, the police said, is being carried out only against plates with decorative fonts, altered colours or vehicle-matching designs that make a vehicle difficult to identify, particularly at night or under strong light. The clarification follows an earlier police order to crack down on altered plates.
The DMT expects standard issuance to resume in June — by June 10 according to Ada Derana, though Newswire reported a June 14 deadline. The department has separately set a June 30 cut-off for owners to collect unclaimed plates.
