• Foreigners required to possess valid SL driving licence/int’l licence valid in SL 
• Vehicle owners to be fined Rs. 25,000, tourism sector hotels/vehicle rental establishments warned to ensure that foreigners have valid licence 

Taking into account the frequent incidents of foreigners driving three-wheelers without proper driving licences and documentation, the Traffic Police Headquarters has warned that those who allow such individuals to operate three-wheelers without valid licences will face legal consequences.

In a statement issued, the Police Media Division (PMD) stated that the rising trend of foreign nationals, both male and female, driving three-wheelers in Sri Lanka has become a serious issue. It added that there has been a notable increase in accidents involving foreigners driving these vehicles in recent times, some of which have been fatal or resulted in severe injuries.

“Investigations have revealed that many of these accidents are caused by foreigners driving three-wheelers without the proper licences or training. To address this issue, the Traffic Police Headquarters has stated that foreigners must have a valid Sri Lankan driving licence, an international driving licence that is valid in Sri Lanka, or a driving licence from their home country, with the necessary conversion certificate issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMT) to operate a three-wheeler in Sri Lanka,” the statement added. 

Noting that an international driving licence does not automatically grant the right to drive a three-wheeler, the PMD stated that the conversion of foreign licences must specifically cover three-wheeler operation. Moreover, it added that foreigners must pass a written test and obtain a training permit if they intend to operate a motor vehicle in Sri Lanka. However, the Police stated that validity for driving three-wheelers will not be included in the issuance of international driving licenses. 

Also, valid licences for three-wheelers will not be issued in the conversion of driving licences carried out in Sri Lanka. The valid driving licences for driving three-wheelers in Sri Lanka are: Old driving licence Category A – Issued for heavy vehicles – this is valid for driving three-wheelers; Category E – for motor tricycles; and new driving licence Categories B1, C, C1, CE, D, and D1 for motor tricycles. 

A category C driving licence issued for dual-purpose vehicles in the new driving licence is not valid for driving a tricycle (three-wheeler) while a test for three-wheelers must be taken and passed to obtain category B1.

“Those who allow such individuals to operate vehicles without valid licences will face legal consequences. Under the Motor Traffic Act, it is an offense to allow an unlicensed person to drive, and offenders could face a fine up to Rs. 25,000. Vehicle owners, particularly those in the tourism sector, will be held accountable,” the Police stated, and urged hotels and vehicle rental establishments to ensure that any foreigner wishing to drive a three-wheeler has a valid driving licence before renting out vehicles.