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Sri Lanka driving permit: AAC or DMT
Your home licence isn’t enough on its own, and neither is an International Driving Permit by itself. Sri Lanka has two permit issuers — here’s how they differ, and which one you need.
Reviewed for accuracy by Dumi, NOHA’s owner. Fees and rules last checked 8 September 2026.
Quick answer
Have an International Driving Permit? Get the AAC permit — it costs less, lasts six months, and covers every vehicle including tuk tuks. Arrived without one? Use the DMT counter at the airport instead.
How to get your tourist driving permit in Sri Lanka
Three steps, and the first is settled before you fly by one question: do you already hold an International Driving Permit?
- Pick your route before you fly. With a valid International Driving Permit, the AAC permit is the one to get: it costs less, lasts six months, and is the only permit that covers tuk tuks. Arriving without an IDP, you use the DMT counter at the airport, which doesn’t ask for one.
- Apply, or collect it on arrival. You apply for the AAC permit in person at its Colombo office, a 2–3 hour wait, or NOHA handles the application before you land. You collect the DMT permit at the Bandaranaike airport counter, open 24 hours, on your home licence plus a certified English translation if it isn’t already in English.
- Keep it on you at checkpoints. Roadside checks on foreign drivers have run since early 2025, and your rental insurance only holds while the permit does. Carry it with your passport, not in the vehicle.
Fees, validity and the documents each one needs are in the AAC vs DMT table. Not sure which is yours? The three-question check settles it.
AAC vs DMT
Two bodies issue the local permit that makes your home licence valid here: the Automobile Association of Ceylon (AAC), and the government’s Department of Motor Traffic (DMT). They differ in fee, validity, and what they ask of you.
| AAC permit | DMT permit | |
|---|---|---|
| Fee | $39 self-service, $45–59 with NOHA | From LKR 15,000 (by duration) |
| Validity | 6 months | 1–12 months |
| Vehicles covered | All, including tuk tuk | All except tuk tuk |
| Documents | Home licence + International Driving Permit | Home licence only, no IDP needed |
| Where | AAC office, or NOHA handles it for you | Airport counter, open 24 hours |
Where an International Driving Permit fits in
An International Driving Permit (IDP) is a standard multilingual translation of the licence you already hold. You get one in your home country before you travel — from the motoring association or licensing body that issues them there — and it is valid only alongside your original licence, usually for a year.
On its own it is not permission to drive in Sri Lanka. A foreign licence and an IDP are both recognised here only once a local permit is issued on top of them — that is what the AAC and DMT permits above are.
The IDP matters for the AAC route: since 30 March 2025 the AAC issues its permit only to visitors who already hold a valid IDP, so a home licence alone is no longer enough for it. If you have the IDP, the AAC permit is the cheaper, longer, tuk-tuk-inclusive option. If you don’t, the DMT counter at the airport doesn’t ask for one — your home licence, plus a certified English translation if it isn’t already in English, is all it needs.
Since August 2025: collect the DMT permit at the airport
Since August 2025, foreign visitors can collect a temporary Sri Lankan driving permit directly at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), at a counter open 24 hours. Over 1,300 tourists used it in the service’s first month alone.
What you need
- A valid driving licence from your home country, at least one year old
- A certified English translation of your licence, if it isn’t already in English
- Your passport and visa or entry permit
Fee by duration
| Duration | Fee |
|---|---|
| Up to 1 month | LKR 15,000 |
| More than 1, up to 2 months | LKR 21,000 |
| More than 2, up to 6 months | LKR 30,000 |
| More than 6, up to 12 months | LKR 45,000 |
Covers scooters, motorbikes and cars — not tuk tuks, and not heavy vehicles.
Self-service or NOHA-handled
The AAC permit costs a little more if we handle the paperwork for you — here’s exactly what the USD 6 gap buys.
Self-service
$39
Apply yourself at the AAC office. Typical wait is 2–3 hours.
NOHA-handled
$45 with a booking
$59 for the paperwork on its own
We handle the entire application before you arrive — no AAC office visit, no wait.
Which one should you get?
If you have an International Driving Permit, the AAC permit is the better choice. It costs less, lasts six months instead of one, and covers every vehicle including tuk tuks. If you arrived without an IDP, use the DMT counter at the airport. It is open 24 hours and you can collect it on the way out.
We handle the entire application before you arrive. It is charged separately from the vehicle rental.
Renting a scooter? See the full licence, permit and deposit breakdown for scooters specifically. New to driving here at all? Start with driving in Sri Lanka as a foreigner — eligibility, minimum age, and the order to do things in.
“I sent all the required documents and payment and within a few days my new permit arrived at my accommodation by courier.”
Barry GauntPermit only
What happens if you drive without one
Police treat a foreign licence or an IDP used on its own as driving without a valid licence. Fines under the Motor Traffic Act run from LKR 25,000 to 50,000, and the vehicle can be held at the checkpoint until a licensed driver comes to collect it.
Since early 2025 there have been dedicated roadside operations checking foreign drivers for a local permit, prompted by a rise in tourist road accidents. Rental operators who hand a vehicle to a visitor without one are fined as well, which is why a reputable company asks to see your permit before releasing the keys.
The bigger exposure is insurance. Cover on a rented vehicle depends on the driver being legally licensed to use it — drive without the permit and a crash, however minor, can become yours to pay for in full.
Only two bodies issue what you need: the AAC, for the recognition permit, and the DMT, for the temporary licence. No other office or agent is authorised to.
Renting a tuk tuk? You need the AAC permit.
The DMT permit does not cover three-wheelers. The AAC is the only option, and it requires an International Driving Permit.
Questions about the permit
- Do I need paperwork to drive in Sri Lanka?
- Yes. Your home licence is not enough on its own, and neither is an International Driving Permit. We handle the application for you before you arrive. It is charged separately: USD 45 with a vehicle booking, USD 55 on its own.
- Which permit do I need, AAC or DMT?
- If you have an International Driving Permit, the AAC permit is the better choice. It costs less, lasts six months instead of one, and covers every vehicle including tuk tuks. If you arrived without an IDP, use the DMT counter at the airport. It is open 24 hours and you can collect it on the way out.
- How do I get my tourist driving permit in Sri Lanka?
- Two routes. If you hold an International Driving Permit, apply for the AAC recognition permit, either in person at its Colombo office or with NOHA handling the application before you arrive. Without an IDP, collect a DMT temporary licence at the Bandaranaike airport counter, open 24 hours, on your home licence plus a certified English translation if it isn't already in English. The AAC route costs less, runs six months and covers tuk tuks. The DMT route covers scooters, motorbikes and cars, but not three-wheelers.
- Which countries' driving licences are valid in Sri Lanka?
- Two answers, depending on the route. The DMT temporary licence at the airport has no country restriction — any valid foreign licence qualifies, in English or with a certified English translation (Chinese, Japanese and other non-English licences always need one). The AAC recognition permit is issued on an International Driving Permit, so it covers the 100-plus countries that issue one: all of Europe, the UK and Ireland, the US and Canada, Australia and New Zealand, India and much of Asia, Africa and Latin America.
- Can I drive in Sri Lanka with an Indian driving licence?
- Yes — the same AAC/DMT system applies regardless of nationality. If you hold an International Driving Permit issued in India, the AAC permit is the better route. Without one, use the DMT counter at the airport with your Indian licence, plus a certified English translation if it isn't already in English.
- Can I drive in Sri Lanka with a UK driving licence?
- Yes, using the same AAC or DMT system as any other nationality. With a UK-issued International Driving Permit, get the AAC permit. Without one, the DMT counter at the airport accepts your UK licence, plus a certified English translation if it isn't already in English.
- Can I drive in Sri Lanka with a Canadian driving licence?
- Yes — the same AAC/DMT system applies. With a Canadian-issued International Driving Permit, get the AAC permit. Without one, use the DMT counter at the airport with your Canadian licence, plus a certified English translation if it isn't already in English.
- Is an International Driving Permit enough to drive in Sri Lanka?
- No. An IDP is only a translation of your home licence and is not valid on its own here. Sri Lanka recognises it only once a local permit is issued on top — the AAC recognition permit or the DMT temporary licence. Since 30 March 2025 the AAC issues its permit only to holders of a valid IDP; the DMT route does not require one.
- How much does an International Driving Permit for Sri Lanka cost?
- You don't buy an International Driving Permit in Sri Lanka — an IDP is issued in your home country before you travel, usually for around USD 20 to 40, by the motoring authority there. What has a fee in Sri Lanka is the local permit that sits on top of it: the AAC recognition permit is USD 45 with a vehicle booking and valid six months, or the DMT temporary licence from LKR 15,000 for one month. NOHA handles the AAC application before you arrive.
- Where do I get an International Driving Permit in Sri Lanka, and what documents do I need?
- You can't get the IDP itself here — apply for it at home before travelling, with your national licence and a passport photo. In Sri Lanka you turn it into a valid local permit: for the AAC route, the Automobile Association of Ceylon in Colombo issues the recognition permit on your licence, IDP and passport; for the DMT route, the Department of Motor Traffic counter in the arrivals hall at Bandaranaike airport (BIA) issues a temporary licence on your home licence, plus a certified English translation if it isn't already in English, open 24 hours. NOHA can handle the AAC application for you before you land.
- What is the fine for driving in Sri Lanka without a permit?
- Driving on a foreign licence or IDP alone counts as driving without a valid licence. Fines under the Motor Traffic Act run from LKR 25,000 to LKR 50,000, the vehicle can be held until a licensed driver collects it, and your rental insurance does not apply while you are driving unlicensed.
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