The Department of Motor Traffic has announced plans to issue green-background number plates for electric vehicles, with the Commissioner General confirming their legal validity following a Ministry of Transport directive.
The Department of Motor Traffic has announced a scheme to distribute green-background number plates exclusively for electric vehicles, marking a shift in vehicle identification standards in Sri Lanka. Commissioner General Retired Air Vice Marshal Thushara Fernando confirmed that the green plates are legally valid, while conventional vehicles will continue to receive white and yellow plates.
The decision follows a directive from the Ministry of Transport, according to statements from the Department. The relevant notification has been forwarded for publication in the Gazette, and the Inspector General of Police has been requested to inform all police stations of the legal status of the new plates. Ada Derana reported that approximately 8,000 green-background plates have been printed to date.
The Department has prepared new plates for a total of 88,740 registered vehicles. This comprises 56,233 plates for vehicles registered between June 10 and August 31, 2026, and 32,507 plates for vehicles registered during 2023 and 2024. Vehicle owners have been instructed to collect their new plates from the Department of Motor Traffic office in Narahenpita.