Guide9 min read45 views
Updated 28 October 2026 · Written by the Wahanaya.lk team
Sri Lanka's DMT issues 13 licence classes (A1 to J) based on vehicle type, weight, and seats. Motorcycles and cars need class A1/A or B1/B; lorries and buses need C or D classes, which require a higher minimum age and two years on a light licence first.
Sri Lanka's licence classes are grouped by vehicle type, engine size, weight, or seating capacity, and each one needs its own test. The main classes are:
| Class | Vehicle type |
|---|---|
| A1 | Motorcycles up to 100cc |
| A | Motorcycles over 100cc |
| B1 | Motor tricycles, including three-wheelers |
| B | Cars and dual-purpose vehicles up to 3,500kg, up to 9 seats |
| C1 | Light lorries |
| C | Heavy lorries |
| CE | Heavy lorries with a trailer |
| D1 | Minibuses/coaches, roughly 10–33 seats |
| D | Buses over 33 seats |
| DE | Buses with a trailer |
| G1 | Two-wheel hand tractors with a trailer |
| G | Four-wheel agricultural tractors |
| J | Special-purpose vehicles — forklifts, road rollers, mobile cranes |
If you're not sure which class a vehicle you're about to buy needs, check the vehicle's CR book (it states the class) before you commit, and browse similar listings on /vehicles to see what's normal for that type.
You need class A1 for anything up to 100cc, and class A for anything bigger. These two are the most common first licences in Sri Lanka because you can start the process earliest: you're allowed to sit the written test at 17, though the practical test and the licence itself only arrive once you turn 18. The written test covers the Highway Code — road signs, markings, and right-of-way rules — and you'll need to pass it before you're given a learner's permit with an "L" plate to practise on.
A standard car, dual-purpose vehicle, or small van up to 3,500kg and 9 seats needs class B. A three-wheeler (tuk-tuk), whether it's your own or one you plan to use for hire, needs class B1 — a separate class from B, so holding a car licence alone doesn't cover a three-wheeler. Both classes follow the same 17/18 age pattern as motorcycles: written test from 17, practical and full licence from 18.
Lorries fall under C1 (lighter) and C (heavier), and buses or coaches fall under D1 and D, with CE and DE covering versions towed with a trailer. These are not entry-level licences. According to Sri Lankan driving-school guidance, you generally need to have held a light vehicle licence (B or B1) for at least 2 years, you can sit the written test and get a trainee permit from age 20, and the practical test — and the full heavy vehicle licence — only comes at 21. There's also a minimum height requirement (reported as around 4'10" for light buses/lorries and 5' for heavy ones), and training has to be done under a DMT-authorised instructor, with a certificate of proficiency needed before the practical test. Exam attempts are also capped — commonly cited as 3 tries at the written test and 4 at the practical — after which the application can be cancelled, so it pays to prepare properly rather than guess.
Agricultural tractors fall under class G (four-wheel) and G1 (two-wheel hand tractors, usually with a trailer attached). Equipment like forklifts, road rollers, and mobile cranes falls under class J. These are mostly relevant if you're buying or operating machinery for farming, construction, or a small business, rather than for everyday road use — but you still need the matching class before you operate the vehicle on a public road.
The general path is the same whatever class you're going for:
You can apply through a registered driving school or go directly to the DMT as a private applicant. Processing times vary — a normal application can take a few weeks, while priority service (where offered) is quicker but costs more. Fees also depend on how many classes you're applying for at once, and they do change, so confirm the current fee list at your nearest RMV office or the DMT before you go.
Keep these ready before you go to the DMT or your district office:
For heavy vehicle classes, also keep proof of your existing B/B1 licence and the duration you've held it, since that's checked against the 2-year requirement.
As of October 2026, a light vehicle licence (A1, A, B1, B) is valid for 8 years, and a heavy vehicle licence (C1, C, CE, D1, D, DE) is valid for 4 years — figures given by the DMT's Commissioner General, Kamal Amarasinghe, as reported by News First in October 2025. He also said a special committee has been set up to study extending both periods further, but no new figure has been finalised, so it's worth checking your card's actual expiry date and the DMT's current renewal rules closer to the time rather than assuming these numbers haven't moved. Renewal generally needs a fresh NTMI medical certificate plus your current licence and NIC, submitted at your nearest RMV office.
Yes — you don't need to reapply from zero. If you already hold, say, class B and later want A1 for a scooter, or want to move up from B1 to a full car licence, you apply with your existing licence, sit the written and practical test for the new class only, and it gets added to the same card. The same documents and medical certificate rules apply, and for heavy classes, the 2-years-on-a-light-licence and age rules still apply before you can add C, C1, D, D1, CE, or DE.
If anything about your specific situation — adding a class, a heavy vehicle upgrade, or a renewal that's overdue — doesn't match what's written here, ask in the Wahanaya forum. Other members and sellers dealing with the same RMV offices can often tell you what's actually happening on the ground right now.
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