Guide7 min read60 views
Updated 2 November 2026 · Written by the Wahanaya.lk team
Transferring a sold vehicle costs a DMT class fee (Rs 5,000 for a car), a Rs 1,000 service charge, and 1% stamp duty on its value. The buyer usually pays, but it must be filed within 14 days of the sale or a penalty applies.
When you sell a vehicle in Sri Lanka, transferring it out of your name at the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) costs a class transfer fee based on the vehicle type, a flat DMT service charge, and 1% stamp duty on the vehicle's value. For an ordinary car, that works out to a Rs 5,000 class fee plus a Rs 1,000 service charge, as of November 2026, according to the DMT's published charges. The buyer normally pays these amounts, but as the seller you still need to know the numbers so you can agree who pays what, and make sure the paperwork actually goes through.
For a private car or dual-purpose vehicle, the core DMT cost is the Rs 5,000 class transfer fee plus a Rs 1,000 service charge, as of November 2026, per the DMT's charges page. On top of that, the buyer owes 1% stamp duty on the vehicle's declared value, which is usually close to the agreed sale price. So for a car sold at around Rs 3 million, the stamp duty alone would be roughly Rs 30,000, in addition to the Rs 6,000 in DMT fees — but always check the current stamp duty rate for your province before relying on this, since provincial councils set their own gazettes.
Yes, the class fee is set per vehicle category, not a single flat rate for everything. Motorcycles are charged around Rs 1,500, three-wheelers around Rs 3,000, cars and dual-purpose vehicles around Rs 5,000, and lorries or buses around Rs 7,500, based on the DMT's published fee classes. If you are selling a van, pickup or something less common, ask the DMT counter which class your CR book falls under, since the fee follows the registered vehicle class rather than the engine size or price.
In practice, the buyer pays the class fee, service charge and stamp duty, because the buyer is the one registering the vehicle into their name. As the seller, your only direct DMT cost is small — around Rs 200 if you need your signature certified on the MTA 6 form because you cannot attend the counter in person. Still, don't leave this to assumption. Put it in writing in your sale note or receipt that the buyer is responsible for all transfer costs and for completing the transfer within the legal timeframe, so there's no argument later if something goes wrong.
The buyer is required to submit the transfer documents to the DMT within 14 days of buying the vehicle, and missing that window brings a penalty on top of the usual class fee. The risk to you as the seller is that until the transfer is actually registered, the vehicle can still show as being in your name for things like unpaid fines or revenue licence issues. That's why you should send the MTA 8 "Copy C" notice to the DMT by registered post within 14 days yourself — it tells the DMT you've sold the vehicle, independent of whether the buyer files their side on time.
You need to give the buyer the original Certificate of Registration (CR book), the current year's Revenue Licence, a completed and signed MTA 6 transfer form, the MTA 8 notice, and certified copies of both your NIC and the buyer's NIC. If the vehicle was bought on finance and the loan is already settled, you'll also need the bank or leasing company's release letter confirming there's no outstanding mortgage. Missing any one of these is a common reason transfers get stuck at the counter, so it helps to gather the full set before you even advertise the vehicle — see our safety tips for a wider checklist on selling safely.
Yes. Besides the standard service, which is processed through district offices and can take a few weeks by post, the DMT offers a one-day service at specific offices, including Narahenpita and Werahera, for an extra charge. The exact one-day fee sits on a separate schedule from the normal class fee and has been reported differently across sources, so confirm the current amount directly with the DMT before choosing this option — it's worth it if the buyer needs the vehicle registered urgently, for example to get it insured or leased quickly.
The DMT has rolled out a mandatory online system for vehicle transfers, which lets buyers and sellers register with their NIC, verify identity once in person, and then pay transfer fees and any late fines through a card or online payment gateway from home, according to Motorguide.lk. This also cross-checks engine and chassis numbers, revenue licence status, and any leasing company holds, which cuts down on fraud during the handover. If you're selling soon, it's worth checking whether your sale needs to go through this portal rather than the old paper counter process, since the rules have been tightening through 2026.
Before you settle on a price, know roughly what your vehicle is worth, since the buyer's stamp duty is based on the declared value and buyers will sometimes try to under-declare it to save money — which can cause problems later if the DMT queries the value. You can check a fair starting point using Wahanaya's price check tool, and once you're ready to sell, list the vehicle on post an ad with the correct details so serious buyers come with the right documents from the start. If the buyer is financing the purchase, our leasing calculator can help them (and you) see whether the numbers actually work before you both commit. And if anything about the transfer process is unclear for your specific case — a mortgaged vehicle, a company-registered car, or a buyer from another district — ask in the Wahanaya forum before you hand over the keys.
When a buyer pays through a lease or bank loan, their finance company sends an approved valuer to inspect your car and registers itself as absolute owner on the CR book before you get paid, so expect extra paperwork and a short delay versus a cash sale.
Wahanaya.lk team8 min read
The safest payment is a bank transfer or bank draft you verify yourself by checking your own banking app or calling your bank — never a screenshot the buyer sends you. Don't hand over the CR book, keys or signed MTA 6 form until the money has actually settled in your account.
Wahanaya.lk team7 min read
Yes — the DMT's ownership-transfer system checks that your vehicle's VET (emission test) certificate and revenue licence are both in date before it lets the transfer go through, so renew an expired VET before you sell, unless your vehicle is exempt.
Wahanaya.lk team7 min read
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