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Updated 12 November 2026 · Written by the Wahanaya.lk team
On 12 November 2026, the DMT warned the public against brokers near its offices, Police opened WhatsApp lines for reporting dangerous driving, and Parliament received the 2027 Budget, which could reshape vehicle taxes.
Sri Lanka's vehicle news on 12 November 2026 centres on three things: the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) warning the public about brokers near its offices, Police opening new channels for reporting dangerous driving and smoky buses, and the 2027 Budget being presented in Parliament today. Here's what each means if you're buying, selling, leasing, or just keeping a vehicle on the road.
The DMT issued a public advisory on 12 November 2026 telling people not to hand over money or documents to brokers who hang around its premises promising to speed up registration, transfer, or licence work. According to the department's Commissioner General, Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Tushar Pranandu, these informal middlemen put both your cash and your paperwork — CR book, NIC copies, transfer forms — at risk, with no real accountability if something goes wrong, as reported by Divaina.
Why it matters to you: If you're transferring a car you've just bought or sold, or registering a newly imported vehicle, the DMT's own channels are the safe route. Appointments for one-day services — new vehicle registration, ownership transfer, driving licence work, and technical issue resolution — can be booked directly through the department's phone lines or its online portal at dmtappointments.dmt.gov.lk, which the department has also been expanding so transfer documents can be lodged at more District and Divisional Secretariat offices, not only at the Narahenpita head office. Skipping the brokers saves you money and protects your documents. If you're mid-transfer right now, see our documents checklist thread on the Wahanaya forum, where buyers and sellers compare notes on what each RMV counter actually asks for.
Sri Lanka Police, in a notice dated 11 November 2026, asked the public to submit video evidence of dangerous driving and excessive black smoke directly over WhatsApp, as reported by OnLanka. Dangerous driving clips go to 070-4755600, and videos of vehicles emitting heavy black smoke go to 070-3500525. Police said the move follows a run of serious accidents and cited speeding, reckless overtaking, and buses operating without valid fitness certificates or with unauthorised modifications as recurring causes.
Why it matters to you: This is a citizen-evidence drive, which means more dash-cam and bystander footage is now feeding directly into police investigations and, potentially, into prosecutions. If you drive for a living, own a bus or van fleet, or run a modified vehicle, expect closer scrutiny of fitness certificates and emissions — both of which you can check before you're stopped. If you're buying a used bus, van, or any vehicle with visible exhaust smoke, factor a VET (Vehicle Emission Test) and a fitness check into your pre-purchase inspection; our safety tips page covers what to look at before you hand over money.
The Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill — the Budget Speech for 2027 — was scheduled for presentation in Parliament on 12 November 2026, confirmed by Ada Derana and the Parliament of Sri Lanka. The actual tax decisions had not been confirmed at the time of writing, so treat any specific number as unverified until the gazette or official budget documents are out — check tariff.lk or the Treasury's own release once it's published.
What's known is the backdrop industry groups are pushing against. The Ceylon Motor Traders' Association has asked the government to scrap a 15% depreciation concession applied to used vehicle imports, arguing it has grown into an estimated Rs. 120 billion revenue gap, as reported by Lanka News Web. Separately, the 50% surcharge currently added on top of the 30% base Customs Import Duty on vehicles is already confirmed to run to 31 December 2026, as reported by the Sunday Times — so whether it is extended again, replaced, or allowed to lapse at year-end is one of the bigger open questions for anyone planning an import or a big purchase in early 2027.
Why it matters to you: If you're thinking about buying a new or imported vehicle in the next few months, budget day is the moment duty structures, concessions, or levies can shift — sometimes with immediate effect. Sellers of used vehicles should also watch this closely, since any change in import cost flows through to used-vehicle demand and prices within weeks. Don't lock in a price or a lease before checking whether the budget has changed anything; our price check tool is a good way to see how similar vehicles are priced once the dust settles, and /leasing can help you re-run your monthly payment if rates or LTV caps move.
Buying, selling, or leasing this week? Browse current listings on /vehicles, check what similar vehicles are going for on /price-check, run the numbers on /leasing, or list your own vehicle on /post-ad. And if you've got a specific DMT, Police, or budget question, ask it on the Wahanaya forum — other buyers, sellers, and owners are usually quick to share what actually happened at their local office.
The 2027 Budget funds a new DMT head office and a digital vehicle registration system, a magistrate ordered a full probe into the fatal Rambewa bus crash, Police opened a 24-hour WhatsApp line for reckless driving reports, and the DMC warned of heavy rain from 13-15 November.
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