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Updated 6 November 2026 · Written by the Wahanaya.lk team
This week's big stories: a corruption probe at the Department of Motor Traffic, a push to scrap the 15% used-vehicle tax discount before the 12 November budget, new bus route permit rules, and a renewed Toyota leasing deal with Commercial Bank.
The biggest vehicle stories from the past few days are a corruption investigation into the Department of Motor Traffic's (DMT) registration database, a lobby push to scrap a tax break on used-vehicle imports ahead of the 12 November budget, new rules for bus route permits, and a renewed Toyota leasing deal with Commercial Bank. None of these change today's road tax or fuel price, but each affects how you buy, sell, finance or register a vehicle in the next few weeks.
Investigators from the Walana Anti-Corruption Unit, working with the University of Colombo School of Computing, Sri Lanka CERT and GovTech, finished extracting a full copy of the Department of Motor Traffic's computer database on 3 November 2026, Sri Lanka Mirror reported. The unit first raided DMT's Narahenpita office on 29–30 October after finding that a large amount of data had been deleted. Ada Derana reported that officials are examining claims that registration records were altered, including inactive numbers once assigned to diplomats who have since left the country, and that the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption is separately probing around 400 vehicles registered without ever clearing Sri Lanka Customs.
Why it matters: If you're buying a used vehicle, this is a reminder to check the CR book details against the actual vehicle and the chassis/engine numbers carefully, and not to rely only on a photocopy. If you're selling, keep your own registration documents and past revenue licence receipts safe in case the DMT asks owners to re-verify records while this probe continues. Check listings and prices at /vehicles, and if anything about a CR book looks inconsistent, ask about it in the Wahanaya forum before you pay a deposit.
It isn't decided yet, but the pressure is building ahead of the 2027 Budget. The CMTA wants the government to abolish a 15% depreciation concession applied to used-vehicle imports, arguing in a submission reported by Lanka News Web on 1 November 2026 that the concession let importers undervalue low-mileage used vehicles and may have cost the Treasury roughly Rs. 120 billion by September 2026, up from about Rs. 40 billion in 2025. If the government won't scrap it outright, the CMTA's fallback proposal is to replace the flat 15% with an age-based scale capped at a maximum of 10%.
The 2027 Budget itself is scheduled to be presented in Parliament on 12 November 2026, according to The Morning's coverage of the budget process, after the First Reading in October.
Why it matters: If this concession is cut or capped, the landed cost of reconditioned and used Japanese imports would likely rise, since the tax base used to calculate duty would go up. If you're planning to import or buy a used vehicle soon, it may be worth moving before the budget rather than after, though nothing is confirmed. Run the numbers on a listed vehicle at /price-check and keep an eye on this site and the Wahanaya forum for updates once the budget speech is delivered on 12 November.
The National Transport Commission will award around 89 bus route permits in November 2026 using a new, publicly advertised scoring system instead of the previous allocation method, Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways Prasanna Gunasena said, as reported by EconomyNext on 5 November 2026. The NTC system covers national permits; provincial council routes are handled separately. The government is also reviewing how bus fares are calculated, moving away from a formula based mostly on fuel cost toward one that also factors in maintenance and spare parts costs.
Why it matters: This mainly affects people who own, lease or are looking to buy buses and vans for route service rather than private car buyers. If you're in that market, a transparent scoring process and a fairer fare formula could make route permits more valuable and easier to plan around financially. If you're selling or buying a bus or van with an existing permit, be clear in your ad and negotiations about whether the permit transfers with the vehicle — list it at /post-ad.
Commercial Bank of Ceylon and Toyota Lanka renewed their leasing partnership on 2 November 2026, Lanka Business News reported. The deal offers residual-value options that let buyers defer up to 50% of the vehicle cost for one tear, reducing to 30% if spread over five years, along with free vehicle registration, three free standard services and the standard three-year/100,000km manufacturer warranty on new Toyotas financed this way. Commercial Bank also said these are the lowest rates currently offered through its network, though no specific interest rate was published.
Why it matters: This is a bank-and-dealer promotion, not a change to Central Bank rules — vehicle leases in Sri Lanka are still capped at a maximum 18% annual effective rate, and maximum financing for a car, SUV or van remains 40% of the vehicle's value under existing Central Bank directions. If you're comparing leasing offers, residual-value structures can lower your monthly payment but mean you owe a lump sum (or a fresh lease) at the end of the term, so read the figures carefully. Work out what a deal like this would cost you monthly using the leasing calculator.
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.
Wahanaya.lk team6 min read
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.
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The past 48 hours brought wider DMT one-day and regular services, a deadly three-bus pile-up on the A9 at Rambewa that renews safety concerns, fresh police road-death figures for 2026, and a slight rupee gain against the US dollar.
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