Driving in Sri Lanka: what to know before you get behind the wheel

If you have been away a few years, the first time you drive back home can be a shock, even if you grew up on these roads. Plenty has changed: there are expressways now, and the governments abroad have a lot to say about our roads. This guide pulls it together in one place. Every rule has its source, and where we could not confirm something, we say so.

Sort out your licence first

The Department of Motor Traffic (the DMT) gives temporary driving licences to visitors. If you are not a Sri Lankan citizen, its list has bands of one month, up to two months, up to six months and up to twelve months. If you are a Sri Lankan citizen, there is a separate list with bands of three, six and twelve months. The fees are on our driving licence page.

Here is the catch: the official sources do not all say the same thing. The UK government says you need a 1949 international driving permit and a Sri Lankan recognition permit to drive a hire vehicle. The Canadian government says to bring your Canadian licence or an international permit issued outside Sri Lanka, then get a temporary licence or recognition certificate from the airport counter, the Automobile Association of Ceylon or the DMT. Canadian licences, it adds, are accepted only at the DMT.

So read the DMT page and your own government's advice before you fly, and ask us what to bring. Our what to bring page lists what we ask every driver for.

Which side, and how fast

We drive on the left. If you live in the UK or Australia, this is normal for you. If you live somewhere that drives on the right, spend your first hour on quiet roads.

The WHO's 2023 report for Sri Lanka gives the national speed limits:

• 50 km/h in towns and cities
• 70 km/h in the countryside
• 100 km/h on motorways

Those are the national maximums. Signs on the road come first, and some places are lower. We could not read the regulations themselves, so go by the WHO figures and the signs.

The expressways

The Road Development Authority lists three expressways that charge tolls: the Southern Expressway (E01), the Outer Circular Highway (E02) and the Colombo to Katunayake Expressway (E03).

• Tolls. You can pay in cash, with a card from a Sri Lankan bank, or with LankaQR. The authority does not say that a foreign card works, so keep rupee notes with you.
• Tickets. On the airport expressway you pick up a ticket at Seeduwa or Peliyagoda when you join (the notice dates this from 22 December 2025) and pay when you leave. Check the notice at the booth.
• Slow down at Kerawalapitiya. Where the Outer Circular Highway meets the airport expressway, the limit is 40 km/h.
• Need help? The expressway runs a 24-hour hotline: 1969.

What the roads are really like

The UK and Canadian governments are blunt about this.

• The roads. The UK says some roads, especially in remote areas, are in poor condition, that driving is unpredictable and that accidents are frequent, particularly at night. Canada says roads are usually poor outside the big cities and that some drivers are aggressive and reckless.
• People and animals. The UK tells you to watch for pedestrians and animals on busy roads. Canada lists stray animals, livestock, pedestrians and badly maintained vehicles. The UK also says stray dogs are common, and that wild elephants occasionally attack people.
• Checkpoints. There are still security checkpoints on main roads in some parts of the country. The UK says to follow the instructions of the police or army officers there.
• Colombo road closures. Roads near government and military sites in Colombo are often closed for security, for example for VIP convoys.
• Monsoon weather. Heavy rain can flood roads and cause landslips that close them. The UK suggests keeping an eye on the Disaster Management Centre and the Department of Meteorology. Our weather guide has the month-by-month picture.

Canada also says that if you plan to travel by car, you could think about hiring a driver. We are self-drive, but you can add a driver whenever you like. Here is how that works.

The rules, in plain words

We read the contents of the Motor Traffic Act and the WHO's report. We could not read the Act's actual wording, so we give you the rules the WHO records and the Act's section titles, and we do not quote penalties.

• Seat belts. There is a national seat-belt law (the Act has a section called "Use of seat belts"), but the WHO notes that it does not cover everyone in the car. Wear one in every seat anyway.
• Children. The WHO says Sri Lanka has no national law on child seats and no age or height rule. So ask your hire company what seats it can provide before you collect the car.
• Phones. No phone in your hand while you drive.
• Drinking. The legal limit is 0.03 g/dl, and the WHO says random breath tests are done. Our advice: if you are driving, do not drink.
• Papers. The UK says to carry your passport, and a copy is usually fine. The Act has a section on producing the car's registration and insurance certificates. We could not find a full list of what a driver must carry, so ask your hire company.

A few numbers worth knowing

Police figures reported by the WHO say 2,513 people died on Sri Lanka's roads in 2021, and 6,401 were seriously injured. The WHO's 2023 report puts it at about 11.5 deaths per 100,000 people.

A police analysis found that motorcyclists make up the biggest group of people killed, with pedestrians close behind. So in town, and at junctions especially, give motorbikes and people on foot plenty of room.

If something goes wrong

The UK government says that after a collision you should stay at the scene with your vehicle if it is safe, and if it is not, or you feel threatened, go to the nearest police station.

• Numbers to know: police 119, ambulance 1990, fire and rescue 110. They are all on our emergency numbers page.
• Ring your hire company straight away, and take photos of the scene and the vehicles.
• Insurance. The insurance regulator says third-party motor insurance is compulsory, covering death and injury to other people. What your hire car's cover includes beyond that, and the excess you would pay, should be in your agreement before you collect the car.
• The police report. The Motor Traffic Act has a section called "Duty in case of accident", but we could not read what it says, so we cannot tell you whether a report is legally required. If anyone is hurt or another vehicle is involved, ask the police for a report. We do the same in our own hire terms.

Drive yourself, or add a driver?

Driving yourself means you stop where you like, when you like. A driver takes the wheel for the long, tiring or night-time stretches. You do not have to choose one: drive yourself on the days you want to, and add a driver for the rest.

When you are ready, ask for a price with your dates and who is travelling. We reply within 24 hours.