KATHMANDU, April 7: After years of delays, the government is preparing to print nearly 2.9 million smart driving licenses, aiming to complete the process within three months. Drivers across the country have been waiting for these licenses for nearly four years.
Uday Bahadur Ranamagar, spokesperson for the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MoCIT), said the remaining licenses will be printed by mid-July. “We are speeding up the printing of driving licenses, and the remaining 2.9 million licenses will be completed by mid-July,” he said.
The MoCIT also confirmed that new driving license applications will be printed in high quality at the Security Printing Press within 24 hours of receiving data from the Department of Transport Management (DoTM).
Despite the government’s push to roll out smart licenses using advanced technology, delays have long plagued the system. Drivers have been forced to rely on receipts as proof of payment, without receiving physical cards. Officials say the problem stems from issuing smart licenses without adequate capacity. Even drivers who passed their trials nearly four years ago are still waiting.
DoTM yet to print about 2.2 million driving licenses
According to the DoTM, license cards from May 2022 remain unprinted, while more than 3,000 new applications are received daily. Traffic offices conduct driving tests and collect fees but are unable to issue the actual cards. Drivers seeking license renewals leave with receipts instead of cards, leaving many to wait years despite paying the required fees.
Consumer rights activist Madhav Timalsina called the delays “embarrassing.” “What could be more shameful than collecting fees but failing to deliver the card for three to four years?” said Timalsina, President of the Consumer Rights’ Investigation Forum. “The government’s plan to print all licenses by mid-July is a step in the right direction.”
Other factors have added to the delays, including the need to import cards, chips, and other equipment from abroad, limited local printing capacity, and tender processes being delayed or suspended due to disputes and complaints.
During the Gen Z protests, the DoTM’s printing machines and systems were destroyed by fire, halting all license-related work. This left workers planning foreign employment and students preparing to study overseas in a difficult position. Since then, the DoTM has been printing a limited number of cards under an agreement with the Security Printing Press.
The MoCIT has outlined a 10-point corrective action plan aimed at delivering citizen services efficiently and digitally, with license distribution as a key focus. Based on Cabinet decisions, these programs are being implemented with clear timelines and assigned responsibilities.
In a bid to bring government services to citizens’ doorsteps, postal services are being developed as “government courier” services. By mid-May, passports, licenses, educational certificates, and Nepal Telecom SIM cards will be distributed via postal services across all 77 districts.
An integrated application system for police reports, passports, and licenses will be launched within 45 days through the Nagrik App. Telecommunications services will be improved by providing mandatory notifications after 90% of mobile data usage and offering users the option to deactivate ‘pay-as-you-go’ services. Nepal Telecom will implement “one-time KYC” to remove the hassle of repeatedly submitting customer details.
Within 30 days, SIM distribution, ownership transfers, and retrieval of lost SIMs will be fully online. More than 250 government websites will be updated to be disability-friendly. Policies will also be revised to improve 4G service quality and allocate additional frequencies.
Finally, the MoCIT announced that bills related to information technology, e-governance, cybersecurity, data protection, and artificial intelligence will be drafted within 90 days.
