From April 15, Sri Lankan authorities are inviting tourists to convert their driver’s licenses to a local license upon arrival at the international airport. As the Minister of Transport announced at the end of last week, the innovation is designed to make it easier for guests of the island to rent cars and scooters and replenish the state treasury with foreign currency.
The government portal shows prices depending on the duration of the visa: $25 for a permit valid for one month, $50 for three months, $75 for six months, and $200 for a year.
Sri Lanka does not recognize national documents that meet the standards of the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. In this case, you can drive with an international driver’s license.
On social networks, tourists noted that sometimes they were refused to rent a car with an International Driving Permit and demanded a local license, immediately offering assistance in obtaining a permit for $30–60.