Transport Dept asks drivers with less than 1 year licence validity to renew early

The Department of Transport Management (DoTM) has announced that all previously pending driving licence cards have now been printed and dispatched to transport offices across the country. According to the department, cards that were due for printing up to the end of Asar have already been completed and sent to local offices via postal service.

Who needs to visit the transport office now?

The department has issued a special request for drivers whose licence will expire in less than 1 year.

• Licences with less than one year of validity remaining have not been printed as separate cards.
• These drivers are being asked to go to their preferred transport management office and apply for renewal.
• After renewal, drivers will receive a new smart driving licence valid for 10 years.

This means if your licence is close to expiry (within a year), you should not wait for a printed card to arrive. Instead, plan to renew early at a convenient office.

System upgrades for easier renewal

The DoTM says it has recently upgraded its systems to make renewal and new licence issuance more convenient:

• Licence processing can now use personal details directly from the national ID (Rastriya Parichaya Patra), reducing data entry errors.
• Revenue payments can be done online, so applicants do not always need to queue at the office counter just to pay fees.

These changes are aimed at cutting down paperwork and speeding up service for licence holders.

Fixing errors and getting printed cards

The department has also instructed transport offices to handle licence-related services more quickly:

• Corrections of personal details printed on the driving licence can be done at the same transport office.
• Printing and distribution of new and reprinted cards will be carried out directly from the respective office to avoid long delays.
• People going abroad for foreign employment can request fast‑track printing and card delivery by contacting their transport office.

Backlog issue now resolved

For nearly four years, licence printing in Nepal was heavily delayed due to problems with printing machines, staffing, software and other resources, which left many drivers waiting a long time for their cards. According to the department’s latest update, this backlog has now been cleared after an agreement with the Security Printing Center, under which the center handles printing and the department manages distribution.

For vehicle owners and regular riders, the key takeaway is clear: if your driving licence will expire within a year, visit your nearest transport management office and renew it to get a new 10‑year smart card.