24-hour licence issuance begins from Wednesday

Nepal has launched a groundbreaking initiative to streamline the driving licence issuance process, promising to deliver licences to applicants within 24 hours of them successfully completing their trials and paying the necessary fees. This accelerated system, effective from Wednesday, is a cornerstone of the government's 100-point governance reform agenda, which prioritizes clearing the existing backlog and improving service delivery.

The new procedure mandates that applicants pay the required revenue immediately after passing their trials. Their details are then promptly recorded and transmitted electronically from each Transport Management Office to the Department of Transport Management (DoTM). By 6 pm daily, this data is compiled and sent to the Security Printing Centre (SPC) for overnight printing, ensuring a swift turnaround.

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Those who pay the revenue immediately after passing the trial will receive their licence within 24 hours.

Keshab Khatiwada, director at the DoTM, highlighted the round-the-clock efforts involved in operationalizing this system. He confirmed that the process has been successfully tested and is now ready for implementation, applying to both new licences and renewals. The introduction of a virtual private network for data transmission marks a significant technological upgrade from the previous in-person data collection method. While questions remain about the SPC's capacity to handle the increased volume alongside existing printing commitments, the department is coordinating with the postal service for daily delivery of printed licences to transport offices, signaling a strong commitment to efficiency and public service.

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The department will send us data of those who have passed the trial and paid the revenue by 6 pm each day. We will print the licences overnight and send them to the department within office hours the next day.