KATHMANDU: The Department of Transport Management (DoTM) has announced plans to distribute 1.2 million QR-coded driving licenses within the next six months. Printing work is scheduled to begin next week.
On Wednesday, an agreement was signed between the DoTM and the Security Printing Center to start printing the new licenses. The deal ensures that 1.2 million licenses will be printed in the first phase within six months.
The agreement was signed by Director General Rajiv Pokharel, Director Keshav Khatiwada, and others from the DoTM, and by Executive Director Devraj Dhungana and officials from the Security Printing Center.
According to Director Keshav Khatiwada, who heads the department’s Information Technology Branch, the printing center will begin producing 500 emergency licenses per day starting next week. The department will also develop and provide personalization software required for license printing as mentioned in the agreement.
Until the software is ready, the center will continue printing and distributing 500 licenses per day. Once the software is developed, it will be able to print thousands of licenses daily. A tender will soon be called to select a company for developing the software, which is expected to be ready within three months.
“In the first phase, we will print 1.2 million licenses within six months,” Khatiwada told MeroAuto. “The center will start with 500 emergency licenses per day from next week. After the software is ready, they can print in large quantities daily. We expect to complete printing and distribution within six months.”
He added that the Security Printing Center has the capacity to print 20,000 to 25,000 licenses per day, meaning the target could be achieved even sooner.
For the past three years, people who passed the driving trial or applied for license renewal have not received their cards and have been using receipt vouchers as temporary proof.
According to the department, about 3 million licenses are yet to be printed. Out of this, 1.2 million licenses will be printed in the first phase within six months. The remaining 1.8 million licenses are also planned to be printed and distributed within the current fiscal year, depending on additional budget availability.
“The currently allocated budget is only enough for 1.2 million licenses,” Khatiwada said. “We will request additional funds from the ministry to print the remaining ones. If we get the budget, we can complete all license printing and distribution within this year.”
As per the agreement, the center will print each license at a cost of Rs 195.17. Printing the remaining 1.8 million licenses will therefore require around Rs 350 million.
To be allocated by the province
The printed licenses will be distributed through provincial transport offices. Initially, 500 emergency licenses per day will be distributed directly from the department. Once large-scale printing begins, the printed cards will be sent to provincial transport offices for distribution to applicants.
“We will start distributing 500 emergency licenses daily from next week,” Khatiwada said. “After mass printing starts, the printed cards will be sent from the center to the department and then dispatched to the respective provincial transport offices for distribution.”
Currently, 42 transport offices across the country handle license-related services.
License to feature 28 security elements
The new QR-coded licenses will also come with enhanced security. According to Khatiwada, each license will include 28 security features on the front and 10 features on the back, similar to the previous version.
“The QR-coded license will have 28 security elements on the front side, and the same 10 features as before on the back,” he said.
These added features aim to improve the security, authenticity, and durability of driving licenses in Nepal.
