Introduction of Digital Motor Insurance Cards in Sri Lanka

In accordance with a joint decision taken by the Insurance Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka, the Insurance Association of Sri Lanka, and other stakeholders in the insurance sector, insurance companies have commenced issuing **Digital Motor Insurance Cards in place of printed motor insurance certificates with effect from 1 May 2026.

Accordingly, the Inspector General of Sri Lanka Police has issued the necessary instructions and directives to all police stations across the country.

Methods of Issuing Motor Insurance Policies

Motor insurance policies may now be provided to policyholders through the following methods:

* Digital Motor Insurance Card

* Printed Insurance Certificate (issued only upon the request of the policyholder)

* Digital Insurance Card via Mobile Application provided by the relevant insurance company

National Insurance Verification System

In parallel with the implementation of the digital motor insurance system, the National Insurance Verification System has been introduced to enable the public and law enforcement authorities to verify the validity of motor insurance policies instantly.

1. USSD Verification – *1338#

By dialing *1338# from any mobile phone:

* Enter the vehicle registration number or insurance certificate number.

* The current status of the relevant insurance policy will be displayed immediately.

2. SMS Verification – 1338

* Send the vehicle registration number or insurance certificate number via SMS to 1338.
* You will receive an instant reply confirming whether the insurance policy is active.

3. Hotline Verification – 1338

* Call 1338.
* Follow the voice prompts and select the relevant insurance company.
* You will be connected to the customer service division of the selected insurer.
* Provide the vehicle registration number or insurance policy number.
* The insurance company will confirm whether the policy is valid.

Correct Format for Entering Vehicle Registration Numbers

When entering a vehicle registration number via USSD or SMS:

* Use the prefix, followed by a hyphen, and the four-digit registration number.
* Do not include spaces between letters or numbers.
* If the registration contains “Sri,” enter it as *SRI* in English capital letters.

Examples:

* 311-1234
* CC-1234
* CCC-1234
* 1-SRI-1234

Benefits of the New Verification System

The above methods enable users to instantly verify whether a motor vehicle’s insurance policy is valid. The SMS service provides a particularly convenient method for obtaining this information.

No charges will be imposed for calls or SMS messages sent to the short code 1338.

Temporary Insurance Cover

Although insurance companies have begun issuing digital insurance cards, the issuance of temporary insurance cover remains valid for the time being.

It is anticipated that temporary insurance cover notes will be discontinued in the future. Until such time, all temporary insurance documents will continue to be recognized as valid.

Validity of Previously Issued Insurance Certificates

Although only digital insurance cards are issued from 1 May 2026, all printed motor insurance certificates issued prior to that date will remain valid until the expiry dates specified on those documents.

When a Driver Cannot Produce the Digital Card

If a driver is unable to display the digital insurance card on a mobile device, the validity of the insurance can still be verified by:

* Producing a printed copy of the digital insurance card, or

* Using the USSD, SMS, or hotline verification methods outlined above.

Legal Recognition of Digital Insurance Cards

In terms of Section 3 of Part II of the Electronic Transactions Act No. 19 of 2006, digital motor insurance cards carry the same legal validity and enforceability as printed documents. Their acceptance, legal effect, and validity cannot be denied solely because they are in electronic form.