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A list of traffic fine amounts has been circulating on social media, and the figures are striking enough to grab attention. Some entries show fines several times higher than what most drivers expect to pay for common violations. We checked whether Sri Lanka’s traffic fine structure has actually been revised.
Social Media Posts :
The same list, presented as a recent change, spread widely across social media in the following form:
A second post titled “Sri Lanka Traffic Fines 2026” then circulated and went viral in its own right, repeating a similar set of inflated figures.
Because the figures in both posts were higher than the fines most people remembered, many users took them at face value and concluded that traffic fines had recently been raised. We set out to check what fines are actually in force as of 2026.
Fact-Check :
We checked whether any amendment had been made to traffic violation fines, or to the laws governing them, as of June 2026. Any genuine revision of this scale would have been confirmed by the Sri Lanka Police and reported across mainstream media. We found no such report, and no credible official source confirms any recent revision to traffic fines.
Sri Lanka’s primary legal framework for traffic violations, road regulations and penalties remains the Motor Traffic Act, No. 14 of 1951. Every amendment and gazette notification issued since operates within the provisions of this principal Act.
The Motor Traffic (Amendment) Act, No. 18 of 2017 expanded the spot fine system and revised the overall penalty structure. Special Gazette Notification No. 2054/9 of 15 January 2018 then raised the fine amounts for 33 specific spot fine offences.
The penalty structure for seven serious offences, including drunk driving and driving without a valid license, which carry a mandatory minimum fine of Rs. 25,000, was last revised under the Motor Traffic (Amendment) Act, No. 10 of 2019, which took effect on 19 August 2019.
Traffic Police Headquarters
We contacted the Traffic Police Headquarters directly. They confirmed that no recent amendment has been made to traffic fines currently enforced in Sri Lanka. The penalty structure set out in Gazette Extraordinary No. 2054/9 of 15 January 2018 remains in effect.
Traffic Police also confirmed that the last legislative revision targeting major offences was the Motor Traffic (Amendment) Act, No. 10 of 2019, and that no adjustment to traffic fines has taken place since.
Our investigation was anchored on Special Gazette Notification No. 2054/9 of 15 January 2018, the Motor Traffic (Amendment) Act, No. 10 of 2019, and the Motor Traffic (Amendment) Act, No. 18 of 2017. Below is a comparison between the actual fines enforced under these provisions and the figures circulating on social media.
Claim 1 vs Reality!
| # | Traffic Offence | Viral Claim (LKR) | Official Fine (LKR) | Governing Legislation | Section |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Speeding | 30,000 | Up to 20%: 3,000-5,000 / 20-30%: 5,000-10,000 / 30-50%: 10,000-15,000 / Over 50%: 15,000-25,000 | Motor Traffic (Amendment) Act No. 10 of 2019 | 141A |
| 2 | Disregarding Red Light | 25,000 | 1,000 | Gazette 2054/9, 15 Jan 2018 | 164 |
| 3 | Driving Without Valid License | 50,000 | 1st: 25,000-30,000 / 2nd: 30,000-40,000 / Subsequent: 40,000-50,000 | Motor Traffic (Amendment) Act No. 10 of 2019 | 123 |
| 4 | Drunk Driving | 60,000 | 25,000-30,000 | Motor Traffic (Amendment) Act No. 10 of 2019 | 216 |
| 5 | No Seat Belt / Helmet | 10,000 | 1,000 | Gazette 2054/9, 15 Jan 2018 | 157A/158 |
| 6 | Violating Rules of the Road | 20,000 | 2,000 | Gazette 2054/9, 15 Jan 2018 | 148 |
Sri Lanka Police Issued Its Own Corrective Notice
The Sri Lanka Police issued an official statement addressing the viral post, identifying it as based on erroneous figures, and published the authenticated traffic penalty rates alongside the misleading claims for public clarification.
While some figures in the second post were largely accurate, our review identified few claims that were partially misleading.
Claim 2 vs Reality!
| Traffic Offence | Viral Claim (LKR) | Official Fine (LKR) | Governing Legislation | Section |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Phone While Driving | 2,000 | Spot: 10,000 / Court: 10,000-25,000 | Motor Traffic (Amendment) Act No. 10 of 2019 | 152A |
| No Eco-Test / Fitness Certificate | 2,500 | 500 | Gazette 2054/9, 15 Jan 2018 | 196 |
| Improper Use of Horns/Lights | 500 | 1,000 | Gazette 2054/9, 15 Jan 2018 | 155 |
| DUI Causing Fatal Accident | 100,000-1,000,000+ / 2-10 yrs | 100,000-150,000 + imprisonment | Motor Traffic (Amendment) Act No. 10 of 2019 | 217 |
| No Valid Revenue License | 500 | 1,000 | Gazette 2054/9, 15 Jan 2018 | 38 |
| Overloading Passengers/Goods | 2,000 | 500 | Gazette 2054/9, 15 Jan 2018 | 178 |
| Defective Indicator/Signal Lights | 500 | 1,000 | Gazette 2054/9, 15 Jan 2018 | 164 |
Spot Fines Under the 2018 Gazette Notification
The full schedule of spot fines under Special Gazette Notification No. 2054/9 of 15 January 2018 is set out below.
| # | Statutory Provision | Fine (LKR) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sections 21, 22, 23, 73 & 74(1) — Failure to display or maintain vehicle identification marks | 1,000 |
| 2 | Section 38 — Failure to display or produce a valid revenue license | 1,000 |
| 3 | Section 45 — Operating a vehicle in contravention of its revenue license | 1,000 |
| 4 | Section 123(2) — Operating an emergency or public service vehicle without authorization | 1,000 |
| 5 | Section 128(A) — Operating a special-purpose vehicle without a specific license | 1,000 |
| 6 | Section 128(C) — No regulatory approval for transporting chemicals or hazardous waste | 1,000 |
| 7 | Section 130 — Driving without a license valid for that class of vehicle | 1,000 |
| 8 | Section 135 — Failure to carry a valid driving license | 1,000 |
| 9 | Section 139A — Driving instruction without an Instructor’s License | 2,000 |
| 10 | Sections 140 & 141 — Exceeding statutory speed limits | 3,000 |
| 11 | Section 148 — Non-compliance with general rules of the road | 2,000 |
| 12 | Section 152 — Driving in a manner that compromises vehicle control | 1,000 |
| 13 | Section 153 — Failure to maintain a safe road position | 1,000 |
| 14 | Section 154 — Using a mobile phone while driving | 1,000 |
| 15 | Section 155 — Improper or excessive use of horns or warning devices | 1,000 |
| 16 | Section 155A — Violating emission control / eco-test regulations | 1,000 |
| 17 | Section 156 — Refusing right-of-way on ferries or bridges | 500 |
| 18 | Section 157 — Exceeding permitted front seating capacity | 1,000 |
| 19 | Section 157A — Not wearing a seat belt | 1,000 |
| 20 | Section 158 — Riding a motorcycle without a helmet | 1,000 |
| 21 | Section 159 — Unlawfully clinging onto a moving vehicle | 1,000 |
| 22 | Section 160 — Causing excessive, prohibited noise | 1,000 |
| 23 | Section 162 — Disregarding a police officer’s lawful directions | 2,000 |
| 24 | Section 164 — Failure to comply with road signs or traffic lights | 1,000 |
| 25 | Section 165 — Failure to take safety measures after an accident | 1,000 |
| 26 | Section 166 — Unlawful parking or stopping on a public road | 1,000 |
| 27 | Section 167 — No safety precautions for a broken-down or unattended vehicle | 2,000 |
| 28 | Section 178 — Exceeding certified passenger/goods capacity | 500 |
| 29 | Section 179 — Exceeding capacity thresholds on an omnibus | 500 |
| 30 | Section 188 — Overloading a lorry beyond permissible weight | 500 |
| 31 | Section 189 — Exceeding permitted personnel in a lorry cabin/cargo bay | 500 |
| 32 | Section 190 — General non-compliance with transport directives | 1,000 |
| 33 | Section 196 — No valid Emission Test or Fitness Certificate | 500 |
Penalties Revised Under the 2019 Amendment Act
| Section | Offence | Revised Penalty (LKR) |
|---|---|---|
| 123 | Driving without a valid license (repeat offences) | 1st: 25,000-30,000 / 2nd: 30,000-40,000 |
| 141A | Exceeding speed limits | Up to 20%: 3,000-5,000 / 20-30%: 5,000-10,000 / 30-50%: 10,000-15,000 / Over 50%: 15,000-25,000 |
| 148A | Hazardous driving at railway crossings | 1st: 25,000-30,000 / 2nd: 30,000-40,000 |
| 152A | Mobile phone or distracting devices while driving | Spot: 10,000 / Court: 10,000-25,000 + up to 3 months imprisonment |
| 196 | No valid third-party insurance | 25,000-50,000 + up to 1 month imprisonment |
| 216 | DUI of alcohol or narcotics | 25,000-30,000 + up to 3 months imprisonment, 12-month license suspension |
| 216A | DUI operating commercial/passenger vehicles | 25,000-30,000 + up to 6 months imprisonment, permanent license revocation |
| 216B | DUI causing accidents with casualties | Fatality: 2-10 years’ imprisonment + license revocation / Injury: 25,000-50,000 + up to 5 years |
| 217 | Death or injury from reckless/negligent driving | Fatality: 100,000-150,000 + 2-10 years / Grievous: 50,000-100,000 + up to 5 years / Simple: 10,000-25,000 |
| 218 | Permitting a minor to drive | 30,000 minimum (owner and minor both liable) |
| 224 | General penalty for unlisted offences | 1st: 2,500-3,500 / 2nd: 3,500-5,000 / Subsequent: 5,000-25,000 |
Further information is available here, here, and here.
The spot fines set under the 2018 Gazette Notification and the major penalties enacted under the 2019 Amendment Act remain in force in 2026 without any change or increase. No subsequent law or gazette notification has been issued in Sri Lanka revising these penalty thresholds.
The GovPay Online Traffic Fine Payment System
Through this digital system, motorists can pay fines on the spot using banking or fintech apps and immediately recover their driving license. The introduction of GovPay does not represent a fine increase. It is an improvement in payment efficiency. Further details are available here. Building on GovPay’s rollout, the government plans to integrate a driver demerit points system into the platform, launching it as a pilot project in September 2026.
The Driver Demerit Points System
Alongside expanding the spot fine system, the Motor Traffic (Amendment) Act, No. 18 of 2017 introduced the Driver Demerit Points System, modelling on frameworks used in developed countries to reinforce road discipline and reduce accidents. Every motorist starts with 24 points in the Department of Motor Traffic’s digital system. Each traffic offence deducts the points prescribed for that offence from the driver’s balance.
Drivers who maintain a clean record keep their full 24 points. A driver who exhausts the entire balance has their license automatically suspended for one year. This system is set for its pilot launch in September 2026. Further information is available here and here.
Why Is False Information About Fine Increases Spreading?
Several new methods and proposals for collecting traffic fines have been introduced recently. It is likely that confusion over these methods, particularly GovPay, being mistaken for a new fine system, combined with rising public concern over traffic accidents, is driving the spread of this false information.
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Conclusion :
Our investigation confirms that the social media posts showing traffic fine amounts higher than the fines actually in force are false. The Sri Lanka Police has also confirmed that traffic fines have not been increased and that the circulating posts are false.
A check of the official websites parliament.lk and documents.gov.lk confirms that no gazette notification or parliamentary act has amended traffic fine amounts between 2019 and June 2026. The public should remain cautious of such posts, particularly since the introduction of the GovPay digital payment system is likely to continue being misread on social media as a new fine system.
Title: No, Traffic Fines in Sri Lanka Have NOT Been Increased!
Fact Check By: B.P. Hansani
Result: Misleading
