Temporary TIN relief for vehicle revenue license and new bank account

Responding to practical problems faced by individuals who have not yet obtained a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), the government has taken steps to provide temporary relief for opening bank accounts and renewing vehicle revenue licenses. Accordingly, the mandatory requirement to immediately submit a TIN certificate for these two transactions will be temporarily relaxed.

Cabinet Spokesperson and Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, stated at the weekly Cabinet media briefing that this decision was made considering the difficulties faced by the public with the decision to make TIN mandatory for eight categories of economic activities from November 1, 2026. He also mentioned that the Commissioner General of Inland Revenue is issuing instructions to relevant institutions to allow these activities to proceed based on National Identity Card (NIC) details and other basic personal information.

Under the new methodology, anyone without a TIN will have the opportunity to open new bank accounts by providing their National Identity Card number and necessary personal information. Similarly, when renewing vehicle revenue licenses, it will be possible to complete the process without a TIN certificate by submitting National Identity Card details to the relevant Divisional Secretariats.

However, the Minister emphasized that this temporary facility does not abolish the fundamental requirement of obtaining a TIN, and urged the public to gradually complete their registration without unnecessary panic. Out of an estimated 17 million people over 18 years of age in Sri Lanka, approximately 13 million have already been issued TINs, with nearly four million more remaining to register.

Dr. Jayatissa also clarified that possessing a TIN does not automatically subject one to income tax. He pointed out that although TINs have been issued to 13 million people, only about 1.2 million income tax files are currently maintained, explaining the difference between the tax net and the identification number.

The Minister pointed out that disruptions and difficulties mainly arose only when opening new bank accounts and renewing vehicle revenue licenses, and no such significant breakdown was observed in other designated transaction categories. When questioned about the long queues in front of Inland Revenue offices and issues accessing the online registration system, the Minister acknowledged the existence of technical problems and stated that steps are being taken to resolve them.

He also urged the public not to be misled by statements circulating that TIN registration would no longer be possible after November 1. The Minister reiterated that it is the government's expectation to gradually include all eligible individuals into the TIN registration system as part of a broader effort to streamline economic activities and improve tax administration.