NTSA: You Have Until July To Acquire Digital Driving Licence

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has set an ultimatum for drivers to apply and acquire the new look smart driving license. You now have until July to get the digital license or risk attracting huge fines.

“The issuance of manual driving licences will be suspended by July 1. We are going to start trials on instant fines immediately and by July 1, we will go fully on the issue of fines as we cease issuing manual driving licences. We are migrating to digital and that’s the way forward,” Dr Matiang’i said

The smart driver’s license has been around since 2018 but Kenyans are yet to completely shift to the system that NTSA says will help instill order on Kenyan roads. The new licences have a new technology installed that holds driver information and a points system that is used to discipline drivers.

The decision to set July as the deadline was announced by NTSA last week in Mombasa during a high-profile security meeting led by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i.

Dr Fred Matiang’i says countering terrorism, fight radicalisation in universities, cleaning up the registry department, police reforms, introducing instant fines for traffic offences and cleaning up the transport sector top the 10-point plan for his ministry.

To apply for the smart driving license, you’ll need to head over to NTSA’s Citizen self-service portal, the Transport Integrated Management Systems (TIMS) ready to part with Sh3050 which will be paid via M-Pesa. You’ll then book an appointment to get your digital picture, biometrics and digital signature taken in your county and you’re set to go.