Deputy Minister of Economic Development Nishantha Jayaweera told Parliament on Tuesday that people need not queue at Inland Revenue Department (IRD) offices for a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN).
He said the requirement to obtain a TIN certificate had caused unnecessary public concern and urged people not to panic. The IRD would soon issue a special announcement setting out a new procedure, he said.
Under that procedure, people would no longer have to visit IRD offices to obtain a TIN for transactions such as getting a driving licence, a revenue licence or opening a bank account. A person without a TIN could give the institution providing the service a copy of their National Identity Card (NIC), an active mobile phone number and, where available, an email address.
The institution would send those details to the IRD, which would issue the TIN or income tax number to the email address provided, Jayaweera said. People could also obtain TIN and income tax certificates through the IRD’s online system using their ID number and registered email address. He said the arrangement would cover both people who already hold a TIN and those who do not.
The Commissioner General of Inland Revenue would issue a statement clarifying the matter soon, the Deputy Minister added.
Long queues were reported at IRD offices across the country on Tuesday. At the regional office in Kalutara, some applicants said they had waited since morning, while others said they had returned over several days without completing the process. Several people alleged that a system breakdown on Monday had prevented them from obtaining certificates. A large crowd was also reported at the IRD head office.
One person at the Kalutara office appealed to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to intervene. Others said the delays were holding up vehicle-related transactions, including obtaining driving licences and revenue licences.
Background
A TIN is the number the IRD uses to identify a taxpayer. Under Sri Lanka’s tax regulations, it is mandatory for all resident individuals who turned 18 on or before 31 December 2023, and for those who turn 18 on or after 1 January 2024.
The government decided to make TIN certificates mandatory for eight categories of financial, commercial and administrative transactions from 1 November 2026. The rush for certificates at IRD offices followed that decision.
What it means
According to the Deputy Minister, people can continue with transactions that require a TIN by giving their NIC copy, phone number and email address to the institution concerned, without first going to the IRD. The IRD’s announcement, which the Commissioner General is due to issue, is expected to set out the full procedure.
Until that announcement is published, applicants who have already queued may wish to keep their NIC, mobile number and email address ready. The online system is the other route the Deputy Minister named for those who prefer not to visit an office.
