The Kenya National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) -The government agency authorised to issue driving licences has announced that its in the final stages of rolling-out the New Smart driving licences.
The authority says it has already completed about 80% of the work needed to implement the new system and will in a few weeks time begin the distribution of the digital driving licences. The agency aims to scrap the paper element of the older version in an effort to streamline the transport sector.
A smart licence enables the authority to end the duplication of paper licences and keep electronic records of vehicles and their owners. The chip-based smart driving licences will be issued in phases in order to give time to people who renewed theirs for several months.
The National Bank of Kenya has been assisting NTSA in its drive towards digitalisation of the driving licences at a cost of Sh 2.1 Billion. The project aims to produce 500,000 smart DLs in a year.
The new licence will have several features such as personal data, finger prints and the driver’s record of traffic offences. Once the card is scanned by the police, the holder’s biometric data, including traffic violations, will be displayed automatically.
NTSA says public announcements on how to acquire the Smart DL will be made in due course.
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