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How to Change Details on Your NIC in Sri Lanka

Verified · 1 Nov 2026In person only

If the information on your NIC has changed or is wrong, or the card is damaged or hard to read, apply for an amended NIC straight away. Fill in form D.R.P/1,7,8 and hand it in with your old NIC, birth certificate, a recent ICAO-standard photo and the fee receipt through your Grama Niladhari (countersigned by the Divisional Secretary), or the Estate Superintendent if you live on an estate. The fee is Rs. 500, plus Rs. 120 to have the card posted. If you need it urgently, use the One Day Service in Battaramulla or Galle (Rs. 2,000 extra).

At a glance

Fee
Rs. 500
See all 5 fees
Time
About 3 months by post, or about 3 hours with the One Day Service
Where
Your Grama Niladhari (then the Divisional Secretary for the countersignature), or the Estate Superintendent if you live on an estate
+ 2 more places
Online?
In person only
Form
D.R.P/1,7,8

Do you need this?

When you need it

  • Information on your NIC has changed, for example your address.
  • You have noticed that your NIC has incorrect information on it.
  • The card is damaged, information on it has been erased, or it is illegible or becoming illegible.

Who can apply

  • You must already have an NIC; you hand in the old card with your application.
  • Every application goes through a certifying officer: the Estate Superintendent for estate residents, or the Grama Niladhari of your area of residence for everyone else, with the Divisional Secretary's countersignature.
  • The Department for Registration of Persons asks you to apply immediately once a detail changes or you notice a problem.

Documents you need

Documents to bring

0 of 12 ready

  • Download the form (opens in a new tab) or get it from your Grama Niladhari.

  • Taken at a studio registered with the Department, which gives you a Photo Reference Slip. The studio can charge at most Rs. 400.

  • Pay through the officer who certifies your application.

  • For example, the document that shows your new or correct details.

Only if…

  • Accepted proof includes a child's birth certificate, school or estate leaving certificate, certified horoscope, marriage certificate, citizenship certificate, or a letter from a principal confirming your date of birth.

  • Accepted written proof includes a child's birth certificate, school or estate leaving certificate, your Elders' Identity Card, or your baptism certificate.

Process at a glance

  1. Step 1
    Fill in the application form

    Fill in form D.R.P/1,7,8 with your new or correct details. Download the form (opens in a new tab) or get it from your Grama Niladhari.

  2. Step 2
    Get it certified and pay the fees

    Take the application to your certifying officer - the Estate Superintendent if you live on an estate, or otherwise the Grama Niladhari of your area of residence, after which the Divisional Secretary must countersign it. Pay the fees through the certifying officer.

  3. Step 3
    Receive your amended NIC by post

    The ID card division of the District Secretariat enters your application and documents into the Department's system, and the new card is posted to you.

  4. Step 4
    Optional
    Urgent? Use the One Day Service

    Take your completed, certified application to the Department for Registration of Persons head office in Battaramulla (Terminal D, 9th floor, 7.30 am to 12.30 pm) or the Galle Provincial Office. Bring the originals of all your documents. Pay the Rs. 500 amendment fee and the Rs. 2,000 One Day Service fee to the cashier there.

  5. You're done

Step by step

  1. Step 01

    Fill in the application form

    Fill in form D.R.P/1,7,8 with your new or correct details. Download the form (opens in a new tab) or get it from your Grama Niladhari.

  2. Step 02

    Get it certified and pay the fees

    Take the application to your certifying officer - the Estate Superintendent if you live on an estate, or otherwise the Grama Niladhari of your area of residence, after which the Divisional Secretary must countersign it. Pay the fees through the certifying officer. Hand in the following documents.

    • The completed form D.R.P/1,7,8
    • Your previously used NIC
    • Your birth certificate, or an extract of the birth register certified by the Additional District Registrar
    • The Photo Reference Slip for an ICAO-standard photograph taken within the last 6 months at a studio registered with the Department. The studio enters the photo into the Department's system and gives you only the slip; it can charge at most Rs. 400.
    • The receipt for the application fee
    • Any other documents the certifying officer asks for

  3. Step 03

    Receive your amended NIC by post

    The ID card division of the District Secretariat enters your application and documents into the Department's system, and the new card is posted to you.

  4. Step 04 · optional

    Urgent? Use the One Day Service

    Take your completed, certified application to the Department for Registration of Persons head office in Battaramulla (Terminal D, 9th floor, 7.30 am to 12.30 pm) or the Galle Provincial Office. Bring the originals of all your documents. Pay the Rs. 500 amendment fee and the Rs. 2,000 One Day Service fee to the cashier there.

Fees

Fees

Amended NIC
Rs. 500

Set by the Department's fee notice, in force since 1 November 2022. Paid through the certifying officer.

Registered post (normal service)
Rs. 120

Only for cards posted under the normal service, not the One Day Service.

One Day Service (extra charge)
Rs. 2,000

Paid on top of the Rs. 500 fee, to the cashier at the One Day Service.

Translation of your NIC to English
Rs. 2,000

A separate service, if you need an English translation of your NIC.

ICAO photo at a registered studio (maximum)
Rs. 400

Paid to the studio. The maximum set by the gazette of 18 December 2023.

Where to go

Forms

More detail

Contact the Department for Registration of Persons

  • Phone: (011) 5226100 / (011) 5226126 (call centre, weekdays 8.30 am to 4.15 pm)
  • Email: info@drp.lk
  • Address: Department for Registration of Persons, Suhurupaya, Subuthipura Road, Battaramulla

Common problems

My NIC is lost or stolen, not damaged.
Use the guide on replacing a lost NIC instead. The fee is Rs. 1,000.
I don't know which document proves the change.
The Department doesn't list supporting documents for each kind of change. Ask your Grama Niladhari before you apply, or call the Department on (011) 5226100.
I changed my name.
Change it on your birth certificate or by declaration first - see the guide on correcting birth certificate details - then amend your NIC.
I do not have a birth certificate.
Ask the registration officer at your Divisional Secretariat about a probable age certificate or a register search. If you are over 40 and have neither, you also need a formal affidavit and one written proof of your name and date of birth.
A bank or office says my NIC details can't be confirmed.
That is a separate verification service, not an amendment. The Department asks the organization to contact it at niclookup_ccu@drp.lk.
My photo is more than 6 months old.
A photo taken by a registered studio is valid for only 6 months from the date it was taken. Have a new one taken.
Someone outside the office says they can speed it up for a fee.
Do not pay. The only faster route is the Department's own One Day Service, with fees paid to its cashier.

FAQ

How much does it cost to change details on my NIC?
Rs. 500, plus Rs. 120 for registered post under the normal service. The One Day Service adds Rs. 2,000.
Who certifies my application?
The Grama Niladhari of your area of residence, with the Divisional Secretary's countersignature. If you live on an estate, the Estate Superintendent.
Do I hand in my old NIC?
Yes. The Department lists your previously used NIC as one of the documents.
Can I add my husband's name to my NIC?
Yes. Submit your marriage certificate certified by the Additional District Registrar with the application.
Can I get an English translation of my NIC?
Yes. The Department translates a National Identity Card to English for Rs. 2,000.
Can I get the amended NIC the same day?
Yes, with the One Day Service at the head office in Battaramulla or the Galle Provincial Office. Bring the originals of your documents and pay Rs. 2,000 on top of the Rs. 500 fee.

Official sources

Checked against these official pages1 Nov 2026

Independent, not official

HowToSriLanka.lk is an independent information platform and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Government of Sri Lanka.

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