Skip to content
HowToSriLanka.lk

How to Get a National Identity Card (NIC) in Sri Lanka

Verified · 1 Nov 2026In person only

Every Sri Lankan citizen must apply for an NIC at 15. Fill in form D.R.P/1,7,8, attach your birth certificate, an ICAO-standard photo and the Rs. 200 fee receipt, and have the form certified by your Grama Niladhari (or your school principal or Estate Superintendent). The card is posted to you within about 3 months. If you need it urgently, the One-Day Service in Battaramulla or Galle issues it in about 3 hours for an extra Rs. 2,000.

At a glance

Fee
Rs. 200
See all 9 fees
Time
About 3 months by post, or 3 hours with the One-Day Service
Where
Your Grama Niladhari (then the Divisional Secretary for the countersignature), or your school principal, or the Estate Superintendent
+ 2 more places
Online?
In person only
Form
D.R.P/1,7,8
+ 1 more

Do you need this?

When you need it

  • You are a Sri Lankan citizen and have turned 15 and have never had an NIC.
  • You are a school student; your principal certifies and sends the application for you.
  • You were born abroad to a Sri Lankan parent and now hold a citizenship certificate.

Who can apply

  • Must be a citizen of Sri Lanka.
  • Must be 15 years old or older.
  • Apply within one year of turning 15. After that you also pay a Rs. 2,500 fine and fill in a declaration form.
  • Dual citizens must get an NIC within six months of the date their dual citizenship certificate is issued, or pay a Rs. 2,500 penalty under section 19(2) of the Citizenship Act.

Documents you need

Documents to bring

0 of 10 ready

  • Get it from your Grama Niladhari, or download it from the Department.

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

  • You can pay through the officer who certifies your application.

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.

Process at a glance

  1. Step 1
    Get the application form

    Collect form D.R.P/1,7,8 from your Grama Niladhari, or download it from the DRP website and print it.

  2. Step 2
    Collect your documents

    Get your birth certificate and have an ICAO-standard photo taken at a studio registered with the Department.

  3. Step 3
    Fill in the form and pay the fee

    Complete the form in full and pay the application fee through the officer who will certify it. Attach the receipt. Any fine is paid to the cashier at your Divisional Secretariat.

  4. Step 4
    Get it certified

    Every application must go through the correct certifying officer.

  5. Step 5
    The Department processes your application

    Applications certified by a Grama Niladhari are entered into the Department's system by the ID card division of the District Secretariat. Applications from schools go to the Department or its provincial offices.

  6. Step 6
    Receive your NIC

    Under the normal service the card is posted to your home address, usually within 3 months of handing in the application.

  7. Step 7
    Urgent? Use the One-Day Service

    Have your application certified by your Grama Niladhari as usual, then take it with the original documents to the Head Office in Battaramulla (Terminal D, 9th floor, 7.30 am to 12.30 pm) or the Galle Provincial Office. Pay the fees and any fines to the cashier (shroff) there. Bring the originals of all your documents. The card is usually ready within about 3 hours.

  8. You're done

Step by step

  1. Step 01

    Get the application form

    Collect form D.R.P/1,7,8 from your Grama Niladhari, or download it from the DRP website and print it.

  2. Step 02

    Collect your documents

    Get your birth certificate and have an ICAO-standard photo taken at a studio registered with the Department. Hand in the following documents.

    • The completed form D.R.P/1,7,8
    • 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 can charge at most Rs. 400)
    • The receipt for the application fee
    • Any other documents that apply to you, such as a citizenship or dual citizenship certificate

  3. Step 03

    Fill in the form and pay the fee

    Complete the form in full and pay the application fee through the officer who will certify it. Attach the receipt. Any fine is paid to the cashier at your Divisional Secretariat.

  4. Step 04

    Get it certified

    Every application must go through the correct certifying officer.

    • School applicants: the principal or Parivenadhipathi
    • Estate residents: the Estate Superintendent
    • Everyone else: the Grama Niladhari of the area where you live, with the Divisional Secretary's countersignature

  5. Step 05

    The Department processes your application

    Applications certified by a Grama Niladhari are entered into the Department's system by the ID card division of the District Secretariat. Applications from schools go to the Department or its provincial offices.

  6. Step 06

    Receive your NIC

    Under the normal service the card is posted to your home address, usually within 3 months of handing in the application.

  7. Step 07

    Urgent? Use the One-Day Service

    Have your application certified by your Grama Niladhari as usual, then take it with the original documents to the Head Office in Battaramulla (Terminal D, 9th floor, 7.30 am to 12.30 pm) or the Galle Provincial Office. Pay the fees and any fines to the cashier (shroff) there. Bring the originals of all your documents. The card is usually ready within about 3 hours.

Fees

Fees

First-time NIC
Rs. 200

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

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

Paid on top of the Rs. 200 application fee.

Late application fine
Rs. 2,500

If you apply more than one year after turning 15. Paid to the cashier at your Divisional Secretariat.

Fine for submitting two original applications
Rs. 2,500
Fine for submitting false information
Rs. 2,500
Penalty for a dual citizen who does not get an NIC within six months of the dual citizenship certificate
Rs. 2,500

Under section 19(2) of the Citizenship Act.

Translation of your NIC to English
Rs. 2,000

A separate service.

Verifying the information on your NIC, at your own request
Rs. 1,000

A separate service.

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

  • 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

I do not have a birth certificate.
Ask the registration officer at your Divisional Secretariat about a probable age certificate or a register search, and bring one other document that shows your name and date of birth.
I was born abroad.
You need a citizenship certificate from the Department of Immigration and Emigration.
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.
My photo was rejected.
Use a studio registered with the Department for ICAO-standard photos. The Department lists them on its site. A studio photo is valid for 6 months from the date it was taken.
I am a dual citizen.
Apply with your dual citizenship certificate within six months of its issue date, or you pay a Rs. 2,500 penalty.

FAQ

What age do I need to apply for an NIC in Sri Lanka?
Every citizen must apply once they turn 15. Apply within a year to avoid the Rs. 2,500 late fine.
Is the first NIC free?
No. The Department's fee notice, in force since 1 November 2022, sets the first-time fee at Rs. 200. Some unofficial websites say it is free; that does not match the notice.
How long does it take to get an NIC?
Under the normal service the Department says the card is posted within 3 months, unless there is a problem with your documents. The One-Day Service issues it within about 3 hours.
Who signs my NIC application?
Your Grama Niladhari (with the Divisional Secretary's countersignature), your school principal if you are a student, or the Estate Superintendent if you live on an estate.
Can I get an NIC in one day?
Yes, through the One-Day Service at the Head Office in Battaramulla or the Galle Provincial Office. It costs an extra Rs. 2,000, and you still need your application certified first.
What if I lost my NIC?
Report it to the nearest police station and apply for a replacement. See the lost NIC guide.

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.

Related guides

Share this page

WhatsApp(opens in a new tab)