The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has provided a significant update regarding the design and supply of the new digital driving licences under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework.
In a notice issued on Tuesday, February 24, the Authority explained that the second-generation smart driving licences form part of a broader digital transformation agenda aimed at enhancing road safety, strengthening enforcement, and curbing fraud.
Unlike the previous licence format, the upgraded smart cards feature embedded electronic data and are integrated into a centralised system.
NTSA Issues Fresh Statement on Second-Generation Licence Design and Supply. Photo: Courtesy.
This system enables real-time verification, improved monitoring of traffic violations, and more efficient law enforcement.
To address production backlogs and distribution delays, NTSA confirmed that it has engaged private sector partners through a PPP arrangement to boost manufacturing capacity and accelerate nationwide issuance of the new cards.
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has indicated that once fully operational, the new system will enable licence production within 24 to 48 hours, significantly shortening processing timelines.
The Authority acknowledged that the current licensing framework has struggled to keep pace with the growing number of drivers and the increasing demand for stronger traffic law enforcement.
It also linked the reforms to deteriorating road safety figures, noting that annual fatalities have risen underscoring the need for systemic improvements in driver regulation and compliance monitoring.
Under the Public-Private Partnership arrangement, NTSA is collaborating with KCB Bank Kenya and Pesa Print Limited to design, produce, personalise, distribute, and maintain the second-generation smart driving licences over a 21-year period.
Inside the New Digital Driving Licence System
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) will roll out five-layer polycarbonate smart cards embedded with secure chips, targeting production of five million cards every three years to maintain steady supply.
To improve access, the Authority plans to operationalise more than 102 registration centres across the country and deploy over 390 enrolment kits to strengthen service delivery and reduce congestion.
The upgrade also features a digital mobile driving licence wallet, allowing motorists to view licence details, monitor their driving history, and manage their status via mobile devices.
The system will support integrated payments through mobile money, USSD, and banking platforms.
A demerit points framework will further be introduced to penalise repeat traffic offenders, with possible sanctions including suspension or mandatory retraining.
Under the proposed structure, the fee for issuance, replacement, or duplication of the smart driving licence will be Ksh3,000.
