Motorists renewing their smart driving licences must undergo biometric capture before their applications can be completed, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has clarified.
The authority issued the clarification following complaints from motorists who had paid for licence renewals online but were yet to receive their renewed driving licences.
NTSA explained that some of the delays could be attributed to motorists failing to visit its offices or Huduma Centres for biometric capture after completing the online payment process.
Motorists Face Delays After Skipping Mandatory NTSA Biometric Capture. Photo: Courtesy.
The authority said biometric capture is a mandatory step in the renewal of smart driving licences. Motorists who have already made payments but have not completed the biometric process are required to visit an NTSA office or the nearest Huduma Centre.
According to NTSA, motorists do not need to book an appointment before visiting the designated centres for biometric capture.
The clarification has, however, sparked frustration among some motorists, with several saying they were unaware that they needed to appear physically for biometric capture after paying for their licence renewals online.
The requirement applies to motorists seeking to renew or obtain the smart driving licence, which NTSA is progressively making the standard document for Kenyan drivers.
The move is part of the government’s plan to phase out the traditional paper-based driving licence and transition motorists to the smart licence system.
The smart driving licence contains an embedded chip that stores key information about the driver, including their name, date of birth and gender.
The digital system also enables traffic officers to verify the validity of a driving licence on the spot through the NTSA mobile application.
Motorists renewing their smart driving licences are therefore required to complete the biometric capture process after making their online applications and payments to avoid delays in receiving their licences.
