The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) is facing growing complaints from Kenyans over delays in issuing smart driving licences and vehicle number plates. Many applicants have waited months after completing biometrics without receiving their documents. Sources point to a backlog of hundreds of thousands of applications.
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has been receiving numerous complaints from applicants regarding delays in issuing smart driving licences and vehicle number plates. This stems from rising frustrations among Kenyans who describe waiting periods extending to several months without obtaining their documents.
One applicant stated they completed biometric registration in November and December last year but has yet to receive their driving licence card. "To be honest, what is going on at the NTSA offices because I visited their offices in November last year and they took my biometrics, but up to now I have yet to receive my driving licence," said the applicant.
Sources within the system attribute the delays to a massive backlog, with estimates of hundreds of thousands of pending applications and production capacity unable to match increasing demand. Another frustrated Kenyan remarked, "Am I the only person who is yet to receive their driving licence? Since applying for it in December last year, I haven't received it. What is happening? But when I log into the system, it shows me the document is ready."
Although NTSA had previously announced improvements in processing timelines following the rollout of smart driving licences, applicants now contend that wait times have exceeded expectations. Earlier applicants received their licences within weeks, while more recent ones have waited months without updates.
For many Kenyans, these delays have serious consequences, as a valid smart driving licence is essential for employment, particularly in transport and logistics sectors. Efforts to contact NTSA through official channels received no response by publication time. Motorists are urging NTSA to provide clear communication on the backlog's scale, estimated processing timelines, and reasons for production slowdowns.
