The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has said that the system currently implemented to print driving licenses is more secure and practical in accordance with international standards.

Issuing a press release today, the Ministry has said that the new smart license has been prepared completely in accordance with the international standard ISO 7810 ID-1. 

Nepal has also adopted this based on a similar technology that has been used by developed countries for decades.

The government has chosen a new format with the conclusion that the smart chip technology used in the past has not been implemented effectively. "In order to minimize the risks created by relying on the assistance of foreign experts to read the chip, a highly secure code-encrypted, layered and copy-protected intelligent QR (IQR) technology has been adopted,” the statement said. 

This has institutionalized offline authentication and enabled traffic police or other regulatory bodies to instantly confirm the identity and authority of the driver by scanning the card at any location without access to the internet.

In terms of security, the new smart license includes 39 different security features divided into three levels, the ministry said. 

The ministry has also clarified that the entire production process is conducted in an end-to-end offline format, which makes the risk of data leakage or unauthorized access negligible. 

According to the Security Printing Center, in addition to driver's licenses, the foundation has been laid for the production of postage stamps, citizenship certificates, excise stickers, visa stickers and university certificates in the coming days.

Currently, the center prints the drivers' license within 24 hours of passing the trial for a driver's license and paying the fee. Similarly, all the old licenses that are yet to be printed will be printed by mid-Ashar. 

According to the center, 1.2 million old licenses will be printed by Baisakh 12 and an additional 1.7 million by mid-Ashar.