As part of a collaboration with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to standardise the Driver’s Licence system the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) will be the sole agency responsible for the sale and issuance of the licence.
Additionally, drivers whose licences are due for renewal are not required to travel to GRA’s headquarters in Georgetown to access the service. The Integrated Regional Tax Offices (IRTOs) have all been upgraded to process applications for the Plastic Card/ID type Driver’s Licences, a statement from the GRA said yesterday. These offices are located at Parika, Anna Regina, New Amsterdam, Corriverton, Bartica, Linden and Lethem
As a result applicants living in the vicinity of these offices will no longer be required to apply to the GPF Certifying Offices.
Under the new system, persons who were successful at the practical driving test at the Police Certifying Offices (Anna Regina, Leonora, Cove and John, Fort Wellington, New Amsterdam, Whim/ Corriverton, Bartica, Lethem and Linden) would have their Provisional Driver’s Licence endorsed with the Competence number or issued with a certification slip by the respective Certifying Officers. The Certifying Officers would then refer the persons to the nearest GRA/IRTO.
“At the GRA/IRTO, the applicants will be required to submit a completed Driver’s Licence Application form, copy of valid identification (ID Card or Passport), one passport sized photograph and their Provisional Drivers’ Licence endorsed with the Competence number or certification slip issued by the Certifying Officer,” the statement explained.
Following this presentation the GRA officer in the lodgment area will verify and process the application in which, the applicant will have their photograph taken and issued with a lodgment slip.
A fee of $5,000 is then submitted with the lodgment slip to a cashier who issues a receipt with a return date for collection which is two weeks from the date of payment.
During the two weeks, the Traffic Officer at Headquarters is expected to receive the Competences from the various Certifying Offices verify or approve same and submit to the GRA Headquarters within three working days while the GRA Headquarters, on receipt of the Compe-tences will verify, approve and batch print the Licences.
The printed licence will then be dispatched to the IRTOs for issuance. According to the GRA, this process will take another three days.
Meanwhile drivers who have the ‘Cardboard Cover’/ ‘Red Book’ Licences in their possession and are seeking renewals in the form of the Plastic Card Licence, will also be able to do so at any of the IRTOs.
These applicants will be required to submit a completed Driver’s Licence Application form, copy of valid identification (ID Card or Passport), one passport sized photograph and their expired Driver’s Licence to the Lodgment Clerk.
The GRA officer in the lodgment area verifies and processes the application, takes a picture of the applicant and issues a lodgment slip.
They, too, will be required to pay a $5,000 fee and be issued a receipt which indicates the date to return to uplift the Driver’s Licence.
Again the return date is usually the same two weeks previously given by the Police Certifying Offices.
The statement notes that recent amendments to the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act provides for an extension of the duration of the Driver’s Licence from three years to five years as well as an increase in fees from $4,000 to 5,000.
