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IRD Reintroduces Taxpayer Privilege Cards 👏👏

⭕ After a ~10-year hiatus, the IRD has decided to reintroduce Taxpayer Privilege Cards.

⭕ If you have paid taxes in excess of 3 million in the 2024/25 financial year, you can apply for the card.

- Silver Card: For those who paid taxes above 3 million.
- Gold Card: above 5 million.

⭕ At present, the benefits are mainly limited to meetings with the IRD Commissioner and officers etc. Going forward, the government should expand these benefits as a positive tool to improve tax compliance through incentives and recognition, rather than solely relying on traditional approaches based on enforcement and penalties.

⭕ The government should set the number of cards issued each year as a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for the IRD, as it would serve as a strong metric to measure public tax compliance. This would also encourage the IRD to actively expand the benefits of the programme in collaboration with other stakeholders and establish it as a key pillar of Sri Lanka’s 🇱🇰 tax system.

⭕ We have been strong advocates for this for years, even during the time it was all forgotten. It is wonderful to see it being brought back. Kudos to the IRD!

⭕ Application deadline for the 2024/25 financial year is 28th February 2026. If you are eligible, please apply.

more info: https://www.ird.gov.lk/en/publications/sitepages/issuing%20of%20privilege%20cards.aspx

#SriLanka #TaxCompliance #IRD

22 Feb 2026, 12:36

Sources

  1. Original post on X — Numbers.lk (@numberslka)

Comments

98
  1. what are the Privileges ?

    8 months
  2. While appreciate the positive trend, why can’t Sri Lanka have one single identification number for everything. whether it’s the NIC, bank accounts, driving license, etc.?

    8 months
  3. Useless benefits, I have to reconsider paying tax.

    8 months

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the vehical sticker is a good one, so the robbers know which house is worth robbing

8 months
  • Nice try diddy 😂

    8 months
  • Yazeed Hannan

    8 months
    1. Muneera Hannan pay 3 million in tax to meet the IRD commissioner and officers 😁

      8 months
  • Privilege to meet commissioner and a car sticker??? For 250,000 monthly tax paid?? No thanks I don't think so 🤔 🤔 🤔

    8 monthsLikes:1
  • Nice privilege 👏 😅

    8 months
    1. Manas Mohamed rompa paathikka paddu irukka pola da 😂

      8 months
  • Simpler better compliance can be hit by what Portugal did in 1985. Basically, any Sri Lankan citizen/dual citizen/resident pass holder must produce the tax return for the most recent year if they wish to depart the country through any of its border points. No one is allowed to depart without producing that with their passport. Compliance will increase to cover over 50% of the population by year 1.

    8 months
  • I need one of these soon

    8 months
  • Still not clear about the benefits?

    8 months
  • 👍👍👍👏

    8 months
  • Payee Tax

    8 months
  • They should add one more card as bule or green - TIN card. why they can't have the TIN numbers as the NIC number ? I really dont understand- One number ( NIC ) for all, EPF ETF , Penson, connected to Passport, Bank accounts, Drivers license. accepting the TIN card as official photo identification . it can solve lot of issues. like considerable number of people who are foreign citizens and still holding NIC and doing businesses, having bank accounts and buying land and houses.( actually they shake the market with thier exchanged currency)

    8 monthsLikes:3
    1. Para Sann Not sure, but i'm guessing because businesses can have a TIN too. A company can't have a nic

      8 monthsLikes:1
    2. simple India have PAN card for individuals and companies ... Its same TIN for us

      8 months
    3. Ranuka C. Perera it’s called the business registration number. Pleb

      6 months
  • I don’t get this really. Everyone should pay taxes and you should be penalized if you don’t. I don’t really see it as something you incentive higher tax payers for.

    8 monthsLikes:2
  • Lets see how it goes 😁

    8 months
  • Dr Nalinda Jayatissa Anura Kumara Dissanayake For your urgent consideration

    8 months
  • why the hell good tax payer wants to meet commissioner IRD ?? unless he request a chicken fried rice 🤣

    8 months
  • Copper card?

    8 months
  • Whats the use of this card tho

    8 months
  • NAME. TUAN AMEER HUSSAIN FAROOK N.I. C.NO ************ ADDRESS NO60/09.VAXWHOL STREET COLOMBO.02

    8 months
  • Okay

    8 months
  • I think THE IRD needs to read about what other countries consider as TAXPAYER BENEFITS, "Meetings with the IRD Commissioner and officers." should not be a privilege it should be a Right! What a Joke !!

    8 monthsLikes:16
  • Very good idea

    8 monthsLikes:1
  • Who would ever think having to meet the IRD Commissioner a privilege?

    8 monthsLikes:2
    1. Shamitha De Silva Mutucumarana I think they cracked a joke! :-D😂 Why differentiate taxpayers like that? This is similar to a class creation. The rich, the middle class and the poor. Every taxpayer contributes to the country!

      8 months
  • All 98 comments

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